Careers

Our people are our greatest asset and we value making a difference for our clients, each other and the community.

Kells Cadet Program

The Kells cadet program is an opportunity for law students to gain experience through rotation of various fields of law. Our program provides valuable people and office skills coupled with law skills that you may not gain at university.

How does it work?
The cadet program involves two 6 month rotations per year. One 6 month rotation will involve paid, full time work and the other 6 months will be an unpaid off rotation. This enables students to continue their studies on a part time basis whilst employed full time for 6 months and then take up full time studies during the off period. The program will usually continue throughout a students whole degree.

Who is it offered to?
The program is usually offered to 2nd year university students who are studying law. There are exceptions to this, so applying is always a good choice no matter which year of studies you are at.

How do you apply?
You can apply by sending your CV to cadetrecruitment@kells.com.au

Hear from our Law Cadets

Meg Behl-Shanks

Within my first few months, I have already gained a great deal from program. Working with the commercial team, I have been involved in a wide range of matters, which has allowed me to gain widespread experience. I have completed a variety of different tasks, and was surprised as to how meaningful a lot of my tasks have been already.

Ben Goodhew

The Kells cadet program is a really great way to experience a wide range of practice areas which you may not have an opportunity to learn about while studying at University. What I love about the program is that it gives you a realistic insight into what legal practice actually looks like once you graduate. The program gives you plenty of opportunity to experience the range of situations lawyers have to deal with all the time.

Taylah Jensen

As a member of the Kells cadet program I have been given countless opportunities to grow my skill set and improve my confidence. Being able to learn from dedicated and passionate lawyers in their various specialities has been enlightening and invaluable. The diverse nature of the cadet program has also allowed me to explore different areas of law and has provided me with a snapshot as to what it would be like to specialise in each area of law following my admission.

Karsandra Mantis

I have found the program to be such a rewarding experience in so many different aspects. I have had the opportunity to continually learn and grow by observing senior practitioners, their experience of the law and the application of their knowledge in resolving real life issues. As I have had the privilege of working within the family law and criminal law teams, I have worked alongside hardworking and supportive mentors that have always remained very willing and dedicated to helping me develop and advance in my legal career.

Bill McLaughlin

The Kells cadet program is a perfect way to gain practical experience while studying. Working at Kells has provided me with invaluable knowledge that I am sure will serve me well once I have graduated from university. The lawyers and administrative staff are extremely professional and I couldn’t imagine working at a more accommodating firm.

Emily Nugara

The Kells cadet program has allowed me to practically use the knowledge I have learnt in law school, before actually entering the challenging workforce. This in turn will give me a head start in my practice, making the jump from student to lawyer a seamless experience. This is possible given the people that make up Kells. They provide an encouraging work environment and effectively fostered my skills to allow me to succeed.

Michaela O’Connor

Without the Kells cadet program, I would not have been given the opportunity to begin my legal career prior to completing my studies. This gave me the chance to learn from experienced lawyers whilst being given the appropriate level of independence to learn for myself and kick start my career. Since beginning at Kells, I have had the opportunity to work on various commercial matters. This has challenged me and improved my legal skills immensely which lead to me being offered a full time position after I completed my studies.

Amy Ong

The Kells cadet program has provided me with valuable exposure to a vast range of commercial law matters. Every matter is unique so I am able to learn something new every day. This program and the Sydney team have assisted me greatly in developing my skill set and has allowed me to grow in my legal career.

Olivia Southall

By undertaking the Kells cadet program during my legal studies at UOW, I was able to apply the theory in books to real life practice through a hands-on approach. I believe that the skills, knowledge and experience I have gained from my time as a cadet at Kells will influence my future career as a lawyer and I am grateful to have experienced such an enlightening and enriching experience in a law firm early on in my career.

Current Openings

At Kells we encourage diversity and foster open communication where individuality and personal expression are valued. Our partners are accessible and have hands-on involvement in the work we undertake. If you are interested in joining Kells and/or feel that you can offer something that is different, we encourage you to send your CV to recruitment@kells.com.au

Lawyer

We are seeking a qualified lawyer to join our team in Kiama. Working closely with senior lawyers and partners, you will be working on a wide range of different and interesting matters.

The role is open to lawyers with a wide range of experience, from recently admitted lawyers to experienced practitioners. It provides a career defining opportunity for someone to establish their presence, manage our Kiama office and display their leadership potential.

You will be exposed to a wide range of areas of law. Matters could include contract advice, wills and deceased estates, commercial transactions and property and conveyancing matters.

The nature of the role will allow you to have a mix of drafting and client work. You will enjoy working closely with a range of clients, including individuals, and small and medium businesses.

We require that you:

hold a current practising certificate ;
enjoy working in a team environment and can effectively prioritise workloads;
have excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
are able to build client relationships in addition to having good technical and legal skills and an interest in building a client base;
have the confidence and willingness to promote yourself and the practice
have a strong work ethic and organisational skills;
be able to work autonomously or in a team environment;
a strong desire to manage and lead our busy Kiama practice.

The Partners at Kells will encourage and support your continued legal and professional development. They will provide ongoing opportunities for career progression and development of your business skills.

Please forward your application including resume and covering letter to recruitment@kells.com.au quoting reference number KIA-001.

Family Lawyer

An exciting opportunity has developed within Kells. Due to significant growth in our Family Law department we are now looking for a new lawyer with 1-3 years PAE.

Working alongside a Partner and Senior Associates in our Family Law department this role will offer great opportunity for growth, whilst having all the support and mentoring needed to become a great Lawyer.

The role will see you working full time in the Family Law division in our Wollongong office.

We require that you

hold a current practising certificate with a minimum of 1-2 years PAE in Family Law
enjoy working in a team environment and can effectively time manage your workload
have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
demonstrate confidence with court work, drafting court documents and correspondence and liaising with external parties
have a strong work ethic and organisational skills
attention to detail
well-presented and reliable
highly motivated
be able to work autonomously or in a team environment

Also preferable, is Open Practice and Lawdocs knowledge, however not essential.

The Opportunity

is for a candidate who is looking for a long-term future with growth opportunities
assisting and contributing to the success of the firm’s family law and criminal practice
conduct legal research
preparing financial disclosure, Court documents including Initiating Applications and Affidavits, Mentions and training for hearings
Briefing Counsel
attend Court, Conciliation conferences and Mediations
attending and conducting client meetings

Please forward your application including resume and covering letter to recruitment@kells.com.au quoting reference number WOL-144.

Personal Injury Lawyer

Role

We have a fantastic opportunity for a senior lawyer to join our personal injury law team in our Wollongong office. We are seeking a highly motivated and passionate lawyer to manage a variety of matters including workers compensation, TPD, motor accident, personal injury and medical negligence claims.

You will work alongside an experience Partner who is an Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury and receive support to manage this practice from a 4th year law cadet and a paralegal assistant.

Opportunity

to work autonomously as well as in a team environment
to work on legally challenging and factually complex matters
to develop and maintain strong professional working relationships with clients, senior and junior counsel and expert witness
take an active role in working and mentoring junior member of the team
develop and manage own file load

Benefits

working in a positive, fun and supportive culture
a team that appreciates the importance of a work/life balance
genuine opportunities for professional develop and career progression
salary will be commensurate with experience

Kells has been delivering outstanding service and legal excellence to its clients in Sydney, the Illawarra region and now the South Coast for more than 50 years. Our level of expertise across a broad range of legal areas ensure that our clients receive the best legal service available.

If you want to work in an environment where your contribution is recognised and valued, apply now by forwarding your resume and covering letter to recruitment@kells.com.au quoting reference number WOL-145.

All applications will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

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