Founded in 2002, Wotton + Kearney has grown from two partners to be one of Asia Pacific’s undisputed leaders in our industry with 86 partners and over 450 lawyers across our offices in New Zealand (Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra) and Singapore.
Wotton + Kearney is focused on insurance, risk management and dispute resolution. Our experience extends across a broad range of industry sectors including construction, energy and mining, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, property, public sector, retail, SMEs, sports/leisure, technology and transport.
We have built a reputation for leading some of the Asia Pacific insurance market’s largest, most complex and high-profile disputes. We are proud to have been recognised by our clients as a Band 1 firm for insurance law in the Chambers & Partners legal rankings for twelve consecutive years.
W+K VALUES
Every day, each of us makes choices about how we act and what we say. Our values serve as a consistent reminder of the high standards we expect of everyone at Wotton + Kearney. We value behaviours that build strong relationships, demonstrate excellence and foster a diverse and inclusive culture.
FOCUS ON THE MAIN GAME
HAVE EACHOTHER'S BACK
BE REAL
A high-performing team provides support and encouragement to all members involved. Culturally, it is important to us that as part of the Wotton + Kearney team, you feel supported and valued for your contribution. Here are some of the ways we achieve this goal:
PRO BONO
Our lawyers advise on a wide variety of pro bono matters and assist many vulnerable members of our community who are unable to obtain legal aid or afford legal representation.
Through our partnership with Wellington Community Law, we provide pro bono services for their Refugee and Immigration Legal Advice Service, assisting with their family reunification process.
COMMUNITY / VOLUNTEERING
We have formed long-term partnerships with local charities across New Zealand and Australia, forging strong relationships and helping to effect change in our society. We participate in many CSR, community and environment events to make sure that we are acting to create a better future.
One of the ways in which we assist is to partner with one charity each year to focus our advocacy, fundraising and volunteering efforts. Our New Zealand Charity Partner is the Life Squared Trust. The purpose of the Trust is to understand, promote and raise awareness for mental health among legal professionals in New Zealand.
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
Wotton + Kearney’s Diversity & Inclusion committee aims to facilitate an inclusive workplace and be diversity leaders in the insurance and legal sectors. Our initiatives include unconscious bias and inclusive language training and incorporating pronoun signoffs on letters and emails. Embracing te reo Māori in the workplace has seen multiple cohorts undertake te reo language training. In addition to this, we hold regular talks focusing on topics such as mental health in the legal progression, and how to avoid burnout. Various cultural initiatives are also celebrated, including Lunar New Year, Matariki, and Diwali to name a few.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Our CSR Committee focusses on a wide range of areas including our pro bono, volunteering and environmental efforts. We encourage volunteering days that align with our sustainability objectives (e.g. tree planting) and work to educate our team on ways in which they can be more sustainable both in the office and in their day-to-day lives.
SOCIAL CLUBS
Our social committees across Aotearoa are important drivers of our firm’s culture. We have an ever-growing list of social initiatives for our staff, including team-building activities, and regular meetings for our social running, soccer, and netball teams. We also host games nights, themed events, and an annual firmwide Hui. This year, we even held an unofficial W+K ski retreat! Outside of this, we also celebrate each other’s achievements at work, no matter how big or small, through our monthly Hei Toa award.
How many graduate roles are available?
There will be opportunities in our Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington offices. The number of roles will depend on our resourcing needs at the time. However, generally we hire 2-3 graduates in each office each year.
When do applications open?
Our annual graduate recruitment drive begins in March of each year. Advertisements will be live until the end of March, after which time shortlisting will commence. Candidates can expect to hear from us as to whether or not they have been shortlisted for interview in mid-April.
First round interviews (either in person or virtual) will take place in early April, with second round interviews (in person) taking place mid-April. Offers will then be sent out in early May.
Do I need to complete my Law Degree before applying?
You should be in your final year of study when you apply. You will need to have completed your University studies prior to February 2025. You can attend your graduation and complete your Professionals studies after you commence employment with us. We will pay for your Professionals course fees. You will also get study leave as per our Education Assistance Policy.
Do I need to complete the insurance law paper?
While it would be advantageous to your knowledge of insurance and the law, it is not required to apply. We are aware that not all universities offer this paper.
What can I expect from the interview process?
Interviewing at W+K is an opportunity for us to get to know more about you - what makes you you, what motivates you, why you are considering a career in litigation. It is also an opportunity for you to find out more about us - what we're about about, what sets us apart from other firms, and most importantly, what we can do to aid your career development.
What happens if I am unsuccessful? Can I apply again next year?
Yes! In fact, we would hope to stay connected through our database so that we can keep you updated on future opportunities at W+K. We will seek your approval to add you to our database during the recruitment process.
What salary do graduates receive?
Our current Graduate band is $65,000. This will be reviewed before our next graduate intake. Our bands are reviewed annually.
What other benefits does Wotton + Kearney offer?
Our competitive benefits package includes:
How does Wotton + Kearney support progression & development?
Progression of our junior lawyers is a key focus for Wotton + Kearney. We have developed a bespoke technical training programme, designed to kick-start a junior lawyer’s legal career. With a specialist focus on insurance litigation, the programme includes workshops rolled out over a period of 10 weeks. The programme is extensive and includes a mix of both technical, practical and professional training. Some examples of topics include:
Beyond our technical training programme, we also have structured mentoring initiatives in place.
How does your mentoring structure work?
We have a three-tiered mentoring approach for all junior lawyers. Junior lawyers are allocated a dedicated Kaitiaki (supervising partner), Senior Mentor (senior lawyer), and Buddy (junior lawyer) to help guide them through their first few years at Wotton + Kearney.
All lawyers have quarterly catch ups with their Kaitiaki where development and progression is discussed, and objectives agreed. Junior lawyers also have regular catchups with their Senior Mentor. Our junior lawyers are encouraged to develop goals and objectives to help them reach their full potential.
How do you choose which area a graduate will work in?
Graduate lawyers are allocated to a team based on business needs. However, we review these needs on a regular basis.
Junior lawyers may have the opportunity to rotate through our various practice areas for up to three years, before settling in a permanent practice area and team. Where possible, we try to align individual interests when considering team allocations.
There are regular secondment opportunities available to our junior lawyers. Secondments provide valuable insight into the way a client operates, as well as opportunities to develop relationships within the industry.