Your Application
We recruit 38 trainees each year and expect you to have obtained, or be expected to achieve, at least a 2:1 in your degree, and a minimum of 340 UCAS points (or equivalent). You should demonstrate a consistently high level of performance throughout your studies.
Training Contract applications are accepted from law and non-law undergraduates, recent graduates or graduates who have spent time in business or pursued another career. In order to be considered for our vacation scheme, you must be in your penultimate year of study at a UK university (if you are studying towards a four year degree, we will consider you in either your second or third year of study).
There is no Baker & McKenzie standard trainee but characteristics we value include:
- An international mindset
- Leadership
- Intellect and initiative
- Commercial acumen
- Creativity
- Commitment to excellence
- Impact and influence
- Desire to learn
Please complete an application form online. You will be asked to provide a covering letter outlining your motivation towards Baker & McKenzie and commercial law. We want to get a feel for you as an individual, your achievements, and also to see what knowledge and enthusiasm you have for our business.
If we feel that you are the right individual for us, we will invite you to take an online psychometric test which measures your ability to evaluate the logic of various kinds of arguments presented in written format. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to attend one of our Assessment Days at our offices.
When to apply
If you are studying towards a law degree, you need to apply after completing the second year of your degree, preferably when you have received your second year examination results.
If you are studying towards a non-law degree, you should apply during the final year of your degree course.
The closing date for receipt of applications is 31 July.
If you have already graduated, although the Law Society's Recruitment Code of Practice does not apply to you, we still prefer to consider your application in line with our application deadline of 31 July.
Should you have any queries regarding the timing of your submission, please contact us.
Please note that due to the volume of applications we are unable to provide feedback to candidates at the application stage.
Assessment days
Assessment days for vacation schemes will take place in February.
Assessment days for Training Contracts will take place in August (law and non-law students). A one-off assessment day for Training Contracts will also be held in mid-March for non-law students only.
Once we have received your application, short-listed candidates will be invited to sit our verbal reasoning test. Those meeting our benchmark in the test are invited to participate in a telephone interview with a member of the Graduate Recruitment team. The final stage of our process is an assessment day.
The assessment day will include:
- An interview with two partners, including a short discussion based on the facts of a typical client problem, which you will be given to read in advance.
- A group exercise requiring you to discuss a commercial case study, working together to explore potential solutions.
- A one-on-one interview with an associate, where you will talk about your achievements and your interest in Baker & McKenzie.
The whole process should take no more than four hours.
Interview tips and advice
- Smile, shake hands firmly and maintain eye contact.
- Think about why a question is being asked and answer accordingly. No matter how tricky the question seems, the interviewer is not trying to trip you up.
- There is not always a right or wrong answer; how you answer is what is important.
- Offer enthusiastic replies.
- Be honest. Be yourself.
- Make your answers brief but thorough.
- Use silence to add emphasis to what you've already said or to gather your thoughts.
- If you get lost in answering a question, don't panic. Ask if you can start again.
- Stick to asking relevant, sensible questions. Now isn't necessarily the time to ask about salary or car parking.
- If you've covered all your questions, try asking the interviewer something personal to them, e.g. "Why do you enjoy working here?"
- Never ask how you've done. An interviewer may feel that it's inappropriate to discuss this at the time.
- If it helps, have your questions written down (but not on your hand, or a scruffy piece of paper!).
- Don't ask obvious questions - it'll show up your poor research.
Remember - the interview is a two-way process. You should be assessing the Firm as much as we are assessing you.
Key application dates
| Training Contract |
| Applications by 31 July |
| Interviews August |
| Vacation Schemes |
| Applications by 31 January |
| Interviews February |
| Open Days |
| Applications by 25 November |
| (Christmas Open Days) |
| Applications by 31 January |
| (June Open Day) |
| Applications by 29 February |
| (July Open Day - First year students) |
Applications for Open Days are by CV and cover letter to
londongraduates@
bakermckenzie.com
