BAKER MCKENZIE: FIRM SPOTLIGHT
- 10 hours ago
- 4 min read
Established: 1949
Size (personnel): We employ 67 partners and 250 lawyers/graduates across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
Office Locations (Australia): Globally, we have 72 offices in 45 countries. Locally and globally, Baker McKenzie works on significant and high-profile matters, for leading local and global clients. We have the experience, knowledge and expertise, both at a local and global level, to meet complex demands from our clients.
Practice Areas: Our key areas of practice in the Melbourne Office are:
Banking & Finance
Corporate (including Mergers & Acquisitions, Capital Markets and Private Equity)
Funds
Energy & Infrastructure
Commercial Real Estate
Construction
Dispute Resolution
Employment & Compensation
Commercial (Intellectual Property, Technology, Data and Trade).
FIRM HISTORY
Baker McKenzie invented the global law firm – so we are different in the way we think, work and behave. Our story is one of imagination, determination and hard work. We have followed clients into new markets, establishing offices driven by local lawyers and talent. And our growth has been organic, giving us a strong, common culture that runs through our Firm. Our unique culture, developed over 75 years, enables our 13,000+ people to understand local markets and navigate multiple jurisdictions, working together as trusted colleagues and friends to instil confidence in our clients. We also understand the challenges of the global economy because we've been a global law firm from the start.
Our People Experience, a key component of our strategy, is about delivering the best employee experience to enable one high-performing, global team to serve our clients. We offer our people access to market-leading, cross-border, local, and industry-focused matters for leading multinational/domestic clients. We have an unrivalled ability to provide training and secondment opportunities across our global network. We are committed to engaging with our communities. We view inclusion, diversity and equity as foundational to our culture and strategic vision. We have an inclusive culture of learning, coaching and opportunity, where you undertake work in small teams across multiple geographies with clients and colleagues. And we are a place where everybody can succeed, whatever your background and wherever you are located.
RECENT CASES
At Baker McKenzie, we attract market-leading clients, and challenging cross-border, local, and industry-focused work. We understand our clients' businesses, industries, and strategic objectives. Armed with this knowledge, we work with our clients to overcome the challenges of competing in the global economy. For more information on our clients and the key matters we have worked on, please visit our website:
KEY VALUES
Quality and excellence together with integrity, honesty, candor, teamwork and responsiveness are some of our key values – and are central in us delivering outstanding service to our clients.
The values that make us a unique and great place to work are deeply embedded – you will notice our difference in all of your interactions with us, in Australia and globally:
We are passionately global, and leverage our global expertise for our Australian and global clients at every opportunity, recognising our strength is in our diversity
We are a truly multicultural firm united by a genuine and robust culture of friendship, inclusion and collaboration
We are commercial pragmatists who make complex issues simple for our clients and are passionately committed to service excellence
We strive to stay ahead of the curve, bring entrepreneurial energy to our work and embrace innovative change
We encourage and support engaging with our community, through our pro bono and community service programs
We want everyone to reach their potential so invest in global, regional and local world-class development and mobility programs for our people.
Our award-winning diversity strategy/initiatives stem from our values and focus on five areas, in which all employees can participate:
BakerWomen – gender diversity, supporting the progression of women, and ensuring a supportive and inclusive workplace
BakerDNA – promotion and celebration of ethnic, Indigenous and cultural diversity, and ensuring diverse representation at all levels of the Firm
BakerBalance & Wellbeing – mental health and wellbeing, workplace flexibility and supporting parents/carers
BakerPride & Allies – inclusivity for all people regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression
First Nations Circle – commitment to First Nations engagement and aligned with our broader commitment to reconciliation as outlined in our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The FNC aims to increase understanding of, and respect for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures, and to leverage opportunities for them in the legal profession.
SEASONAL CLERKSHIP SELECTION CRITERIA
Baker McKenzie looks for people who:
Genuinely want to work with us and understand our unique offering and position in the market
Are well-rounded (i.e. through extra-curriculars/leadership), motivated, have a performance mindset and strive to be the best in whatever they do
Are intellectually curious, think innovatively and have sound academics
Display business acumen and are practical in their approach
Have a global mindset and are passionately committed to service excellence
Enjoy a challenge and seek new opportunities
Constantly look for ways to achieve better results while learning and growing
Take proactive ownership/responsibility for their careers
Act with integrity, honesty and candor in their dealings, decisions and actions
Express themselves confidently while staying open to new ideas
Demonstrate adaptability and resilience
Seek a friendly, inclusive and diverse culture
Take seriously our role in making a difference to our local and global communities.
A few tips for the application process:
Connect with us on LinkedIn (we share application tips annually and some great things about firm-life which you can showcase in your applications)
Attend our clerkship skills workshops or ‘Bakers' Dozen’ series (register here: Baker McKenzie Australia Graduate Events | Prosple Australia)
Check out our Prosple tips videos: Baker McKenzie Australia Graduate Program Videos | Prosple Australia
Research our Firm and tailor your cover letter (to learn more, attend the above events!)
Outline your education, work experience (including customer service roles) and extra-curriculars in your application, and demonstrate skills/experiences that would help you to succeed as a clerk
Demonstrate strong attention to detail.
