Fletcher returned to Harmos Horton Lusk full-time in February 2020 after having worked at the firm over July/August 2019 before he went on his overseas travels. The firm appealed to him as it stood out as different from a standard commercial legal practice. His perception was that the people there were uniquely focused on helping clients solve some of the most complex legal issues with a firmly commercial approach.
Here’s Fletcher’s experience in his own words.
Invaluable experience
I had the opportunity to work as an associate at HHL before moving to Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (a magic circle firm in London) in 2022. The years I spent at HHL gave me the opportunity to learn from some of the best corporate lawyers in New Zealand - including those who have previously worked at top US and UK law firms. HHL is unique in how much responsibility is given to junior associates at an early stage in their career. This approach to junior development, as well as the breadth and quality of corporate work that HHL advises on, has also been invaluable for practising law overseas.
I cannot recommend HHL highly enough as a place to begin a career for students interested in corporate law. The directors and associates at the firm are excellent corporate lawyers – but of equal importance, great mentors and teachers.
Mentorship
The experience was better than I imagined. What has stood out was how generous everyone is with their time. The directors and associates will make sure you understand the background to any piece of work you’re given and always take the time to give you feedback. You’re learning from some of the top commercial lawyers in the country and are part of a team that is invested in your development and wants to see you succeed.
Responsibility
The level of responsibility given to me from day one surprised me. Senior staff and directors encourage you to find solutions yourself and ask for your opinion. It means you learn a lot very quickly and feel as though your work is adding real value to the team.
The learning curve in the first few months is steep, but you are given all the support you need. Senior members of the firm will go above and beyond to include you in projects and make sure you understand the relevant issues. Harmos Horton Lusk is unique in that you will usually be working directly with a director and getting to see how they engage with and help our clients first-hand.
Teamwork
Harmos Horton Lusk operates as one team, which means you work with most of the directors and associates across the firm. I really enjoyed that. I’ve had the opportunity to help with M&A transactions, corporate governance and capital markets matters to date.
Because it is a relatively small team, there is a tight-knit culture, which is important to everyone there. The firm invests heavily in initiatives such as team lunches, drinks after work and social functions.
Understanding the commercial world
As a piece of advice, I would encourage junior corporate lawyers to keep updated on developments across the New Zealand business sector. Having an understanding of the commercial environment that clients operate in will help you recognise their priorities – and being able to reflect these priorities in legal advice is a point of difference for HHL.