Cornwalls Clerkship Application
Independent Melbourne mid-tier firm for corporate, commercial, and dispute work
Program Overview
- Structure: One four-week summer clerkship intake (November–December) - Structure: Exposure to multiple practice groups across the clerkship period - Structure: Applications via direct firm portal; applications open 6 July – 9 August 2026 - Mentoring: Allocated mentor and buddy for guidance and support throughout - Mentoring: Participation in practice group training sessions and practical workshops - Development: Substantive legal work including drafting correspondence and documents - Development: Attendance at meetings, conferences, mediations, and court observations - Pathway: Graduates considered for ongoing employment following successful clerkship
Practice Areas
- Corporate and Commercial: M&A, governance, commercial contracts, and advisory - Property: Commercial property transactions, development, and leasing - Litigation and Dispute Resolution: Commercial disputes, mediation, and arbitration - Employment: Workplace relations, employment contracts, and HR advisory - Construction: Construction contracts, disputes, and project advisory - Insolvency: Corporate restructuring and creditor advisory
Locations
- VIC
Firm Values
- - Identity: Independent Australian law firm headquartered in Melbourne with a national client base
- - Identity: Full-service mid-tier firm with deep expertise across corporate
- commercial
- and disputes
- - Values: Commercial
- practical advice built on long-standing client relationships
- - Values: Collaborative team culture that invests in junior lawyer development
- - Values: Commitment to diversity
- inclusion
- and community engagement
- - Culture: Supportive
- approachable firm with genuine work-life balance culture
- - Culture: Summer clerkship runs November–December with access to multiple practice areas
- - Differentiator: Independent firm — no global bureaucracy
- strong partner access for clerks
- - Differentiator: Strong graduate pathway — clerkship regularly leads to graduate offers
- - Differentiator: Real client work from day one
- not just observation
Awards & Recognition
- - Award: Best Lawyers Australia 2026 — practitioners recognised across multiple areas
- - Recognition: Consistently recognised as a leading independent Melbourne mid-tier firm
Community & Pro Bono
- Program: Pro bono work supporting community organisations and access to justice - Initiative: Community engagement through legal education and support programs