Thiam-Jin Chu

4 Hertford Court, Wantirna South, VIC 3152. 03 9884 0471 0425 00 3211 chuthiamjin@hotmail.com Education / Qualifications: Admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria, 16 February 2011 Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Leo Cussen Institute, Melbourne, July 2010 December 2010. Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, The College of Law, Birmingham, UK, 2008-09. Bachelor of Laws with Honours, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK, 2005-08 GCE A-Levels in Economics, Law, Psychology and Statistics, Cadbury 6th Form College, Birmingham, UK. 2003-05 Employment History: Law Clerk/Junior Lawyer ABeckett Lawyers, 29 Aug 2011 present Current position involves providing support to other lawyers as well as running my own matters. Duties include: Legal drafting, including statements of claim, counterclaims, defences, and briefs. Review of documents. Legal research. Court appearances including interlocutory applications and appearing as supporting creditor in Supreme Court and Federal Magistrates Court as well as Attachment of Earnings applications in Magistrates Court. Liaising with other lawyers, court officers, and governmental and non-governmental agencies on behalf of the firm. Professional placement Drakulic Lawyers, 1 Aug 2011 29 Aug 2011 Professional placement at Drakulic Lawyers, based in Dandenong. Duties during this period included: Drafting of letters, affidavits, and other documents in family, commercial, and personal injury matters, to be sent to various parties or filed in court. Liaising with clients and other parties. Legal research and formulation of solutions to various legal problems. Professional placement Lincolns Lawyers and Consultants, Nov 2010 Jan 2011 I obtained a placement at Lincolns as part of my Practical Training Course at Leo Cussen. I was offered the opportunity to extend my time there after the initial three week placement period after impressing the Managing Partner with my abilities and dedication. My duties during this period included: Review of contracts for sale of property or business, and completing the necessary documentation. Review documents and completing required documentation for visa applications and other immigration matters. Discovery. Researching and preparing advice for various matters ranging from criminal charges to advising on the success of proposed litigation. Drafting letters of advice and other legal documents in property, criminal and commercial matters. Interviewing and advising clients under the supervision of a senior solicitor. Liaising with other lawyers, court officers, and governmental and non-governmental agencies on behalf of the firm.

Volunteer paralegal JobWatch Inc, Nov 09 June 10 During my time at JobWatch, I assisted clients in recovering unpaid wages from their employers, making claims against their employers, and keeping them updated on the progress of their cases. My duties during this period included: Legal research to find answers to questions and problems, as required by duty solicitors. Drafting letters of advice and other legal documents on behalf of duty solicitors. Updating JobWatch information leaflets to mirror recent changes in the law. Accompanying lawyers to conciliations and meetings, and taking detailed notes for the case file. Student volunteer -The Birmingham Employment Rights Advice Line (BERAL), UK, June 09 While at BERAL, my duties included: Interviewing clients and obtaining the necessary details from them and preparing and forwarding the information to the duty lawyers. Recording the advice given by the lawyers to each client, and updating and maintaining client case files, both electronic and hard copies. Researching the clients cases in order to discuss possible solutions with the duty lawyers. Other Legal Experience Professional Placement, Carvers Solicitors, Birmingham, UK, July 07 August 07 Member, University of Nottingham Pro Bono Society, Sept 05 June 08 Work Experience Trainee, Crown Prosecution Service, Wolverhampton, UK, August 06 Legal Skills: Legal research & analysis I am able to use both online and paper based resources in order to conduct legal research. This includes subscription based resources such as Lexis Nexis, and free resources such as Austlii. I can also analyse and extract required information efficiently, presenting it in a manner that is detailed and understandable. Writing and drafting As part of my studies at Leo Cussen and the College of Law Birmingham, I have been trained to draft legal documents, such as contracts, letters of advice, as well as various documents required for legal proceedings. I also have practical experience drafting such documents from my time at JobWatch, BERAL, and Lincolns. Interviewing and advising I have been trained to interview clients, and obtain the necessary details in a professional manner, and to advise them in a manner that is concise, and understandable. Working and liaising with clients during my volunteer and professional placements allowed me the opportunity to hone my skills and practice the methods I had been taught. Conveyancing As part of my training I am familiar with conveyancing procedures. I am experienced in conveyancing and property work via placement at Lincolns Lawyers & Consultants, especially in properties which were sold off the plan. I have some knowledge of the ANSTAT system used in conveyancing due to my time at Lincolns.

Advocacy Throughout my studies, I have constantly honed and practiced my advocacy skills. For example, during my time at Leo Cussen, I completed the Optional Advocacy Course, as well as signing up for all the optional advocacy opportunities that were made available throughout the course. Skills/Attributes: Organisation My organisational skills enable me to multitask efficiently whilst maintaining the quality of my work. I am comfortable working under strict deadlines due to my attention to detail, as well as my ability to plan ahead and allocate sufficient time to complete the tasks required. For example, during my volunteer placements, I was often given several different tasks, which I had to complete on the same day due to constraints in my schedule. Furthermore, as Vice President Education of Knox Toastmasters, I was responsible for scheduling the club meetings, as well as allotting the various roles for each meeting. It was also my responsibility to guide new club members, ensuring they were provided all the necessary support and guidance as required. Teamwork I am able to work well with colleagues as part of a team. My listening and communication skills allow me to get along with teammates, and make a positive contribution to the teams goals. This was demonstrated during my placement at Lincolns Lawyers & Consultants, when I assisted the litigation team in their preparation for an important case. My assistance enabled more senior members of the team to focus on the more important aspects of the case, and allowed them to complete their preparations earlier. Communication I possess good oral and written communication skills, gained through a combination of my upbringing, studies, extra-curricular activities, and work experience. My studies and involvement in mooting and debating societies, Toastmasters and other extra-curricular activities have given me the ability to speak fluently and draft clear, precise and understandable documents. My upbringing in a multicultural society such as Malaysia, as well as previous work experience has given me the ability to communicate with, understand, and relate with individuals from different cultures and walks of life. Work ethic I am able to work hard and dedicate myself to the tasks and responsibilities given to me. I understand that as a member of the legal profession, as well as an employee, it is my responsibility to carry out my duties to the best of my abilities. This is demonstrated by the positive feedback I received during my time at Lincolns Lawyers & Consultants. Learning I am a fast learner, able to absorb new knowledge, skills and abilities quickly and easily. I understand that as I am still young, and at the start of my career, there are many things I can learn from more experienced colleagues to improve myself. I also understand the need to be able to quickly adapt to new environments and situations so as to make a positive contribution as soon as possible.

Achievements: Optional Advocacy Course, 2010, Leo Cussen Institute, Melbourne Most Promising Rookie 2010-2011, Knox Toastmasters Vice President Education, July 2010 Feb 2011, Knox Toastmasters MVP Rookie, August 2009, Style Group Birmingham UK Lexis Nexis Butterworths Research Certificate, 2005, University of Nottingham Law Society Hobbies: Reading Cooking Badminton Soccer Playing the piano Referees: Mr Michael Kane Solicitor & Mentor Leo Cussen Institute 360 Little Bourke St Melbourne, VIC 3000 Tel No: 03 9662 1933 E-mail: ians@jobwatch.org.au Mr Kenny Yip Managing Partner Lincolns Lawyers & Consultants Level 9 179 Queen Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Tel No: 03 9600 1181 E-mail: kenny@lincolnslawyers.com.au