Bird & Bird Clerkship Application
Where diverse talent meets cross-border opportunity in a collaborative global firm
Program Overview
- Criterion: Penultimate year law students - Criterion: Cross-jurisdictional work experience from day one - Criterion: Ability to work across multiple practice areas - Mentoring: Partner and senior lawyer exposure through cross-jurisdictional assignments - Development: Practical legal experience in live matters - Development: Paralegal contract opportunity during studies - Pathway: Main pathway into Bird & Bird's graduate and associate programme - Pathway: Typical offer of paralegal contract while completing final year of studies - Program: Summer Clerkship Programme (10 weeks including 2-week paid holiday, Sydney office)
Locations
- NSW
Firm Values
- - Identity: International firm with strong cross-border presence across four continents
- - Identity: Award-winning graduate training and global mentoring infrastructure
- - Values: Diversity as key to future growth and success
- - Values: Collaborative teamwork across borders and disciplines
- - Culture: Sociable
- articulate team-players in international environment
- - Culture: Multiculturalism and neurodiversity actively supported
- - Culture: LGBTQ+ inclusion through employee-led networks
- - Differentiator: Global Women's Development Programme to partnership
- - Differentiator: Employee-led networks driving inclusion initiatives
- - Differentiator: Bespoke coaching and development programmes
Awards & Recognition
- - Award: Women in Business Law Awards 2025 - Benelux Firm of the Year
- - Award: European Managing IP Awards 2025 - Multiple category wins (13 categories)
- - Ranking: Chambers Asia-Pacific - Intellectual Property, Australia
- - Ranking: Legal 500 - Australia practices
- - Recognition: IP STARS - Leading IP firm recognition, Australia
Community & Pro Bono
- Program: Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation Partnership - Focus: Indigenous education and literacy - Initiative: Long-standing partnership providing legal support to ALNF - Impact: 10+ years of continuous engagement with Indigenous communities - Partner: Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF) - Program: IP Pro Bono Advice - Focus: Intellectual property support for not-for-profits - Initiative: Provision of IP legal advice to multiple social impact organizations - Impact: Support across arts, health, children's services, and international development sectors - Partner: Arts Law Centre, Mission Australia, Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia Foundation, Children's Book Council of Australia - Program: Equitable Briefing Initiative - Focus: Equitable distribution of legal work - Initiative: Commitment to exceeding Law Council of Australia Equitable Briefing targets - Impact: Exceeded targets in 2023-2024 reporting period - Partner: Law Council of Australia - Program: Pro Bono Governance - Focus: Strategic oversight and coordination of pro bono activities - Initiative: Pro Bono Partner and Pro Bono Committee oversight of all initiatives - Impact: Structured governance ensuring consistent pro bono delivery across the firm - Partner: Internal governance structure