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.
Luke joined Harmos Horton Lusk in February 2020. He knew that the people there are at the very top of their game, and regularly work on the largest corporate deals in the country. He wanted to be part of that.
Here’s Luke’s experience in his own words.
Inclusion
Right from the get-go I’ve been treated like a valued member of the team. The directors have gone out of their way to get to know me and include me in their work, and everyone is so friendly and welcoming. I love working in an environment where people work hard and are focused and incredibly astute, but at the same time helpful, easy-going and fun. I look forward to going to work every single day.
Development
I knew that I’d be involved in high calibre work at Harmos Horton Lusk, alongside very well-respected people in the corporate law space, and that’s definitely the case.
On my first day I worked on a large deal, which featured numerous difficult procedural hurdles. I really enjoyed learning the background of the companies involved, the context of the deal, and the complexity of the directors’ roles in managing the processes and players involved. It’s a steep learning curve and I love the challenge of that.
Respect
It’s well known that Harmos Horton Lusk is one of the top corporate law firms in the country, and the people who work there are some of the best in the business. I feel very fortunate and extremely proud to say that I am now part of the team.
Yvonne joined Harmos Horton Lusk in February 2021 after summer clerking with the firm in the summer of 2019/20. She applied for the summer clerk position because she has a particular interest in corporate law, and she had heard about Harmos Horton Lusk’s reputation as one of the leading corporate law firms in New Zealand.
Here’s Yvonne’s experience as a summer clerk in her own words.
Varied
Harmos Horton Lusk is even better than I had imagined. They are a well-renowned corporate law firm and I assisted with work for a wide range of clients in many different industries. I helped with legal research, writing, searches, and many other legal tasks. It was a great experience – diverse and challenging - so I was really pleased to join the firm as a Graduate.
Educational
I felt I was constantly learning from the senior members of the firm – everyone was very inclusive, and always willing to help and answer my questions. I found the trainings to be invaluable. They covered a broad range of topics relevant to corporate law. I found that having the trainings spread out amongst other work for clients made for a more valuable learning experience as I was able to develop a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the concepts taught by applying them in a real-world context.
Ambition
Harmos Horton Lusk has a fantastic culture. There is a real sense of teamwork, and people are hard- working and driven to achieve the best results for clients. At the same time they’re kind and always ready to laugh. I thoroughly enjoyed working as a part of the Harmos Horton Lusk team!
Looking back
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at HHL and feel as though it provided a strong foundation to my career, honing skills that are applicable across countries and industries. HHL is committed to delivering excellent results for clients every time, and this is a value I have carried forward into my current role and continues to serve me well.
HHL operates with a uniquely flat structure giving you the opportunity to work with colleagues at all levels of seniority. During my time at the firm, I was fortunate to spend a considerable amount of time working closely with the directors which provided me with invaluable learning opportunities. I would encourage other junior lawyers to seek out these opportunities where they can – this isn’t something that every firm offers!
The team at HHL is unmatched and it is truly a fantastic place to start your career in corporate law.
Robbie joined Harmos Horton Lusk in October 2022 from a specialist corporate, commercial and technology firm. He was looking for more complexity and greater exposure to a broad variety of corporate law. He was drawn to HHL because of its excellent reputation as New Zealand’s premier specialist corporate firm.
Accelerated development
My growth since joining the firm has been exponential. One of the things that makes the HHL experience distinct from other firms is the amount of responsibility given to its associates. Because of this, I am a vastly more confident and experienced lawyer than I was just 18 months ago. I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with all of the directors on a range of matters and have learned invaluable lessons from each of them.
Continuous learning
Ensuring you develop as a ‘complete’ corporate lawyer is a key priority here. Rather than being allocated the same types of transactions over and over, the directors make sure you are constantly exposed to a variety. Your development is always front of mind, and you’re not restricted to a particular aspect of corporate law. The directors are great at challenging you but always making you feel well supported. They are accessible and eager to help you progress.
Client centric approach
Another unique aspect of the HHL experience is its client-centric approach. At HHL, associates aren’t organised around a particular director but instead loosely around particular clients. This means you get to know certain clients and their businesses well and follow their progress from matter to matter. It also gives you a direct line of sight into how directors develop and maintain their relationships with clients and how they adapt to different clients with different needs.
Team
The HHL team is relatively small and very close knit – we all get on well with one another. Because of this, there is a big emphasis on hiring people who will fit in well with the whole team. I met almost every member of the team while I was interviewing for HHL, and have been part of the hiring process since joining. As associates, we often go out for lunch or have coffee with potential team members to gauge how they will fit with the team.
Kelsey joined HHL as a graduate in 2023 after winter clerking at the firm in 2022. HHL appealed to Kelsey because of the quality of corporate work that HHL advises on, while maintaining a small, close-knit team and collegial working style. Kelsey wanted to be involved in some of New Zealand’s leading and most complex corporate transactions, she knew that HHL was the place for that.
Why HHL
I chose HHL as the firm to begin my legal career with because I wanted to learn from some of the best corporate lawyers in New Zealand. HHL is committed to mentorship – not only are you exposed to incredibly interesting work at the high end of the market, but you also receive unmatched guidance throughout the learning process. Beginning as a graduate at HHL comes with a steep learning curve, you receive a significant level of responsibility from an early stage. However, the mentorship you receive along the way gives you all the support you need.
The breadth of work
HHL’s unique structure means that as a graduate you have the opportunity to work with all of the firm’s Directors. As a result, you gain exposure to all areas of corporate law from public company takeovers, private M&A to complex corporate governance advice and much more. This breadth of experience is not something you receive at a large commercial law firm in New Zealand.
Quality of work experience
I knew that coming to HHL would allow me to build a strong foundation to my legal career. The quality of work experience you receive as a junior lawyer is unparalleled. HHL holds a significant market-share for complex corporate transactions in New Zealand. As a graduate at HHL, you have the privilege of seeing those transactions from start to finish and gaining insights into the broader commercial context those transactions sit within. Directors and Associates always take the time to explain to you how your work as a junior plays a part in the overall transaction, allowing you to contribute and add value in a meaningful way.
Culture
As a boutique law firm, HHL operates as a small, tight-knit team. The team is driven and hard-working, but at the same time always ready to have fun and enjoy their time together. We have regular firm functions and you’ll frequently find the team at Amano.
Tallara joined HHL as a graduate after summer clerking at the firm. What initially drew her to HHL was her interest in corporate law along with the tight-knit culture which she could sense from the moment she set foot in the HHL offices. During her time at HHL, she has been impressed by the high quality of work and the firm’s unique focus on helping clients solve complex legal issues through a strategic and commercially orientated approach. Here’s Tallara’s experience in her own words.
Varied
Right from my very first day at HHL, I was expected to help with workstreams that were critical to delivering outcomes for clients. This reflects the amount of autonomy and responsibility you receive at HHL, which has accelerated my growth and development as a lawyer. Within the first month of starting as a graduate, I found myself helping draft transaction documents, due diligence reports, research memorandums and having direct contact with clients and other lawyers.
Responsibility
Because of HHL’s flat structure, I work directly with directors and senior associates on complex transactions and get to follow a deal from start to finish. This means I have been able to learn directly from some of New Zealand’s leading corporate lawyers, not only regarding technical legal skills, but also client interaction, negotiation, communication and transaction management.
Teamwork
Alongside the high quality work HHL does, the best part of working at HHL is the team. Everyone is willing to take the time to provide context before giving you an instruction and answer any questions you might have. We all take an interest in each other’s personal lives and successes, and there is plenty of camaraderie and banter. We also have a team lunch every Wednesday, and often go out for team drinks and functions.
Respect
While the learning curve at HHL is steep, I enjoy the challenge and the team always go above and beyond to support each other.
