Law Graduate Program (Jan 2026)

If you have recently graduated from law at university, then we want you to apply for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) Graduate Program. PM&C will give you the opportunity to work across an exciting and broad range of areas that aren’t available anywhere else – it’s a mini public service rolled into one! If you’re keen to explore a broad range of opportunities, then there’s no better place to start your career.

What we provide 

• 12-month, multiple award-winning graduate program where you choose where you go
• Excellent support including mentors, buddies, and networking opportunities to connect with countless business areas
• A starting APS3 salary of $77086 + 15.4% superannuation and potential advancement after 6 months to the APS4 salary
• Inspiring and diverse work opportunities so that you can tailor your program to suit your goals
• Work-life balance including flexible working-from-home arrangements and generous leave entitlements
• Career progression to a permanent placement of your choice and the possibility of future promotion
• Generous relocation package to support your move to Canberra
• A work culture that respects opinions and fosters inclusion and diversity

What you’ll do   

PM&C’s Graduate Program offers hands-on experience supporting the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, Portfolio Ministers, and Assistant Ministers.  As a Law Graduate in our program, you will apply your skills to a broad range of policy design and implementation projects. You will provide advice to Departments, States, and Territories on the application of Cabinet Exemptions to documents discovered in the process of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, from the initial consult to the reviews by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

The work will be dynamic and complex and require quick thinking and good problem solving skills. During your time as a PM&C Graduate, you may be exposed to the following areas: 

• Key legal policy work including anti-corruption, administrative law, constitutional reform, Royal Commissions, family law, human rights and privacy law
• The Department’s FOI and privacy casework, and litigation
• Implementation of an expansive set of environment and water election commitments including environmental law reform, protecting and conserving the Great Barrier Reef, delivering the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, and investing in Antarctica
• Work with the Prime Minister’s Office to provide briefing analysis on the viability and risks associated with proposed Government appointments.
• Shadow the Attorney-General’s Department, the National Indigenous Australians Agency, and the Australian Public Service Commission (APS Reform) through the Cabinet submissions processes for all meetings.

Who you are  

PM&C graduates come from a variety of academic disciplines with diverse experiences and backgrounds. You will relish working in a fast-paced and challenging environment and enjoy adapting to new circumstances and priorities as the Prime Minister delivers them. 

To succeed in our program, you need to be curious, motivated, and driven to make a difference to the future of our country. You will work both independently and as part of a team, enjoy problem-solving, and collaborating, and offer innovative and creative thinking, approaches, and insights. 

Who can apply?

To be eligible to apply, you must have completed your university degree within the last eight years or be in your final year of study.  

The program starts in February 2026, and you must be willing to relocate to Canberra. You must be an Australian citizen and willing to undergo police, character, and health checks as required.

Please note that applications close at 10 am on April 15

Next steps    

If this sounds like the perfect opportunity for you, we encourage you to register today. 

To find out more, please visit our website.