Employment Opportunities

Current Positions

We are happy to receive resumes from potential team members of all levels of experience. Please email your resume to andreag@whd.com.au

If you are an experienced practitioner with an existing client base looking for a change in culture, and are interested in joining our expanding firm, please contact Matthew McCormick matthewm@whd.com.au

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We are currently accepting expressions of interest for the following vacancies:

Commercial Litigation Lawyer
You will have between 2 - 6 years experience in Commercial Litigation. You will work under the direct supervision of 2 Partners assisting in a variety of matters as well as running a file load yourself. Exceptional communications skills are a must. There will also be a high level of client contact.

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A Career With Us

So what is WHD like? It is diverse and fast moving. It is full of energy, challenge, innovation and opportunities.

As an employee of WHD, you will become one of our most important resources. You will find an environment where everyone has the opportunity to achieve their best. Did you know that for years law firms have been telling the market that their biggest asset is there employees? However when the GFC struck those same law firms were the first to downsize. We have been doing the opposite. The partners have been committed to its employees during this rough period, not one redundancy for WHD. The partners are committed to the promises they make.

Working at WHD is like working at no other law firm. Here's why!

Our strong focus on human resource management means we aim to foster your full potential as an important member of the WHD team and as a person. We offer career and personal development opportunities through our performance development system, including performance feedback bi-annually together with both internal and external training programs.
A realistic work/life balance is encouraged. Our family friendly policies support flexible working hours.
We encourage your participation in WHD social activities. Staff are encouraged to join our very active social club. Staff enjoy monthly drinks, casual days, trivia nights, quarterly sports days and end of year functions.

Careers: Trainee Solicitors

As a Trainee Solicitor you will have the benefit of exposure to a wide range of experiences in all areas of law in which we practice. You will actively participate in all aspects of the legal process, including the preparation of documentation, meeting with clients to obtain instructions, drafting correspondence and, where applicable, attending mediations/conciliations.

From an early stage, you may acquire files under the direct supervision of an experienced lawyer. Lawyers are very willing to discuss each step that must be taken in relation to a file, including client management, legal issues that arise and basic time management concerns. You will also observe client interviews in order to learn appropriate interview techniques.

At other times you will complete tasks on more advanced files. This involves reading the file and trying to assess and understand basic issues and difficulties of the matter, learning to evaluate what stage a matter is at and how to complete tasks in question, eg. to prepare and file an affidavit.

Induction Program

All Trainee Solicitors participate in an induction program which involves:

Getting to know the partners, team leaders and staff.
Learning about our way of life.
Discovering WHD's history.
Learning about our different practice areas and meeting your prospective practice group leaders.
IT Training.
Learning about practice management.

Career Development

A training program has been developed to help you learn about practice management. Our partners and lawyers run regular training sessions. There are also plenty of opportunities for our staff to attend external training sessions.

We conduct performance reviews every six months. These provide you with feedback on your performance and also give you an opportunity to discuss training and ongoing career development.

What we look for in a Trainee Solicitor

We look for the following attributes and qualities in our staff:

Knowledge and interest in the practice areas of the firm.
Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
Individuals who can fit into and actively add to our positive culture
Previous work experience which demonstrates maturity, leadership and initiative.
Willingness to learn and good work ethic

Trainee Solicitor Program

The Trainee Solicitor Program is a pre-requisite for admission of Trainee Solicitors as Legal Practitioners to the Supreme Court of Queensland.

Under new admission rules for legal practitioners, all law graduates who are employed as Trainee Solicitors must complete 90 hours of "approved training" to satisfy the admission rules. This approved training is in addition to the competencies covered during traineeship and must incorporate an Ethics Component.

We enrol our Trainee Solicitors in the program offered by the Queensland University of Technology. Registration fees are paid by the firm.

How to Apply

We abide by the Queensland Law Society guidelines for Trainee Solicitor recruitment. For administrative purposes please send two (2) copies of all documentation related to your application (cover letter, resume and academic results) together with that application - which should be forwarded to:

The Staff Partner,
Walsh Halligan Douglas,
GPO Box 2471,
BRISBANE QLD 4001

Do not email your application.

Careers: Law Student

From time to time we have employment opportunities for Law Students to work on a casual or part-time basis.

If you are interest in any of these opportunities please email us.

Careers: Lawyers

At WHD we are proud of our strong practice built on innovation and ground breaking practices which exposes our lawyers to the rewards of practicing law at its most challenging.

Our commitment to personal and professional development will ensure that our lawyers continue to develop and enhance their skills. Many of our lawyers hold a specialist accreditation in their field.

Careers: Legal Support

WHD Lawyers provide challenging work and an excellent career path for legal assistants. We will provide you with comprehensive training and a development program which will assist with your career progression. Training is provided both at the practice group level and firm wide.

Legal assistants have a hands on role in managing sections of a client file.

As a legal assistant you may advance to a senior legal assistant and/or law clerk.

As a senior legal assistant you will play a crucial role in the day to day management of the practice. This will involve:

Managing case files.
Managing the case review diary process.
Coordinating appointments for solicitors, clients, witnesses, experts and other parties to cases.
Preparing matters for trial.
Responding to client queries and keeping clients informed of the progress of their litigation.
Managing file settlements.

You will be the first point of contact for client queries and may be in a position to directly answer client questions, in some instances, without having to involve the lawyer.

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