Graduates Stephanie Wong (left) and Stephanie Slade (right) commence Aptum’s 2024 Litigation Graduate Program
After undergoing a selection process in 2023, Stephanie Wong and Stephanie Slade recently kickstarted their careers in litigation at Aptum in the Litigation Graduate Program, bringing exceptional early career experience.
Stephanie Wong brings broad taxation, financial services and administrative law experience, having been a Senior Consultant at a big four accounting firm and an Associate to a Deputy President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). Being recently admitted, Stephanie joins Aptum as a Lawyer.
Stephanie Slade, Law Graduate, has similarly diverse early legal career experience, with a strong foundation in practice. Stephanie gained valuable exposure to complex disputes at the Australian Government Solicitor as a Law Clerk in the civil claims division. Prior to which, Stephanie worked at the South Australian Attorney-General’s Department in the Victims of Crime unit and as a Paralegal in the Legal and Legislative Services branch.
Aptum’s Director of Business Development, Strategy & Brand, Marita Evans, is delighted by the positive impact of the graduates. “It’s our second year running this program and we’re really pleased to be discovering young legal talent with such great potential who are passionate about being meaningfully involved in litigation and who share our vision for improving how it’s run in Australia. The impact of finding people like this is really meaningful to us. We couldn’t stop at one Stephanie this year. We had to have two.”
A graduate experience unlike traditional firms
Unlike traditional models, Aptum’s Litigation Graduate program avoids rotations and instead offers exposure to the firm’s entire practice. Over the course of the program, the graduates will gain valuable experience assisting with large scale commercial and tax litigation, working directly with our directors and practice leads, and developing their competence and confidence as litigators.
Having recently completed the induction process, the graduates are now entering their year-long process of legal and non-legal professional skills development, including Practical Legal Training (PLT) fully supported by Aptum, which has thus far involved attendance at a Supreme Court trial.
Alongside providing legal experience and mentorship, the Aptum Litigation Graduate program establishes the firm’s priority of fostering a workplace where lawyers are valued, nurtured and respected, and are able to sustainably do their best work without the anxieties and pressures that can immobilise lawyers in other environments.
Yan Liu, who completed Aptum’s Litigation Graduate program in 2023 and has since progressed to a permanent position after being admitted as a Lawyer, reflected: “[Aptum] is the only workplace I’ve been in that truly values autonomy. There’s no one looking over your shoulder, no one micromanaging you, you are 100% trusted for your work.”
As a partner, client, or friend of Aptum, expect to hear from Stephanie Wong and Stephanie Slade in the near future as they integrate into new and existing projects at Aptum.
Information on Aptum’s 2025 Litigation Graduate program will be released in the coming months. We encourage you to email marita@aptumlegal.com.au to be notified of updates.
