Australian Government Graduate Program

As a Legal graduate, you’ll have the opportunity to work across areas of law like legal policy, policy advice, statutory interpretation, freedom of information, corporate and commercial law or dispute resolution and litigation. Develop your legal career in the Australian Government with support from dedicated mentors, on-the-job learning and development opportunities and rotations throughout different work areas. 

Overview 

The Legal stream, led by the Attorney-General’s Department, is the gateway to an exciting and rewarding career in law within the Australian Public Service (APS). Roles are available in Legal Policy and Legal Practice for graduates to do meaningful work that supports the Australian community.

Legal graduates are placed in one of a number of participating government departments and agencies. At the end of your graduate program, you’ll have a permanent, full-time role in your agency.

Who can apply?

Applicants to the Legal stream must have completed a minimum of a Bachelor of Laws or a Juris Doctor.

If applying for the Legal Practice Stream, you must be admitted as a Lawyer or willing to complete your Practical Legal Training during your graduate year to be admitted as a Lawyer.

What is on offer?

The Legal stream has two sub-streams to consider based on the type of legal work you would like to undertake in your career.

Legal Policy

The Legal Policy stream provides input into legal policy or the administration of legal policy within the Government. Work you could do includes:

• providing policy advice across Government to ensure decisions are lawful and strengthen policy outcomes to manage risk
• providing advice on administration of departmental policy
• examining and assessing legislation
• undertaking casework to support Australia’s law and justice frameworks
• administering and advising on legal or policy frameworks.

Legal Practice

The Legal Practice stream provides the provision of legal advice and/or representation with Australian Government Solicitor (AGS) or as part of an in-house legal team within Commonwealth Government agencies. Work you could do includes:

• public law (administrative; freedom of information; privacy and public interest disclosure; human rights and discrimination; debt recovery)
• legislative development
• statutory interpretation
• corporate and commercial law (general contract law; procurement and tendering; governance and probity; financial services and consumer credit; insurance; intellectual property; media; information communication and technology; insolvency and bankruptcy)
• handling discovery in court proceedings
• alternative dispute resolution and litigation
• providing internal general counsel services to an agency/department.

To be eligible for the Legal Practice Stream you either need to have completed or be willing to complete your Practical Legal Training and be admitted as a lawyer.

Graduates receive many benefits including:

• support from dedicated mentors, supervisors and Graduate Coordinators
• workplace rotations in a variety of work areas to align with your career aspirations
• flexible work arrangements such as flex leave or work from home opportunities
• structured on-the-job learning and development opportunities including a comprehensive induction with your placement agency - support and guidance from an admitted lawyer to complete you Practical Legal Training (PLT)
• financial assistance as per your placement agency’s policy to completing PLT or other studies throughout the program
• advancement to a higher classification and salary at the successful completion of the program.

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