Benjamin Paganin

How did you get to your current job position?

I applied for a graduate position at Ashurst in July 2020 following my seasonal clerkship in December 2019.  Ashurst was generous in offering me a deferred graduate position, which allowed me to extend my degree and travel before I began my career at the firm in February 2022.  As part of my graduate program, I undertook practical legal training and was admitted as a solicitor in December 2022.  After the 12-month graduate program, I settled as a lawyer in the Corporate Transactions team.

How did you choose your specialisation?

I have always had a keen interest in transactional legal work, and more specifically Corporate/M&A. Before undertaking my postgraduate legal studies I completed an undergraduate in finance and economics, so I was naturally drawn to the kind of services that the Corporate Transactions team offers. That being said, prior to my graduate year I wasn't certain that a career in corporate was for me, particularly as I had limited professional experience in the field.  Throughout my graduate year, I rotated through the Corporate Transactions, Project Finance, and International Projects Group (Energy & Resources) practice groups over a 12-month period, which solidified my interest in corporate work.  

What was your interview process like? 

My interview for the clerkship program was a very positive experience.  I was studying in Melbourne at the time and had flown back to Perth for the interview, so I was quite nervous seeing as I had little insight into the Perth interview process from my peers.  I was interviewed by a partner in the Corporate Transactions team and a senior associate in the Property & Native Title team, who were both very welcoming.  There were a few situational and behavioral questions, but to my surprise, the interview was predominantly a conversation and an opportunity for the firm to get to know me beyond my resume and cover letter, which was unlike other interviews that I had experienced.

What are your areas of responsibility as a junior lawyer?

As a junior lawyer in the Corporate Transactions team, I have the responsibility of drafting a variety of transaction, ASX, ASIC, and FIRB documents, as well as undertaking legal research and due diligence. I am also given opportunities to email clients, manage smaller-scale matters and be involved in pro-bono work.  

Can you describe a typical workday?

Other than the usual coffee run in the morning, each day is quite different so it's hard to pinpoint what a typical day's work looks like. However, generally a day might include responding to client queries, assisting my team in progressing matters, legal research, attending meetings and drafting transactional or ancillary documents.  Depending on the scale of the matters, some work requires input from multiple teams across different expertise, so a day might also include liaising with those teams, whether that is within the same office, interstate, or occasionally international.  The team always has several matters running at once, so it is also very rare for me to work on a single matter each day.

What are the career prospects with your job?

Within the firm, there is the usual career progression of a lawyer to senior associate, counsel or partner.  Along that journey, some lawyers move laterally to interstate or international offices or take up secondment opportunities with clients or regulators.  Beyond progressing a career at the firm, some lawyers move to in-house counsel at large corporations.

A benefit of being at a leading global law firm is that you receive first-class training and experience in dealing with complex matters.  The skills that you develop are highly transferrable and aren't limited to legal roles, so you also tend to see experienced lawyers moving into managerial roles across several industries.

What do you love the most about your job? 

One thing that I love about my job is that I am given opportunities as I ask for them, whilst having the support and guidance from experienced and highly skilled lawyers.  I am also grateful for being surrounded by highly intelligent and driven people, which motivates me to continue to develop my skills.    

Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student? 

• Be involved in as much as you can and take on opportunities whilst at university, whether it's competitions, career events, exchange programs or co-curricular outside of uni. Whilst it's important to be in tune with your natural strengths and interests, you are at a perfect time in your life to try new things and it's hard to know if you'll enjoy something until you give it a go. There is so much on offer whilst at university, so make the most of it and you'll learn a lot in the process.
• Be invested in whatever you are doing. Throughout your time at the university, you'll be required to do things that don't initially spark your interest and it's easy to only give what is required.  The more you invest yourself in the process the more you'll get out of it.  
• Always be yourself, particularly when applying for jobs and starting your career. Many fall into the trap of thinking that employers are looking for a particular type of person. You'll spend a lot of time with your colleagues throughout your career, so it's important that you find an environment where you can be yourself.