Working at Carter Newell
At Carter Newell, we believe an organisation’s culture drives its success – our people are our top priority.
We have a people-first culture which celebrates authenticity, respect and inclusion. Whilst we work hard and take our professional integrity seriously, we also have fun, achieve balance personally, and look after ourselves and each other.
Many of our partners and people have worked together for decades, developing strong professional and social relationships. We also have a strong group of Carter Newell alumni who we remain connected with long after they have taken the next step in their career journey.
Our experts are well respected for being leaders in their field but also for their personability. We work together to manage high-quality, complex matters for some of Australia’s largest corporations and international corporate clients.
As a collective, we describe ourselves as:
We are optimistic
We take a balanced and optimistic outlook that positively impacts our clients, people and all parties concerned while intuitively creating exceptional goodwill and outcomes — even in the most difficult or nuanced situations.
We are inclusive
We invite engagement and constructive feedback from clients and our people to create a culture that establishes trust, recognises equality, respects opinions and values unique experiences — an ongoing focus on continuous development.
We are pragmatic
We analyse a situation’s legal and commercial implications to identify and advise on the most practical, rational and reasonable outcomes — turning complex concerns into simple solutions.
We are dependable
We invest in relationships by actively and consistently supporting team members’ professional and personal aspirations alongside clients’ legal and commercial goals — an extension of their team as trusted advisors.
Workplace benefits
get the most out of time at Carter Newell.
Flexible work
Whether you are studying or have caring responsibilities or you are just managing your day-to-day schedule, we have flexible work arrangements to suit your circumstances.
Health and wellbeing
Access our Wellness program, parents room, speak to one of our Mental Health First Aid Officers or utilise our annual wellbeing allowance – we support you.
Professional development
Your career growth matters – our structured learning and development plans, study assistance, and mentors will help you achieve your goals.
Sport and social
We have fun along the way– with regular firm and social club events including weekly morning teas, wine tastings, karaoke nights, dress up parties, indoor cricket, netball and fun runs.
Workplace giving
We have workplace giving programs in each state and provide our people the opportunity to identify and contribute to their community through multiple activities and drives each year.
Reward and recognition
We recognise when people go above and beyond and reward them accordingly. We have a structured bonus program, recognition program, employee referral program and recognise milestones.
Who you are
We look for people who are friendly, authentic and practical, with a high-performance mindset and commitment to continuous growth. We recognise and respect your individuality and work together as equals to create client-centric solutions and help you grow in your career.
Graduate and
clerkship Program
The most rewarding way we have grown our firm organically is through our annual intake of entry level legal positions and previous work experience students.
Our graduate and clerkships programs offer tertiary students the opportunity to experience working in high-performing, specialist legal teams with some of the best lawyers in Australia.
At Carter Newell, we provide graduates, clerks, and work experience students the foundations of a successful legal career.
Graduate program
Our Graduate Program consists of two rotations over 12 months. The program typically includes two six-month rotations in different practice areas, mentoring, a designated buddy and professional development opportunities.
We also provide financial assistance and study leave for your PLT and admission.
Positions in our Clerkship Program or as a Research Law Clerk are not prerequisites for our Graduate roles, but these roles do receive preference over outside candidates.
Clerkship program
Our three-week clerkship program involves rotations through practice groups and hands-on experience (with real legal work) within our Insurance, Construction, Projects and Infrastructure and broader Commercial/Corporate teams.
The program provides the opportunity to meet other clerks and graduates, build your profile and start growing your network in the legal industry.
Our vacation clerkship program (Brisbane only) for 2025 is open to penultimate year students.
Applications open in July each year and close in August. Offers are made and accepted in early October.
Research law clerks
To be eligible for a Research Law Clerk position, you will need to be a law student with approximately 18 months remaining on your degree and a desire to learn about different legal practice areas.
These roles are typically two to three days per week and provide an introduction to life in private practice.
Current opportunities
Our current opportunities are:
- Brisbane – Special Counsel (Energy & Resources)
- Brisbane – Senior Associate/Associate (Planning & Environment)
- Brisbane – Senior Associate (Construction & Engineering, Insurance)
- Brisbane – Senior Associate (Construction & Engineering, Disputes)
- Brisbane – Associate (General Liability)
- Sydney – Solicitor (General Liability)
- Melbourne – Legal Assistant
- Brisbane – Legal Assistant (General Liability)
If you are interested in applying for one of these roles, please apply by the form below. Or if you are interested in exploring future opportunities with Carter Newell, please provide a cover letter with your current resume to Caitlin White in our People and Culture team at [email protected].
Apply today
When recruiting, we look for academic excellence, but also excellent interpersonal and organisational skills, attention to detail, written and oral communication skills and – above all – a genuine passion for the law!
For further information please contact Caitlin White, People & Culture at [email protected].
