Lawyer at Sparke Helmore Lawyers
Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Laws (Honours) at Australian National University (ANU)
6.30 AM
My mornings usually start with a Pilates class or a swim. It’s warm and bright this morning, so I opt for a walk and a swim at Coogee Beach. I moved to Sydney from Canberra in February 2024, and I try to make the most of living close to the water. After my swim, I grab a coffee and walk home so that I can start getting ready for the day.
8.30 AM
I arrive at the Sydney office and make my way up to Level 30.
My team focuses on privacy and information law, working with a range of government clients at both the state and federal level. This area of law is constantly evolving, which means we need to stay on top of legislative changes, policy developments, and technological advancements. I receive email updates from a variety of news sources, so I like to start my morning by checking for anything relevant to our practice area.
9.00 AM
My team has lawyers working in Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, and Melbourne, so our work days usually start with a quick WebEx check-in. After scrolling through my messages, I review the to-do list I prepared the evening before. If it’s not too busy, I’ll grab a coffee downstairs with some of my colleagues.
9.15 AM
I am currently working on a Privacy Impact Assessment for a government client that is seeking our advice on the privacy risks associated with an upcoming project. My morning involves carefully reviewing the material provided by the client, preparing draft information flows, and consulting with the Australian Privacy Principles Guidelines. Since this area of law is still quite new to me, I ask my Associate if she has time to answer a couple of my questions.
1.00 PM
I go to lunch with some of the other graduates. We decide to meet in the kitchen on Level 29 before walking outside to find a spot in the sunshine. I enjoy hearing about the different types of work that the other graduates are doing in their teams.
2.00 PM
After lunch, I return to my desk and settle in for the afternoon. Today, I am assisting my Associate and Senior Associate with an urgent Freedom of Information matter currently before the Administrative Review Tribunal. Our job is to review the material in dispute and prepare a prospects advice for the client. My colleagues and I meet over WebEx to allocate tasksbefore getting stuck into our work.
4.00 PM
We need to file some submissions in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal for a state-based privacy matter. I print two copies of the required documents before walking the one kilometre to the Tribunal. It’s nice to get some steps in after sitting at my desk for a couple of hours.
6.00 PM
Before leaving the office for the day, I take some time to check my emails and make a to-do-list for tomorrow. I pack up my things and say goodbye to my colleagues. Since it’s a Thursday evening, I head to the bus stop and catch the bus to Centennial Park for a game of social netball.
Thinking of experiencing life as a Sparke Helmore Lawyers Graduate? Sign up to Prosple to receive job alerts for Sparke Helmore Lawyers.