Meet John Naoom

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 was able to experience a slice of life as a lawyer at Maddocks. I worked with lawyers across all levels, rotating through the Construction and Public Law teams. I was tasked with traditional research and drafting work, and also assisted with a conciliation and claiming a bank guarantee. The clerkship was my first encounter with private practice, so it helped me to develop a keen understanding of how a top-performing lawyer manages matters and delivers work with depth and detail.

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

I rotated through Dispute Resolution and Litigation, Health, Telecommunications, Media and Technology, and Construction teams. I developed a broad range of legal and technical knowledge in each practice area, but more importantly, I learnt general practical skills needed to tackle any matter. With each rotation, I felt that I added many small pieces to my legal career ‘puzzle’, which I will continue to expand on. I learnt that the best way to grow in this job is by working on the widest variety of matters possible. I also learnt that your mindset is key, and how this helps to develop a consistent and successful career. These learnings seem ‘soft’ and arbitrary, however I am thankful for the kind and consistent mentorship at Maddocks for showing me the importance that mindset plays in a legal career.

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

Show interest and curiosity. Legal work is a people profession – you have work assigned to you by your colleagues who are not subject to obligations on how they delegate that work. Therefore, I have found that where I am most interested and curious on a matter or topic, I am considered by my team to assist. As experience is king, I found that is how I got engaged in matters and learnt the most.

What matters to you at Maddocks?

For me, the most important thing is being able to grow sustainably, while feeling fulfilled and maintaining balance in my life – something I believe Maddocks offers as a junior lawyer. I find myself learning something everyday, working on important and influential work, at a steady pace. Burn out is a real risk in the legal profession, so a supportive work environment is key.

What advice would you give a potential seasonal clerk?

Have fun! The clerkship was full of networking and fun activities – enjoy it for all its worth. The best thing to come out of the clerkship was the friendships made in the cohort. We all continue to be great friends and we have supported each other throughout our times as clerks, grads, and now first year lawyers.