What's your job about?
Buddle Findlay is a large commercial and public law firm focused on providing clients and their businesses expert advice with a collaborative, strategic and commercial approach. I work in a corporate and commercial team specialising in mergers and acquisitions. We have a number of top international and domestic clients and work on many complex and interesting transactions. My day-to-day tasks involve a variety of tasks from capital raising, shareholding arrangements, corporate governance and general corporate advisory. My work is dynamic, challenging, fulfilling and no two days are alike!
What's your background?
I grew up in Auckland but an interesting fact about me is that I spent four years living in Nepal with my family while they did medical aid work. This was an incredibly transformative experience that exposed me to many different things and taught me lots of lessons I have carried with me throughout my life.
I had a pretty clear idea from a young age that I wanted to be a lawyer, so went straight from high school to study law. During my time at university, I also worked a variety of part time jobs from events management, to retail, to working in a compliance team for a healthcare company. I also spent some time volunteering at a community law centre. I learnt so much from these roles and picked up many useful skills that have been transferrable to my career today. At times it was challenging to balance work and study, but I see the value in what I've done and do not regret it.
During my penultimate year of university, I applied to be a summer clerk at Buddle Findlay. I was particularly drawn to the firm because of the workplace culture they demonstrated and the opportunities they could provide. I started my internship with 6 other summer clerks and had a fantastic summer. I was lucky enough to come away from that experience with not only a graduate position but some great friends!
What's the coolest thing about your job?
I love my job because of the challenge it provides. Being a new graduate, I have a lot to learn and many of the tasks I undertake feel very foreign to me. My team provides me with lots of support, guidance and encouragement and it is so rewarding to see things I've been working on sent out to clients.
Buddle Findlay also has an awesome workplace culture where you feel well supported and included. We have lots of fun social events that help you connect with your colleagues. For example, the corporate teams recently did a wine and paint night followed by a dinner at a restaurant. It was so nice to get together and socialise, especially after not having anything like that for so long due to covid.
What are the limitations/challenges of your job?
Starting out as a law graduate involves lots of learning on the job. This can be particularly challenging especially if there are strict deadlines and you're juggling different tasks for different matters. It can be very difficult to pick up pieces of work others have worked on for some time, or review documents you have never seen before. It is so important to stay calm and level-headed and not let stress cloud your vision. The legal industry is a fast-paced environment, and it is important to not get caught up and swept away in the rush.
Three pieces of advice for your university-self?