Vanessa Taal
People and Culture Advisor
tel:+64 7 927 2755
mailto:vanessa.taal@hobec.co.nz
Contact:
- DDI: +64 7 927 2755
- M: +64 27 475 2555
- E: vanessa.taal@hobec.co.nz
Vanessa is a People and Culture Advisor at Holland Beckett.
Vanessa comes to us from Wellington, having relocated to Tauranga in 2022. She has previously worked in various management, payroll and administrative roles in a wide range of industries and joined our People and Culture team in 2024.
Vanessa is loving all the Bay of Plenty has to offer.
Vanessa Taal's News & Resources
Summer Clerk 2026/2027
Holland Beckett runs a summer clerk programme every year from November to February in our Tauranga and Rotorua offices. This is a great opportunity for students in their penultimate year of study, to work in one of Bay of Plenty’s top law firms alongside some of the Bays’ best solicitors.
Watch the video to learn more about our summer clerk programme:
As a summer clerk at Holland Beckett, you will get to experience work in our Property, Commercial, Corporate, Litigation, Family, Employment and Resource Management practice areas, have ongoing technical and soft skill training, meet some great people and have all the benefits of working in a large provincial firm.
Our aim is for each of our summer clerks to have a great summer, get to know our firm, our people and our culture and values.
Benefits
We aim to be an employer of choice for the most talented people.
As a summer intern, on top of a competitive salary, you’ll receive:
Paid Christmas leave
Invitations to social events throughout the summer, allowing you to meet other staff and summer interns
Invitations to team and firmwide Christmas events
Team community days
Involvement in our sports teams
Attendance at professional development/leadership webinars and seminars
One-on-one time with Partners
Who can apply?
Our 2026/2027 summer clerk programme will be aimed at law students in their penultimate year of study and who can join us as a Law Clerk in February 2028.
Successful applicants will:
Have an acceptable grade point average (please provide your official academic transcript provided by your university, screenshots will not be accepted)
Be in their penultimate year of law school
Have good communication skills
Be driven, self-motivated and enthusiastic
How to apply
Applications for our 2025/2026 summer clerk programme have now closed.
Applications for our 2026/2027 summer clerk programme will open at 9:00am 23 February 2026. Pre-register here.
Summer Clerk Recruitment Dates
23 February 2026: Applications open at 9:00am.
23 March 2026: Applications close 12:00pm.
24 March 2026: Applications begin to be reviewed.
3 April 2026: Applicants will be notified if they have made it to the first stage of our Recruitment Process which is an initial Telephone Interview with one of the People & Culture Team. This is an opportunity to gain clarity around where you are in your study and the ‘why’ behind applying to Holland Beckett.
10 April 2026: Successful applicants will be invited for an in-person or Teams call interview with two Holland Beckett Partners.
13 April - 24 April 2026: In-person & Teams call interviews will take place.
20 May 2026: Summer Clerk Offers made to successful applicants.
Our interview style is designed to let us get to know you, and for you to get an understanding of the firm. This is an opportunity for you to come prepared (do your research on Holland Beckett), arrive on time, showcase why you want to work at Holland Beckett and prepare any questions you may have.
If you have any questions about the Summer Clerk Programme or our application process, please do not hesitate to contact our People & Culture Team.
Graduate Programme
At Holland Beckett we take pride in hiring, growing and retaining the best legal talent.
Watch the video to learn more about our Graduate Programme:
Joining our team in either our Tauranga, Rotorua or Whakatāne offices, you will get the vital building blocks for launching your career while working alongside exceptional lawyers. You will be working on challenging and interesting legal work, while enjoying a unique team culture that sets our firm apart.
Our graduate development programme has produced top quality lawyers over many years. In addition to our general offering outlined above, law clerks will receive:
A competitive salary
Laptop, mobile phone and call plan
$1,000 clothing allowance
A five year graduate pathway
Transparency around progression and remuneration
Paid leave to attend Profs block course
Profs paid for by the firm and bonded for two years
3 year anniversary retention bonus or 3 months paid leave
5 year anniversary retention bonus
Annual salary review
Discretionary bonuses for exceptional performance
A mentor/buddy
Graduate group training sessions specifically designed to develop your legal and professional skills
A range of fantastic social and community focused opportunities
Who can apply?
Our 2027 Graduate Programme will be aimed at law students in their final year of study.
Successful applicants will:
Have an acceptable grade point average (please provide your official academic transcript provided by your university, screenshots will not be accepted)
Be in their final year of law school
Have good communication skills
Be driven, self-motivated and enthusiastic
Applications for our 2026 Graduate Programme are now closed.
Applications for our 2027 Graduate Programme will open at 9:00am 23 February 2026. Pre-register here.
Graduate Recruitment Dates
23 February 2026: Applications open at 9:00am.
23 March 2026: Applications close 12:00pm.
24 March 2026: Applications begin to be reviewed.
3 April 2026: Applicants will be notified if they have made it to the first stage of our Recruitment Process which is an initial Telephone Interview with one of the People & Culture Team. This is an opportunity to gain clarity around where you are in your study and the ‘why’ behind applying to Holland Beckett.
10 April 2026: Successful applicants will be invited for an in-person or Teams call interview with two Holland Beckett Partners.
13 April - 24 April 2026: In-person & Teams call interviews will take place.
4 May 2026: Shortlisted Graduate applicants will be invited for a second in-person Interview with two Holland Beckett Partners, followed by a function with the Holland Beckett Partnership.
14 May 2026: In-person Interviews and Function with the Holland Beckett Partnership.
20 May 2026: Graduate Offers made to successful applicants.
Our interview style is designed to let us get to know you, and for you to get an understanding of the firm. This is an opportunity for you to come prepared (do your research on Holland Beckett), arrive on time, showcase why you want to work at Holland Beckett and prepare any questions you may have.
If you have any questions about the Graduate Programme or our application process, please do not hesitate to contact our People & Culture Team.