RCM Graduate Solicitor in Newcastle

2027 Graduate Solicitor Opportunity | Commercial Litigation

Roberts Crosbie Mortensen Lawyers acts for business owners, company directors, shareholders, builders and professionals in complex commercial, building and construction disputes. Our team includes one of NSW's strongest concentrations of Accredited Specialists in Commercial Litigation.

We are recruiting now to secure the right final year law student ahead of their graduation and admission as a solicitor in 2027. We are looking for someone with a strong academic record who understands that building a successful legal career takes consistent effort, openness to feedback and a genuine commitment to high professional standards. The successful candidate will be mentored by an Accredited Specialist and supported by our Graduate Lawyer Development Framework.

Starting your career with us:

• Our preference is for the successful candidate to join us as a Law Clerk at the end of November 2026, once university examinations have finished.
• You will complete your initial onboarding and begin working with the team before transitioning to a Solicitor role following admission in February 2027.
• To secure the right person, we are open to discussing commencement arrangements that work for both the candidate and the firm, including:
• A three (3) day per week Law Clerk arrangement while you complete your studies
• An early 2027 commencement if you are considering a post-study break before beginning full-time work

What it takes to succeed at RCM:

You will not be expected to know everything when you begin. You will be expected to prepare properly, think critically, ask thoughtful questions and apply what you learn. A strong academic record matters because Commercial Litigation requires you to understand complex issues, analyse information and communicate your reasoning clearly. Your results are important, but they are only one part of what we will consider. We will consider your academic record alongside your alignment with our values, your fit with our culture, your interest in our Graduate Lawyer Development Framework and your respect for the mentoring relationship, which is an important part of how we support early-career lawyers.

How we will invest in you:

Our Graduate Lawyer Development Framework provides structure around your transition from university to legal practice, with close supervision, regular feedback and increasing responsibility as your capability develops. Your early career will focus on building strong foundations: understanding the purpose of the work you are undertaking, preparing it to a consistently high standard, recording time accurately, learning the commercial disciplines of legal practice, using our systems competently, working with precedents and learning from feedback. As your knowledge, competence and reliability develop, so will the complexity of the work entrusted to you. Your experience may include undertaking legal research, reviewing evidence and documents, assisting with discovery, preparing correspondence and Court documents, supporting case preparation and attending mediations and Court events.

Our Commercial Litigation team is national. Whilst the role is based in Newcastle most of their court work is in Sydney. You will have the opportunity to see how commercial disputes develop from the initial problem through strategy, evidence, negotiation and, where necessary, litigation. We provide the structure, support and opportunities. You will need to make the most of them.

Our recruitment process:

We are appointing one (1) graduate lawyer and will be selective about who we invest in. We will review applications and invite shortlisted candidates to complete a video interview. This will be your opportunity to show us how you communicate, demonstrate your understanding of Commercial Litigation and tell us more about your interest in building your career at RCM.