Vacation Scheme Review

Baker McKenzie's vac scheme has been great experience at what working in a multi-jurisdictional and full service law firm is like- the vac scheme itself ensures that you get a chance to experience this as fully as possible. However, the way the vac scheme is set up means that at some points during the scheme you can be very busy, and at others, have little to nothing to do. This is perhaps due to the fact that any work vac schemers get involved in is 'actual' work that Baker McKenzie is engaged in but does mean that depending on the seat that you are sat in, the value of your experience can vary immensely.

Baker McKenzie is incredibly friendly and welcoming; there is a diverse range of people and personalities which means it is very easy to fit in and feel comfortable. Senior associates and Partners also take a strong interest in ensuring that you get the most out of the vac scheme, investing a fair amount of time in setting tasks and explaining anything that is unfamiliar. Given the time short nature of the work at Baker McKenzie, having this time invested in helping you to develop and progress definitely adds to a feeling of being 'valued'.

As a vac schemer, guidance and support is set up so as to primarily come from your supervisor in the department (either a Partner or Senior Associate), or your Trainee buddy. As a result, the level of support that you receive can vary greatly depending on the people in the seat you are sat in. Due to the de-centralised nature of the support system, this variation can mean that as a vac schemer you are left to ask for help or work on your own. Although this isn't necessarily a bad thing as it can develop your confidence and allow you to demonstrate an eagerness to get involved, it does mean that in some cases you can be left feeling a little redundant or 'annoying' if you have to keep asking people for work.

The skills that I have gained through this experience will be invaluable in any further vac schemes or placements that I undertake, and indeed, in any job that I work in in the future. The development of confidence to take on a task that you may feel out of your depth about, the people skills and knowledge of the best way to ask for assistance and the ability to feel comfortable being constantly challenged are invaluable and can be applied in any job context. In terms of knowledge, the commercial awareness and experience of the business world and how it is changing that you gain through the vac scheme mean that you have a much deeper understanding of what the market looks like which will assist you in working at any city law firm.

At the beginning of the scheme we were given a timetable of events, talks and socials which had been arranged and this was largely adhered to for the most part. All of the talks were useful and vac schemers were even asked to pre submit questions for some of the events such as meeting the Management Committee to ensure that we got the most from the discussion.

The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming; it is clear that vac schemers are valued highly by all members of Baker McKenzie and this was felt most through willingness of members of the firm to engage with you and get to know you. In terms of the working environment, this varies from department to department, however there is very little 'face time' policy, with most people working at least one day a week from home and hours being relatively flexible. Consequently, the atmosphere was quite laid back and relaxed.

This varied based on the department that you were sat in and the people who were sat in the department. In my experience in one department, people invested their time in you substantially, explaining and helping you to understand how the department works and what their role is. In another seat though this was less evident.

By sitting in two departments over the course of two weeks, the scheme enables you to gain an insight into how the working days of Associates and Trainees are structured across the firm. Working alongside Associates in the office means you are able to experience the relaxed atmosphere as well.

It was clear that Baker McKenzie placed a very strong emphasis on equality, diversity and inclusion in the firm and this was emphasised frequently through workshops and sessions set up for the vac scheme. However, at times this felt a little forced and I don't think that you can fully understand the company culture until you have worked in the firm for a longer period of time in a more natural role.

Each department has different types and varieties of work that you get exposed to so my experience in each seat enabled me to compare and contrast which experiences I enjoyed more. This places you in a better position to decide which seat you would want to qualify into and also use this knowledge when choosing which other firms to apply for Training Contracts at.

Whilst Baker McKenzie does pay people on the vac scheme, I feel like there should be some sort of provision of reimbursement of expenses too. If you don't live in London, the pay is not enough to cover finding a place to stay and this could provide an issue with limiting access to the vac scheme for people from less represented backgrounds around the UK. I would recommend provision of some sort of scheme whereby people are either means tested or expenses up to a certain amount are reimbursed as this will increase the accessibility of the scheme substantially.

Baker McKenzie organised lots of interesting and different events whereby vac schemers could network and get to know people from all areas of the firm. Some of these included a speed networking session with non corporate or banking associates, Partner Q&A and meeting the Management Committee. Having structured sessions like these really meant that you could get as broad a picture of what it is like to work at the firm as possible.

There were many different opportunities to network and speak to as many different people from the firm in all roles. The social events were organised mostly for the benefit for the vac schemers although Trainees were encouraged to go along. In terms of how good these events were, there was a range of activities organised and clearly a lot of thought put into which activities would be good for meeting and talking to people without it being simply 'cliché' drinks. Social events included a painting class, darts and cocktail making.

Baker McKenzie did not focus on the 'social' life aspect of working at the firm. The only information I found out about activities employees get involved in socially was from asking Trainees about it. It would be good to have more information on this as it can help applicants for a Training Contract be more informed when deciding if the atmosphere and culture of the firm is a good fit.

The experience I have gained at Baker McKenzie on this vac scheme has been invaluable for developing a career in corporate law. Equally, the skills you gain can be applied in almost any role, and the confidence and network you build through meeting people (especially with Partner interactions) on the scheme are invaluable.