Vacation Scheme Review

I absolutely loved my three weeks at Baker McKenzie. I felt there was a good balance of department work, presentations, networking opportunities, as well as socials. Every person I worked with was incredibly friendly, and always willing to give up their time to talk me through a particular piece of work. I thought the client pitch exercise was also a great way to research around a particular practice area of the firm, as well as develop my public speaking skills and get an insight into how a typical pitch would work. I finished my three weeks in full confidence that this was a firm I could envisage myself happily working at.

I was often given tasks that genuinely needed to be completed for a client, and whenever I completed a task for someone, they were always really grateful for the time I spent on it. My trainee buddies would regularly email me or drop by to check on how I was getting on, and most people in my department stopped by to say hello on my first day which immediately made me feel welcome!

One associate literally spent an hour of his time one day to talk me through a particular piece of work I had completed! Many trainees and associates were more than happy to talk me through any issues or questions I had - I never felt like a burden.

Learning how to read through masses of information and condense them into short summaries was definitely a skill I acquired. The client pitch was also a fantastic way to develop my ability to work within a team, as well as my public speaking skills.

Extremely well! We had an average of one or two practice area presentations every day, as well as working in our departments. There was also at least one social a week which provided a good break from work and a means to get to know the other vac schemers and people from the firm. Overall, I felt the whole vacation scheme was well organised, and there was always something to keep me busy throughout.

Every individual I came across at the firm, whether trainee, associate, partner, graduate recruitment or other was incredibly welcoming. The atmosphere was so welcoming, and I frequently went for coffees with people from the firm to talk to them about their experiences and insights. There was no competitive air at all - grad rec always emphasised how we shouldn't feel as though we were in competition with each other.

There was a public speaking workshop which was apparently the same one that a trainee at the firm would get.

I often did typical trainee tasks, and attended the department training days so I felt I had a pretty good idea of what working at the firm would entail.

I was confident that a career in commercial law was the path I wanted to take at the end of my time at the firm. So much so that I later accepted a Training Contract offer at the firm. The fact that I was able to undertake actual trainee tasks was really helpful, as this was something I had not experienced in any previous first year law schemes.

There were a lot! Through presentations, socials, networking lunches, and a lot of informal coffee chats!

The socials involved a welcome lunch, bowling, a karaoke night, a dinner at the OXO Tower...to name just a few. We also had frequent networking lunches, including a lunch with the London Executive Committee! I was able to meet people from all over the firm.

Yes! On my second day, I was invited to play for the girl's football team. There are also a number of other sports team which I was told many trainees/associates get involved with. I also found out about the various diversity initiatives at the firm, as well as Amicus (which is a pro-bono service which provides legal advice for death-row individuals in the US).

Definitely. I felt I was challenged and learnt so much, but I was also able to use this as an opportunity to learn more about the firm, its people and culture and also find out whether this career was one which I would pursue.