Suggested work experience activities While the opportunities a work experience placement might provide will vary depending on the type of organisation, here are some examples of the type of activities students should experience, both hands-on and by observation. It is not necessary that the placement addresses all of these activities, merely the majority. y y Meeting, communicating and interacting with clients; y y File management - managing critical dates and deadlines, timetabling and schedules; y y Interacting with other legal service providers such as solicitors in other organisations, barristers, expert witnesses, courts and other justice sector administration; y y Management processes for client work and risk management – e.g. conflict checks and costs disclosure; y y Legal research and legal factual analysis; y y Considering professional responsibility issues; y y Drafting correspondence and legal documents; y y Financial and accounting systems, budgets; and y y Administrative activities which support the delivery of legal services. Does work experience have to be paid? Not necessarily. To quote the Fair Work Ombudsman: “Unpaid work can include work trials, volunteer work, work experience and internships. It also includes a vocational placement as defined under the Fair Work Act 2009. Unpaid work is lawful if it is a genuine work experience, vocational placement or volunteering arrangement.” Work experience undertaken as part of College PLT is a vocational placement and as such can be unpaid. You are advised to consider whether your unpaid work experience position is in fact a complying vocational work experience position. For more information, please refer to the Fair Work Ombudsman website. The College of Law 5