What's your job about?
I am a first rotation graduate in the Project Finance team in the White & Case Sydney office. The work mainly involves the financing of large infrastructure projects, with a focus on renewables; such as wind farms and solar farms. Occasionally, we also work on refinancing and the acquisition of infrastructure assets. On any given deal, we are advising either the borrower or the lender (which is usually a group of banks).
My main job as a junior is to assist the senior associate and associate on the deal each day. My workflow generally changes weekly, depending on what stage the deals are at; often, I will assist with a few deals at a time. Common tasks in Project Finance include assisting with legal due diligence reports, reviewing company constitutions and trust deeds, as well as managing and editing documents during negotiations.
What's your background?
I grew up in Perth, where I went to school and did my undergraduate degree. One of the most important stages of my life would be my university education. I earned a Bachelor of Science, with majors in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, before moving to Sydney to study postgraduate law (Juris Doctor). This combination of studies gave me a broad range of experience and perspectives. This, coupled with going to the UK as an exchange student, really influenced my decisions when it came to my future career.
I applied for the White & Case Sydney Winter Clerkship on a whim, after seeing that the Firm had not cancelled it during the aftermath of the first COVID-19 lockdown, in 2020. I did not really know what to expect from my clerkship, but I really enjoyed the experience. I found that the international focus of the Firm, and the type of work they did, was something that I had been seeking for. That really appealed to me. The prospect of working at a global law firm, with the advantages of a smaller Sydney office and the opportunity to do an international rotation as part of the Graduate Program, really excited me.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Yes, absolutely! At a junior level, the Firm does not expect first rotation graduates to have all the technical skills. That is why we are there–to learn. Enthusiasm, the ability to learn quickly and being a team player will go a long way in this job. The ability to understand the big picture of the work we do, good communication skills, and being flexible and adaptable to changing work instructions, will also help immensely.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
The coolest thing about my job is definitely the international nature of the work and the opportunity to participate in domestic and international rotations, as part of the Graduate Program. Above all else, though, everyone is lovely to work with, super supportive and the office culture is really good!
What are the limitations of your job?
Being able to juggle the different deals and work that a lawyer has going on requires a lot of organisation. The nature of the work is client-driven, so inevitably, there will be times when a deal picks up, so we have to work late and on weekends. As such, we do not have a lot of control over our time, and we need to make some sacrifices when it comes to plans made in advance to see friends and family.
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