First Year Insight Scheme Review

There were a series of workshops held throughout the two days on various practice groups and other areas of legal practice such as pro-bono. There were also numerous opportunities for networking with current trainees, associates and partners to get a greater feel of the firm culture and the work that they do. There was also an on-the-spot commercial awareness pop quiz during a workshop and a group presentation task for us to develop team-working and communication skills.

Definitely! The workshops into the various practice areas were great to get a holistic understanding of the firm's core strengths and how they are approaching the growth of their London office which is really important as aspiring solicitors. Moreover, the firm's pro-bono culture really came through during the workshop held on that. Of course, the commercial awareness workshop taught me what resources I could make use of during my research processes as well.

It was incredibly enjoyable. Despite the length of the two days and the various activities packed into the insight scheme, I felt that we were very engaged and eager to speak with the existing lawyers at the firm. Moreover, the Grad Rec were such sweethearts who turned a keen listening ear to any questions which the participants had for them. This made the process of learning about the firm's growth strategy and working culture super fun.

People are incredibly down to earth at Baker McKenzie, and I say this knowing that the same can't be said about some other law firms (won't call them out here). I think everyone came across as honest, real and genuine. Moreover, everyone is obviously competent and confident in what they do. I think there is a strong culture of collegiality and open-mindedness which might be a result of the sheer international scale of the firm's operations.

Incredibly so. The small intake for the insight really made me feel like I could genuinely engage with everyone I spoke to without worrying about getting lost in a sea of faces. At the end of the day, the grad rec remembered my name and made such an effort to get to know me I feel comfortable applying for the vacation scheme. Of course, the associates and trainees were super enjoyable to talk to as well.

Yes

The usual stuff of making sure to proofread your application and do some preliminary research into how the firm is structured, its key practice area strengths, and the general culture of the firm is important. These are the fundamentals. I think you need to identify which kind of law firm you would like to join and why. For instance, Baker McKenzie is a Swiss Verein. What does this mean for you? Does it align with your long term goals?