BAKER & MCKENZIE
LCN AWARD WINNER 2016 BEST RECRUITER – LARGE CITY FIRM
F or a veritable colossus of the legal scene – founded in Chicago in 1949 with the clear intention of going global, and now with more than 11,000 employees in 47 different countries worldwide – there is a surprisingly small-firm feel to Baker & McKenzie’s London outpost. This unique combination made a real impression on third-seat trainee Rachael Gibbons: “Throughout my training contact, I have never worked on anything that has just been UK based. I had the same experience on the vac scheme – I was struck by how genuinely global Bakers is. But even though that is the case in terms of work, the London office has a real sense of community.” Ed Poulton, graduate recruitment partner and dispute resolution partner, supports this view: “The size of the intake compared to the international nature of the work and firm is attractive – prospective trainees like that they can join a major firm, but be part of a relatively small and intimate cohort. You can also much more quickly become part of the team and take on as much responsibility as you feel capable of. That’s exciting at this stage of your career.” Ed’s involvement with the trainee programme is very personal – as it is for many of the firm’s partners: “Our new global chairman, Paul Rawlinson, is definitely very supportive. He was a trainee here and was in fact the graduate recruitment partner when I came to interview as a trainee. There is a continuum which fits in with the view that we are recruiting our partners of tomorrow – it’s not just lip service. We take that aspect very seriously and it feeds into the number of partners who were trainees here, including the previous two managing partners; it has become self-perpetuating.” And what was true for Ed remains true for today’s trainees: “What continues to define a training contract at Bakers is the blend of excellent-quality work and very early responsibility. As a trainee, you will have the chance to do things you might
2016
14
Best in Law 2016
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