Vacation Scheme Student Review

The only thing to improve it would be actually working at the firm!

Our reception at Baker & McKenzie surpassed my expectations. I feel like our supervisors and work providers really challenged us with the work that we were given and this clearly shows that they value us the work we were doing. In addition to this, I felt like everybody in the fem from support staff to graduate recruitment to partners took a real interest in us and always made time to speak to us or try and give us work. Finally, the fact that we were able to have lunch with the London Management Committee really does show how much they value us and our time at the firm.

In each department we sat in we had an Associate/Partner as a supervisor and a trainee as a buddy. This provides a nice balance between learning from people higher up in the firm but also having someone who understands better the positions we are in and therefore who we can ask stupid questions. In addition to this, grad rec try to build strong relationships with you so there is an additional layer of support there if you need it.

I feel like the skills I gained on the Vac Scheme won't necessarily help me directly with my Law degree but will certainly help me in my future career. I now fully understand the role and work of a trainee at firms as well as gaining an insight into what partners and associates do too. This will really help with future applications and actually starting a training contract in the future.

Before the scheme started we were sent a detailed timetable of when we had talks, socials or when we were in the office working. They largely stuck to the structure and I always felt like our time was managed well. The only contructive thing to say is that there is a lot of time in the office working (a very good thing) and if you have a helpful supervisor/buddy or you are proactive by going out and finding your own work then this will be the best time at the firm, but if you have a really busy supervisor and you do not make the effort to go and find work then you will be sat at your desk doing very little.

Everybody was really happy to be at the firm, we were welcomed by everyone and you can tell that this is a firm which is doing well at the moment. There is generically a good atmosphere throughout the office. We all got on really well as a scheme and also got on really well with gradate recruitment, Sairah, who made every effort possible to ensure we had an enjoyable and useful time at the scheme. All the trainees and graduate recruitment were great fin on the socials too!

We had a full day of training at the start, we also had ongoing talks from all departments to give us some more information about the sort of work each department does. We had support from our supervisors and buddies which provided extra personal personal development.

The work we were given was exactly with work that trainees were doing, indeed much of our work was from trainees.

Again, you can tell when you spend time at the firm that it is a happy place that is doing well at the moment. By meeting so many people from al areas of the firm you gain a good insight into the firm culture.

Considering the size of the firm the pay is excellent.

There were many networking events, both specifically for the Vac Scheme as well as optional firm wide ones too.

They really invested in us through the socials on the scheme. They were great fun and a good variety of people form the firm came. There were also unofficial social events within our departments.

There were plenty of pro-bono and sports activities.

This is a great insight into B&M as well as an insight into a career in law. It demonstrates what www ill be doing as a trainee as well as higher up in the firm.