Meet Houda Nasser

Tell us about your time as a seasonal clerk at Maddocks. What teams did you rotate through, and how did the program support your development as a lawyer?

As a seasonal clerk, I rotated through the Public Law and Employment, Safety and People (ESP) teams. I had the opportunity to work on a broad range of tasks and matters, including legal research, assisting with the preparation of workplace investigations, and attending hearings and off-site conciliations. The clerkship was my first encounter with private practice and legal experience generally. Whilst it was a shock to the system, it also gave me valuable insight into life as a lawyer, and the tools necessary to succeed in the industry. 

Which practice areas have you experienced as a Graduate? What did you learn from those rotations?

Before starting the graduate program, I knew what I liked but was unsure of the type of lawyer I wanted to become. To afford myself the best opportunity to figure that out, I wanted to experience advisory, litigation and transactional work. I was able to get that experience in my Public Law, ESP and Real Estate rotations.

With each rotation, I grappled with a different technical skill-set. Each team offered work with both public and private clients and gave me a better understanding of matter management and progression, by seeing what lawyers do on a day-to-day basis and understanding where my contributions fit into that. 

I learnt that what was crucial to my growth and success was embracing the things that scared me. Working in three very different teams meant I got to work on very different tasks and matters – some more challenging than others. In hindsight, I can see how that contributed to the development of my skills and my confidence.  

What’s one skill or lesson that has helped you grow most as a junior lawyer at Maddocks? 

A lesson I have learnt in my time at Maddocks is to be open-minded and curious. We all have things we are interested in. No doubt there are people who just know what they want and what they are good at. But that isn’t the reality for most – and it wasn’t the reality for me. You will make the most of your time in the clerkship and the graduate program, and put yourself in the best position to succeed, if you open yourself to as much variety and experience as possible. Embrace the things that scare you! Some of the most successful people in the industry, and in the world, were never meant to be where they ended up being.
 

What matters to you at Maddocks? 

I think it is equally important to enjoy what you do and enjoy the people you work with. In my experience, Maddocks has struck that balance perfectly. Across the teams I have worked with I have been given the opportunity to work on incredibly rewarding and interesting matters, whilst learning from some of the most intelligent, down to earth and supportive people who have made me feel as equally important to that process, as they are. 

What advice would you give a potential seasonal clerk?

Have fun and immerse yourself in everything the program offers, from networking, to sports, to hands-on and observational legal experience. Most importantly, give yourself grace and room to grow and make mistakes. You are so early in your career, the biggest expectations and criticism often come from yourself. Take a step back and appreciate how far you have come in what I’m sure has been a long and arduous process. It is important to be proud of yourself, no matter how small or large your achievements are. 

How did the Maddocks Graduate Program shape where you are now, and how do you balance career goals with what matters to you outside the office? 

The graduate program helped shape me as a lawyer both technically and personally. The teams I have rotated in have given me the foundational skills needed to become a successful lawyer. Most importantly, however, they have taught me the importance of being personable, likeable and kind. Remembering that law is a people-profession, and at the end of the day clients want to feel as though they are talking to a person.

Coming into the legal industry, we all have goals we want to achieve. As you progress throughout your career, and settle into your identity as a lawyer and the space you think you will thrive best in, those goals adapt to the environment you are working in. It is very important that they also adapt to your environment outside of work too. Setting personal and professional boundaries is key; and working with people who share that mindset, and encourage it, is equally important to achieving that balanced working lifestyle.