Baker McKenzie

• “Attorneys will give you real assignments as a summer associate. The expectations are very fair. You get to focus on a few assignments at once, and make sure you do a great job on them.”
• “Work assignments were handled well, and we were clearly exposed to the different practice areas. Attorneys were candid and forthright in their feedback.”
• “Work assignments were always substantive; no such thing as ‘busy work.’ Training was very structured and organized. There were also a lot of training seminars on subjects such as substantive law, legal writing, and firm economics.”
• “The firm did a great job of providing me with ample opportunities to interact with clients. Every assignment I received helped a client in some way.”

• “Camaraderie among summer associates seems to be strong every year. My summer class is still incredibly close, even years into practice, and this seems common across years. The social aspects are fun, but not well attended, and tend to include just the same few attorneys and one or two partners.”
• “Throughout the firm's summer associate program, I observed a social dynamic that is best described as inclusive, empathetic, and collegial. I was immensely satisfied with firm-sponsored social opportunities, and the social interactions with both firm attorneys and my summer class. Furthermore, the summer associate program events were well organized, original, and well attended.”
• “There were many social events where the summer associates got to know each other, and attorneys consistently attended summer associate events. Everyone seemed open, and eager to meet summer associates. It was encouraged that we reach out to attorneys individually to schedule ‘Zoom coffees’ (as my summer program was virtual). During my two summers, I met with dozens of attorneys this way, and made numerous lasting connections.”
• “Approachable, welcoming, and friendly colleagues who are willing to get to know you.”

• “My summer associate program was similar to my experience as a first-year associate. Good experience, plus good internal networking opportunities.”
• “I have been pleasantly surprised, because I have been able to take on substantive work from very early on. I am already drafting briefs with certain attorneys.”
• “The workload of a full-time associate life is more demanding (understandably so), but otherwise, the summer program was a good segue into the full-time associate flow.”
• “I think the summer associate experience was reflective of how a new associate receives work, and works with more experienced attorneys to complete assignments. In terms of volume of work, the summer associate experience was lighter on work than the full-time job, which was expected.”

• “Architecture river tour.”
• “We held an online poetry event with a California BPOC poet, and received free books afterwards. Great themes, lots of fun.”
• “A joint trip with all the Texas offices.”
• “We had a sushi-making summer event, and a goat yoga summer event.”

Baker McKenzie’s Summer Associate Program is designed to introduce law students to the practice of law at the firm and to allow lawyers and summer associates to become mutually acquainted to evaluate the interest in a future employment relationship. We make every effort to expose summer associates to all aspects of the firm’s practice with substantive legal work, professional training, and social networking opportunities. Across North America, the firm is organized into practice groups, and we give our summer associates the opportunity to work on a wide range of assignments from all practice groups. Our primary goal is to offer a realistic, professional experience, so we place great importance upon providing our summer associates with “real” client work of the same caliber as performed by the firm’s lawyers. We also offer client partnerships for our summer associates through our Inclusion & Diversity Client Summer Scholars Program.