Stephanie Tieman - Lawyer

"When I started at Piper Alderman as an articled clerk in Melbourne in March 2006, I didn't really know what I should be looking for in a firm, or how to sort the hype from reality.

More important though, is why I’ve stayed. The best aspect has been the opportunity to work with different Partners and teams both within the Litigation and Corporate divisions. I have been exposed to a wide variety of interesting and challenging matters.

A high level of matter involvement, as well as the opportunity to manage client relationships, has definitely helped to keep me engaged and interested.

What I enjoy about Piper Alderman is the collegiate environment, a real work/life balance and having a good mentoring program and support network. I have found that the comfortable work atmosphere of the office has allowed me to fit in very easily and has also enabled me to really enjoy myself. To me that speaks a lot about the firm and the people involved."

Ryan Lynch

"I began working as a part-time law clerk at Piper Alderman's Sydney office in 2006 during my final year of studies. After working as a law clerk in another firm, Piper Alderman was able to accommodate my interest in Litigation/Dispute Resolution and Maritime Law, through the Trade & Transport Group. What really impressed me was the quality of work and real involvement offered to clerks.

My tasks were always related to matters at hand and I found that on a daily basis I was liaising with parties and producing documents and correspondence which were actually crucial to the client. Although I was on a steep learning curve during my clerkship, I had the support and guidance I needed to confidently tackle difficult tasks and produce work that I was ultimately proud of.

There's no substitute for real hands on experience and the benefit that comes from practical learning and hands on experiences is invaluable. You'll gain responsibility at a pace that will ensure you are continually challenged and stimulated. Law Clerks are exposed to the important and interesting aspects of the firm's legal practice, ensuring that the clerkship experience delivers an insight into what lawyers actually do. Law Clerks are treated professionally and are offered all the support of a national practice including training, internal and external seminars, library and resources and most importantly a mentor which is absolutely critical to learning.

Looking back at my clerkship experience now, I regard it as an invaluable introduction to practice and critical in confirming my interest in my chosen practice area."

Marc Scardilli

"After accepting a graduate position at Piper Alderman in Sydney for 2007, I was asked if I could join Pipers as a Law Clerk in mid 2006 on a part-time basis to assist Gordon Grieve on a large international litigation matter. At the time I was working at a large commercial law firm and completing my final semester of a combined law degree - I’ve never looked back!

My experience as a Law Clerk reaffirmed that I had made the right decision to join Piper Alderman as a graduate. From day one I found that I had hands-on experience on quality (interesting) matters, as well as supervised access to clients, exposure to various practice groups including Commercial Litigation, Corporate and Property, contact to professional legal staff at all levels and importantly that there was a ‘genuine’ work/life balance. This gave me a real insight into the culture of Piper Alderman; something that you cannot obtain from reading a law firm’s website.

The one-on-one access to all professional legal staff meant that my time as a Law Clerk at Piper Alderman was a practical extension to my university studies. Pipers was also extremely flexible with my studies; allowing me to take study leave for exams as well as time off before starting as a graduate in February 2007.

Having worked at Piper Alderman as a part-time Law Clerk made the transition to full-time employment as a graduate a little smoother. It also meant that I was familiar with the people, as well as the firm’s procedures and could start where I left off."

Juniper Watson

"While completing my Honours Degree and Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice I worked part-time in a very small general practice firm. I was keen to experience working in a larger firm with specialised practice areas so I was delighted when I was successful in my application for a clerkship with Piper Alderman. During the interview process I expressed an interest in Dispute Resolution so my clerkship was tailored so that I could spend three of the four weeks in that division.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in the Piper Alderman clerkship program. I found it to be well structured and educational with a strong focus on the development of practical skills. All partners and staff were very approachable and I was welcomed into the firm's culture of teamwork and cooperation. I was invited to become actively involved in the firm's touch football team and social events which were both enjoyable and rewarding.

Following the clerkship I was offered the opportunity to stay on as a law graduate and take up a position as a lawyer upon my admission. I knew from my experience during my clerkship that Piper Alderman was the firm that I wanted to work for."

Bill Nerlich

"I made a very risky decision around four years ago to change careers and study law. As an accountant who had specialised in insolvency and reconstruction, I made a significant sacrifice to fulfil my dream of becoming a lawyer.

Having previously instructed Piper Alderman in the course of my insolvency work, I approached the firm with a view to obtaining articles. To my surprise I was offered a position and started with the firm in March 2007. The experience has been both challenging and rewarding. I have been exposed to a number of areas of the law with a rotations in both Dispute Resolution and Commercial. Now admitted to practice, I have decided to work in the insolvency team and capitalise on my former experience and contacts.

Piper Alderman has provided the opportunity to work as a member of a team with extremely highly regarded practitioners. It has allowed me to develop skills that will facilitate a successful and rewarding legal career. Close client contact and interesting and challenging matters have been the norm during my time at Piper Alderman.

I can honestly say that working at Piper Alderman has been the final important step in proving to myself that my decision of some four years ago was the right one. It is the firm in which I intend to build a lasting career."