Isabella Armao

5.45 AM

Time to wake up and quickly get ready for a 6.10 am gym class.  Although I find it hard to wake up this early, I like to go to the gym early in the morning because it is good for my productivity later in the day.

After the gym, I get dressed and jump on the bus, listening to a podcast.

8.30 AM

I arrive at work, into the beautiful foyer at 333 Collins.  I take the lift to my floor and start my day by checking my emails and writing a to-do list.  This way, I can prioritise what needs to be done throughout the day. 

9.00 AM

I head downstairs to Café Cuba on our Level 18 reception floor with another grad in Environment and Planning to order some breakfast, coffee and chat about what we have been working on. I like to support Café Cuba because the profits go to the Clayton Utz Foundation - which supports organisations that have a strong and meaningful connection to our firm through our Pro Bono practice, Community Connect and the volunteering and fundraising commitments of our people.

9.30 AM

I am in my second rotation as a graduate, in the Commercial Litigation team.  One of the great things about the team is that we act for a number of clients in a broad range of disputes.  I have been able to learn a lot about different areas of law and legal issues, including breach of contract, property, restraint of trade and unconscionable conduct, to name a few.

I start the morning with a call from my supervising partner and lawyer in my team where we discuss some tasks that need to be done for one of our clients.  The partner provides me with detailed instructions about tasks that he would like me to do today - including preparing an affidavit for an expert witness, a research task, and obtaining a number of title searches. 

We then call the expert witness to obtain relevant information about his background, experience and evidence relevant to the dispute.  I take detailed notes because the information provided will be included in the affidavit I draft later today. 

11.00 AM

I start preparing the draft affidavit we discussed with the witness this morning.  This involves reviewing my notes from the meeting and various reports and videos the witness had provided.  I then populate a precedent affidavit and update it to include the information I have obtained.  After reviewing the affidavit, I send it to my supervising partner to settle.

1.00 PM

Now that I am admitted to practice, I am required to obtain a certain number of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points throughout the year.  The firm runs CLE sessions at lunch time, so some of the other grads and I reserve a meeting room to watch a CLE on Ethics.

After the CLE, a few of us go outside for some fresh air.

2.30 PM

I then start on the next two tasks on my to-do list, which involves finding commentary and cases about relief against forfeiture after termination of an agreement, and conducting some title searches to find information about a particular property. 

I share what I find with my supervising partner and call him to give a quick run-down and see if he has any further questions.

4.00 PM

I attend a meeting with a lawyer in the Pro Bono team and my supervising partner to discuss a potential pro bono matter that the firm might take on. 

Pro Bono is a big part of being a lawyer at CU.  We are referred pro bono files through the Homeless Persons Legal Clinic (mainly tenancy or infringement matters), or receive other referrals from our pro bono partner, Justice Connect. Since working at CU, I have assisted with a building dispute and a debt / contractual dispute, both currently in VCAT, and tenancy and infringement matters. 

The matter we are discussing today has been referred to us by Justice Connect and concerns a dispute over a stolen vehicle. The partner provides very helpful background about how interpleader proceedings operate, which I note down.  He also guides us on further research and analysis we should undertake to assess the merits of the application.

After the meeting, the lawyer in the Pro Bono team asks whether I can help with research on the merits of the claim, and meet next week to discuss what we have found.

6.30 PM

I end the day by entering my time in the system, and flagging any important emails to action tomorrow.  I then get ready for a game of netball at Flagstaff Gardens with some of my colleagues.  Sadly, we lost the game but we still had fun!

9.00 PM

I arrive home.  My friend comes over for a cup of tea and asks me to certify some documents for her.  Since being admitted, it is not uncommon for my friends to appear unannounced seeking my help with these services! 

After she leaves, I head to bed and read a chapter of my book.

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