Melbourne Seasonal Clerkship 2026/27

Maddocks offers a great place to Do What Matters to you. By joining our clerkship program, you will gain first-hand experience working on interesting, often high-profile matters, for a range of clients. We are proud to be recognised as #5 in Law in the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) 2025 & 2026 Top Intern Programs and #1 in Law – Top Graduate Employer.

About Us

We are a modern Australian law firm with a leading reputation. At Maddocks, we focus on exceptional service, legal excellence and being at the forefront of employee experience. We work closely with Australian and international businesses, organisations and governments. Our practice areas include; Commercial, Construction & Projects, Dispute Resolution & Litigation, Employment, Safety & People, Public Law and Real Estate.

The Program

Our Clerkship program is a 4-week program that offers the first step for students seeking Graduate positions.

During The 4-week Program You Will Experience

A personalised induction plan with high quality training and learning opportunities, developing key skills to succeed as a lawyerWorking in two practice groups of your preference, with support in each rotation from a dedicated buddy and coordinator

During the clerkship, you will have the opportunity to work in supportive and collaborative teams, alongside Partners and lawyers. You will gain real-world experience through challenging and meaningful work on active client matters.

Program Dates

Summer A: 16 November – 11 December 2026

Summer B: 1 February – 26 February 2027

Winter: 14 June – 9 July 2027

Requirements

We welcome applications from students who are:

In the penultimate or final year of an undergraduate law degree or the JD programAn Australian or New Zealand Citizen or Australian permanent resident Expected to complete all academic requirements of their degree by December 2027

Why join Maddocks?

Maddocks Is Simply a Great Place To Do Great Work. We Foster a Culture Of Collaboration, Learning And Engagement Where You Will Experience

A diverse and inclusive workplace:We have been named an employer of Choice for Gender Equality by the Workforce Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) every year since 2004 along with being named a Silver Employer at the Australian Workplace Equality Index's 2024 LGBTQ Inclusion Awards. We promote diversity internally through our Maddocks Gender Equality Network, Maddocks CALD, Maddocks Disability Inclusion and Maddocks Pride groups.Career Development:Learn and develop through structured learning and development programs at each stage of your career and study support programs.Community involvement:give back to the communities in which we operate through our thriving pro bono and grants programs and staff volunteering initiatives.Work flexibly:work in a hybrid way with part of your week in the office and support to set up your home office.Wellbeing & Benefits:access to up to 20 weeks paid parental leave, discounted gym memberships & health insurance, salary continuance insurance, Employee Assistance Program and parents and carers wellbeing programs.

Our people are our greatest advocates, and we believe this is a result of our inclusive culture and focus on complex and interesting work. To be eligible for this role you must be an Australian citizen or eligible for Australian citizenship due to the nature of government work.