It’s easy to be swept up in the vacation clerkship rush towards top and mid tier firms (‘big firms’). The deluge of marketing materials generated by big firms means that, to many students, this may seem like the only sensible path. But big firms are far from the only option. While they offer excellent training and experience, there are many other organisations, which offer interesting and stimulating work and can open different doors, including an alternative path into the corporate world. Students thinking beyond the corporate world have an array of opportunities to put their legal training to good use in government departments, non-government organisations, rural areas or in the community legal sector.

Even if you have not ruled out a career in corporate law, your LLB or JD can land you jobs in many more places than a top tier firm and it is worth considering some of the other options before submitting your clerkship application. ALSA has compiled this short list to get the ideas rolling.

Who knows? For many graduates who follow one of these less conventional paths because of the current climate, the global financial crisis could be the best thing to happen to their legal careers!

This page will be updated periodically. If you have any suggestions for additions (or corrections), please contact Jessica Norgard at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Federal Government

Attorney General’s Department: If maintaining and improving Australia’s system of law and justice and its national security and emergency management system interests you, consider the Attorney-General’s summer internship or graduate program at: http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/About_the_DepartmentEmployment.

The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) as well as State Law Reform Commissions offer graduate opportunities which give graduates the opportunity to be involved in researching and formulating recommendations for law reform: http://www.alrc.gov.au/work/index.htm.

The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) manages Australia’s international aid and are looking for bright young graduates to help them: http://www1.ausaid.gov.au/recruit/ See also opportunities for Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development: http://www.ayad.com.au/aspx/home.aspx

The Australian Federal Police fights local, national and transnational crime, and as an AFP officer you may find yourself fighting e-crime at a desk or on a peacekeeping post in the region: http://www.afp.gov.au/recruitment.html.

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions offers further opportunities to investigate and prosecute Commonweath offences (State opportunities should be available on the State job sites): http://www.cdpp.gov.au/Careers/

Defence Materials Organisation (DMO) offers a competitive grad program and a number of post-qualification roles all around the country: http://www.defence.gov.au/dmo/Careers/careers.cfm

Defence Jobs offer a range of post-qualification careers with attractive remuneration and a stable work environment, if you are still studying at university, they may even pay for you to be there through their undergraduate scholarship program, you can also work part time as a reservist: http://www.defence.gov.au/dmo/Careers/careers.cfm

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) offers a graduate program as well as post-qualification programs which can take you around the world http://www.dfat.gov.au/jobs/index.html

Australian Securities and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) collect and identify information for the protection of Australia: http://www.asio.gov.au/Careers/content/Categories.aspx

Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) help protect our national interests overseas through intelligence collection and analysis http://www.asis.gov.au/careers.html

Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) help keep Australian skies safe by working with the body that regulates all air services in Australia http://www.casa.gov.au/jobs/index.htm

Australian Transportation and Safety Bureau (ATSB) help investigate transportation incidents and write reports for investigative bodies http://www.atsb.gov.au/about_atsb/employment.aspx

Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will put your taxation law studies to good use: http://www.ato.gov.au/corporate/content.asp?doc=/content/65989.htm

Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) sits on the other side of big corporate law firms in regulating corporate behaviour: http://www.asic.gov.au/asic/asic.nsf/byheadline/Available+positions+by+title?openDocument.

Australian Government Solicitor (AGS) work for the law firm dedicated solely to the government! AGS offers jobs in several capital cities and is the ideal job for those interested in constitutional or competition law: http://www.ags.gov.au/careers/index.htm

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) help regulate business to stop unfair trading: http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/21515

The Australian National Audit Office keeps the Government accountable, and you can assist by checking up on its financial performance and auditing it: http://www.anao.gov.au/director/employment.cfm.

The Australian Human Rights Commission protects the vulnerable by investigating alleged breaches of human rights and anti-discrimination legislation: http://www.hreoc.gov.au/about/jobs/index.html.

State Government

Work in Victoria? http://www.careers.vic.gov.au/

Fancy a job in Queensland? http://www.jobs.qld.gov.au/

New South Wales public service: http://jobs.nsw.gov.au/

Apply in South Australia: http://www.vacancies.sa.gov.au/asp/public/Home.aspx

Apply here for the Northern Territory Public Service: http://notes.nt.gov.au/dcis/RMS.nsf/NTGEmploymentHome?OpenForm

Apply here for the Tasmanian Public Service: http://www.jobs.tas.gov.au/

Apply here for the Western Australia Public Service: http://www.jobs.wa.gov.au/

Work alongside the Federal Government with the Australian Capital Territory Public Service: http://www.jobs.act.gov.au/

The Legal Aid Sector

Legal Aid Commissions provide free legal advice to some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Their main areas of practice are crime, family and civil law. Most Legal Aid Commissions run a graduate program and have other opportunities available.To find your nearest Legal Aid Office, go to: http://www.nla.aust.net.au/

Go Regional

The WA Country Lawyers Program is a collaboration between government, the Law Society of WA, Legal Aid WA and a number of community legal centres ('CLCs') in WA.  The program employs new law graduates for a period of 4 years.  The first year is spent working at a Legal Aid office in Perth.  After successful completion of this year, the graduate secures a 3 year employment contract and undertakes three 12-month rotations at different regional CLCs, regional Legal Aid WA offices, the Aboriginal Legal Service and Family Violence Prevention Legal Services. For more information, see the link below:

http://www.legalaid.wa.gov.au/LAServices/aspx/default.aspx?Page=Employment%5CCountryLawyers.xml

Both NSW and Qld Legal Aid have established a Regional Solicitors Program.  Under these programs, Legal Aid funds 75% of the salary of a graduate solicitor to work in a private firm in a regional area and undertake legal aid work (75% of the work undertaken by the graduate will be legal aid work).   More information on the NSW program is available at http://www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/asp/index.asp?pgid=672 and the Qld program at http://www.legalaid.qld.gov.au/Regional+solicitor+program/Regional+Solicitor+Program.htm

The National Association of Community Legal Centres is currently running a pilot to promote greater PLT placements in rural, regional and remotes areas.  Information on this pilot is available at:  http://www.lawgraduatesrrrclc.com.au/

Legal Publishing

coming soon!

International

International Court of Justice (ICJ) if public international law and international relations are your passion, join the ultimate arbiter of the law of nations in the Hague: http://www.icj-cij.org/registry/index.php?p1=2&p2=5&p3=3

United Nations (UN) If you chose to study law in order to save the world, working at the UN can help you fulfill that dream: https://jobs.un.org/Galaxy/Release3/vacancy/vacancy.aspx?lang=1200

World Trade Organisation (WTO) for a fascinating intersection of politics, law, economics and commerce, look no further than the WTO:

Internships: http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/vacan_e/intern_e.htm

Jobs: http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/vacan_e/vacan_e.htm

International Labour Organisation (ILO) fight to improve labour conditions around the world, from Perth to Phnom Pen:

Internships: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/pers/vacancy/intern.htm

Jobs: http://www.ilo.org/global/About_the_ILO/Job_opportunities/lang--en/index.htm

International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Regulate global air travel http://www.icao.int/icao/en/va/vacancies.htm

World Bank offers loans, advice, and an array of customized resources to more than 100 developing countries. Check out their recruitment page here.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) the organisation for the humanist, archaeologist, educator and so much more: http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=11707&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

Work for a union: http://www.labor.net.au/positions/

Greenpeace: http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/about/jobs

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society take direct action to help protect our marine environment: http://www.seashepherd.org/who-we-are/employment.html

Fred Hollows Foundation restore sight to people in some of the most remote areas of the world: http://www.hollows.org.au/Get_Involved/

Red Cross become part of one of the most respected humanitarian organisations in the world: http://www.redcross.org.au/careers_default.htm

Médecins Sans Frontières you do not need to be a doctor or nurse in order to deliver essential medical care to sick and impoverished people: http://www.msf.org.au/join-our-team.html

Australian Companies

BHP Billiton - http://jobs.bhpbilliton.com/

Westpac - http://www.westpac.com.au/internet/publish.nsf/Content/WC+Home+Page

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - http://www.commbank.com.au/about-us/careers/default.aspx

Telstra - http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/careers/index.cfm

NAB - http://www.nab.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/nab/nab/home/About_Us/1

Woolworths Limited - http://www.wowcareers.com.au/wowcareers/corporate/home/

ANZ - http://www.anz.com/about-us/careers/

Wesfarmers Limited - http://www.whoshiring.com.au/company/wesfarmers-limited-jobs/

Westfield Group - http://westfield.com/corporate/careers/

Qantas - http://www.qantas.com.au/info/about/employment/index

AMP - http://careers.amp.com.au/jobSearch.asp?stp=AW&sLanguage=en

Aristocrat - http://www.aristocrat.com.au/corpcontent.aspx?id=20&m=career

AGL Energy - http://www.agl.com.au/about/careers/Pages/Home.aspx

Toll Couriers - http://www.toll.com.au/careers.html

Bank of Queensland - http://www.boq.com.au/aboutus_careersatBOQ.htm

Railcorp - http://www.railcorp.info/careers

Coca-Cola Amatil - http://www.cokecareers.com.au/default.html

Country Energy - http://www.countryenergy.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/CEL/ce/aboutus/careers2

CSR Limited - http://csr.clients.pageup.com.au/searchResults.asp?stp=AW&sLanguage=en

Ford - https://ford.nga.net.au/customers/ford/docs/index.htm

Holden - http://www.holden.com.au/corporate/careers

Jetstar - http://www.bfound.net/detail.aspx?jobId=72783&CoId=27&rq=1

Virgin Blue - http://www.virginblue.com.au/AboutUs/Careers/index.htm

Lend Lease - http://www.lendlease.com/llweb/llc/main.nsf/all/car_over_join_oc

Lion Nathan - http://lion-nathan.com/great-people/searchandapply.aspx

Rio Tinto - http://www.riotinto.com/index_careers.asp

Santos - http://www.santos.com/careers-at-santos.aspx

Bluescope Steel - http://careers.bluescopesteel.com/index.cfm?objectid=621105AB-0587-687E-BB9F7B51FBDC0293

LSS Publications

Many law student societies around Australia publish Alternative Careers Guides, complete with opportunities, application tips, and articles outlining the experiences of those who have wandered off the beaten path before.Links to some of them are available below:

· University of Queensland Law Society: available here.

· University of South Australia Law Students' Association/Flinder Law Students' Association: available here.

· Macquarie University Law Society: coming soon!