Allens Confidential podcast
Five things I wish I knew
In this episode, Cat and Sam sit down with recent clerks Georgia Coleman and Hugo Miric to unpack the five things they wish they knew before applying for and completing their clerkships. From wardrobe malfunctions to cupcake controversies, Georgia and Hugo share candid stories, practical tips, and honest reflections on navigating the clerkship process.
Some of the questions we discussed
- What’s the first thing you should do before clerkship applications open?
- How do you find and communicate your unique value?
- Why is it important to be yourself in the application and interview process?
- How can coffee catch-ups and networking help you stand out?
- What’s the best way to build confidence in networking if it doesn’t come naturally?
- How can you prepare emotionally for the ups and downs of clerkship season?
This episode is part of our 2025 series.
Listen to the episode
About the presenters: Sam Guzman and Cat Thomas
Sam joined Allens as a clerk in 2020/21 and is now (surprisingly to some) a 'qualified' lawyer rotating through the Banking & Finance team. Sam enjoys acoustic jams to 90s/2000s RnB and watching Survivor (US and AU) to wind down. If he's not watching Survivor, he's probably listening to podcasts dissecting the latest Survivor episode or chewing someone's ear off about it (…so beware).
Cat describes herself as being a victim of the height of 2012 Tumblr emo aesthetic epidemic. Having bravely freed herself from the clutches of the flannel shirt (mostly), she switched out her Vans for pumps having joined Allens as a clerk in 2020/21. Cat is now, against all odds, happily rotating through the Banking & Finance team, despite mentioning that it was her last preference during her clerkship interview. As you can tell, she has a bit of a reputation for saying the quiet part out loud, mostly because she says everything really loudly.