Our success is a result of our ability to attract the best people and to nurture their talent, enabling us to continue to offer the market-leading legal services for which we are widely recognised.

If you join McMahon Clarke Legal you will find we are committed to offering employees opportunities which support a healthy, rewarding work experience.

To help you decide if you would like to work with us, here are the thoughts from some people who have:

Chris Mee – Funds Management Team Partner
 

I commenced my articles of clerkship with McMahon Clarke Legal in 1998, initially working in the purchase and sale of management rights, commercial leasing and body corporate dispute resolution. I worked under the guidance of two associates who were experts in their respective fields.

The firm was undergoing significant growth when I commenced work, seizing on opportunities to form new partnerships with existing and new clients as a result of corporate law reform. This presented the firm’s lawyers, and even articled clerks, with the opportunity to develop an expertise in different areas of the law and to build their own relationships with corporate clients.

From 1999, I worked almost exclusively in managed investments law, specialising in serviced strata schemes and excluded offers. The partners encouraged me to develop new relationships with clients and to enhance my knowledge of our clients' businesses by undertaking the Securities Institute of Australia’s graduate diploma in applied finance and investment. I was also appointed an authorised representative of a related securities dealer to further develop my education as a managed investments lawyer.

I have the utmost respect for all the staff at McMahon Clarke Legal. They are experts in their respective fields, which has resulted in the firm becoming a leading player in the managed investments industry. The partners especially are always accessible, friendly and understanding of junior lawyers.

McMahon Clarke Legal is a firm built around systems. The document management and precedent systems are the best I have seen at any law firm. These systems result in reduced working hours through the quick and efficient spread of information between solicitors, and higher quality legal documentation as an end-product. Many firms espouse their desire to “work smarter not harder”, but our firm invests time and money to ensure its lawyers have a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

Culturally, the firm is young and dynamic. Its people are friendly and outgoing, and I think the firm’s clients understand and appreciate this. It makes going to work a pleasurable experience.

I left the firm in late 2002 to work for a law firm in London. I returned in 2004 to continue my career as a managed investments lawyer, and found McMahon Clarke Legal had continued to grow in terms of size and the areas of law in which it practised. It had also fostered a significant client base which provides quality and varied work.

In 2008 I was very pleased to join my peers in being made a partner of the firm and would not hesitate to recommend McMahon Clarke Legal to any prospective new employee – 2008. 

Brit Ibanez – Litigation and Risk Management Lawyer

I started at McMahon Clarke Legal in February 2002, fresh out of my articles and very concerned about finding a position that met my two main priorities; interesting and diverse work, and a positive firm culture.

I was not willing to compromise on either of these things. I found it difficult to determine the truth in the promotional statements made by different firms alleging a positive culture and an emphasis on work/life balance.

To help me in my decision, I re-read the testimonials section of the McMahon Clarke Legal website and reflected on the answers given to me in my interviews. I was impressed with the effort that the firm had made during the recruitment process to ensure that I was a good cultural fit with them. It indicated to me that the firm was serious about its values. I made my decision to accept the firm's offer based on the clear respect and loyalty the firm commanded from existing and past employees.

This was the best decision of my professional career, and for the last two years, I have thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of my working life. I left the firm in January 2004 to work and travel overseas. However, that time will be limited and on my return to Australia, I hope to be able to work at McMahon Clarke Legal again.

The partners of the firm have managed to successfully combine professionalism and excellence in their fields with a genuine concern for their staff and an interest in providing cutting-edge technology and appropriate resources. I consider them my mentors and my friends, and I would recommend them to anyone as potential employers – 2004.

Update: Since leaving McMahon Clarke Legal in 2004, I moved to New York, married and started a family.  I have returned to the firm to work again with the litigation and risk management team and in many ways it feels like I never left, the friends and colleagues I worked with four years ago are still here and many have progressed to senior positions. The firm has grown while managing to maintain the same atmosphere by attracting and retaining staff that support its culture. The work is diverse and of top quality.

I look forward to being part of McMahon Clarke Legal for many years to come and I still have no hesitation in recommending the firm to you – 2008. 

Karla Allison – Senior PA and Training Co-ordinator Supply

I have enjoyed working at McMahon Clarke Legal since 2002. I noticed immediately on joining the firm that the culture was different from the other law firms I had previously worked in. All of the staff were welcoming and very friendly, the initial training I received was extremely thorough and I immediately felt like an important part of the team in which I worked.

Within a relatively short time I advanced into a senior role within the PA team working with one of the firm’s partners and two senior lawyers. I have been able to develop my skills by expanding my responsibilities. My position has also allowed me take on role of in-house training facilitator responsible for training all new staff recruited in our Training and Development and Style Guides. I work with the staff social committee in organising all of the firm’s social functions, sporting events and staff activities.

I will continue to enjoy working at McMahon Clarke Legal for many years to come and would highly recommend working here to anyone thinking about joining the team – 2008.