Law Clerkship - Melbourne

Davies Collison Cave Law (DCCL) offers a focused Intellectual Property (IP) Law clerkship program. The program enables you to gain hands on experience in a Top Tier IP law firm, working alongside world leading IP lawyers.

The work you will undertake will be contentious and uncontentious IP work, including major IP litigation (often international), covering all the IP statutory regimes, Australian Consumer Law and associated contractual, administrative, procedural and evidentiary law. At DCCL you have the opportunity to begin your IP law career from the day you start your clerkship!

The DCCL Program
Our three-week clerkship program is designed to immerse you in intellectual property law from day one.

At DCCL we believe the best way to learn is by doing—so instead of sitting through weeks of induction, you will hit the ground running. Your experience will include working alongside and being supervised by our Principals and senior practitioners on real matters.

Our clerkship is hands-on, providing experience across a wide range of industries and cutting-edge technologies, with both our local and international clients.

Whether its researching to assist in shaping legal strategy or supporting a global brand’s IP portfolio, you will be right in the middle of the action—learning, contributing, and making an impact.

Benefits of a Clerkship at DCCL

• Work directly with world leading IP lawyers on a variety of case work.
• Gain mentorship from practice partners, not just the junior lawyers.
• Buddy system, partnering with a junior lawyer.
• Multiple placement opportunities throughout the year.
• Attendance at social events, where you meet and network with partners and professional staff across the entire firm.
• Gain one-on-one IP education.

Due to the success of the DCCL seasonal clerkship program over the years, we will recruit our Melbourne 2027 graduates from our seasonal clerkship candidate pool.

The key things we are looking for in a Seasonal Clerk

• Excellent academic record.
• Completing penultimate or final year of a law degree.
• A personal drive to excel in a career in Intellectual Property law.
• Ability to establish trusting relationships with clients and peers.
• Time management skills.
• Analytical, with attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

To complete your application, you will need:

• CV
• Academic transcript
• Covering letter addressing your interest in intellectual property and Davies Collison Cave Law.

Our people are our greatest asset. To deliver excellence in our work, we recognise authenticity and inclusion are the foundations that support that. We value diverse perspectives and believe they drive better thinking, stronger collaboration, and more innovative outcomes. We encourage all applicants to apply.