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Baker McKenzie

4.3
  • 1,000 - 50,000 employees

Baker McKenzie Graduate Programs & Internships

  • Law

Your journey to a world-class career begins here!

If your dream is to be an outstanding global lawyer, your journey to a world-class commercial legal career begins here! Start with Australia's first global law firm and set yourself on the path to excellence. Kick start your career with our world-class clerkship. Build your legal and technical expertise through our graduate program. Receive outstanding work and mentoring, so you can become an expert in your field, as an associate.

Why Baker McKenzie?

Graduates want the best foundation for their careers. We have been developing global lawyers with in-depth local expertise in Australia for more than 50 years – each started out as a law student, just like you. Baker McKenzie prides itself on building that foundation with you and investing in your future. And with its strong global nature, we have a global approach to your career development. 

Our People Deal, a key component of our global 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 and domestic clients. We understand our clients' businesses, industries and strategic objectives and work with our clients to overcome the challenges of competing in the global economy. 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 and diversity 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. 

We are a place where everybody can succeed, whatever your background and wherever you are located. We are The New Lawyers for the New World.

What to expect as a clerk

At Baker McKenzie, we understand that the transition from university to legal practice can be challenging. We provide our summer/seasonal clerks with a comprehensive induction program, with legal, technical and soft-skills training sessions, to help make this transition as smooth as possible. Our training program is designed to help you get the most out of your clerkship and set you up for success. 

We consult with our clerks before they commence to understand the areas of practice in which they are interested in gaining experience. We structure the clerkship program according to these preferences, where possible.

Throughout the clerkship, our partners, associates and Talent Management team run professional development and other sessions. These sessions will give you the chance to (amongst other things):

  • build your network within the Firm;
  • develop your legal and commercial skills;
  • learn about our practices, clients and Firm structure;
  • learn about our pro bono program, community service initiatives and Inclusion & Diversity areas; and
  • hear about our global training and work opportunities.

Most importantly, as a summer/seasonal clerk, we want you to experience what life is like as a graduate and junior lawyer at Baker McKenzie. So, right from the start, you will get involved in real work and be given real responsibility. You will be exposed to local and cross-border work for market-leading Australian and international clients through client meetings, shadowing, research, and other everyday tasks within your assigned practice group. You will also have the opportunity to participate in pro bono files and community service initiatives.

Our clerks are guided by a supervising partner, and enjoy the extra support of an experienced associate “buddy”. With the Firm's strong focus on supporting its people to learn, grow and achieve better results, you can expect to be well led, well coached and well mentored. 

The majority of our graduate positions are offered to former summer/seasonal clerks. We also offer our former clerks the opportunity to undertake paralegal roles with the Firm. Should you accept a graduate position with us, you will also be eligible to apply for our unique international clerkship program and have the opportunity to work for four weeks in one of our overseas offices.

Our key practice groups

  • Banking & Finance;
  • Corporate Markets (including Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity and Capital Markets);
  • Commercial Real Estate;
  • Construction;
  • Dispute Resolution & Litigation;
  • Employment & Industrial Relations;
  • Energy, Resources, Infrastructure & Corporate;
  • Environmental Markets;
  • Funds;
  • Intellectual Property;
  • Media;
  • Tax; and
  • Technology, Communications & Commercial.

Inclusion & Diversity

Baker McKenzie is committed to providing an inclusive and diverse culture for all of its employees, with equal opportunity for all to progress and have a meaningful career with our Firm. Our mission is to foster an environment where individuals of every ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, age, disability, carer status, and working style may succeed professionally and fully contribute to the goals of the Firm. As part of our inclusive culture, we encourage applications from all genders, abilities and cultural backgrounds including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. We provide information and support relating to the recruitment process for transgender and gender diverse candidates.

We understand that organisations work best when people with different backgrounds and multiple points of view are brought together. Our own diversity mirrors our commitment to exploring multiple perspectives to develop the best possible solutions for our clients and to fostering a culture of respect and inclusion that celebrates diversity.

Our award winning diversity strategy, initiatives and programs are focused in five key areas, in which all of our people can participate:

  • BakerWomen – gender diversity, including the implementation of our gender diversity strategy to support the progression of women as a strategic priority for the Firm;
  • BakerDNA – ethnic, indigenous and cultural diversity;
  • BakerWellbeing – mental health and wellbeing, workplace flexibility and supporting parents/carers;
  • BakerPride – lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex diversity; and
  • BakerIndigenousEngagement – commitment to engagement with our Indigenous community - achieving better social, economic and cultural outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and to making a real difference in the lives of our nation's First Peoples.

Our bAgile program encourages a range of flexible work opportunities for all. We invite you to let us know of any reasonable adjustments you require to equitably participate in the recruitment process or in performing the requirements of a role at Baker McKenzie.

Pro Bono & Community Service

Our pro bono and community service initiatives are an integral part of Baker McKenzie's mission. These programs aim to inspire our people to make a difference and collaborate with clients who share the same commitment to social justice. Baker McKenzie lawyers and law graduates are actively encouraged to undertake pro bono work. We believe the provision of pro bono legal services is a fundamental professional responsibility. 

(a) Pro bono legal services

Baker McKenzie is a signatory to the National Pro Bono Aspirational Target of at least 35 hours of pro bono legal work per lawyer per year. Last year, we significantly exceeded this target with our lawyers undertaking more than 47 hours of pro bono work per lawyer! Our lawyers regularly undertake a wide range of pro bono legal work for disadvantaged clients in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as well as charities and not-for-profit organisations. Some of our work includes assisting victims of domestic violence seek financial and other support; assisting asylum seekers with their protection visa applications process, including representing clients in court; helping the elderly, seriously ill clients, and young people exiting the child protection system with their legal affairs; working with various organisations to prepare submissions and advocacy papers to support law and policy reform; assisting start-up organisations with structuring, charity registration and tax endorsements, presenting legal workshops; and much more. Our pro bono work extends globally too.

(b) Community service

All Baker McKenzie people have the opportunity to participate in a variety of community service initiatives. Our community engagement centers around 3 pillars: charity partnerships, volunteering programs and workplace giving. The Firm's charity partners are Tuberous Sclerosis Australia, Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS) and LeaderLife. We partner with these charities on fundraising initiatives and provide in-kind support. Volunteering programs include the First Nations Gawura school reading program, Eat Up school lunch preparation for disadvantaged students, mentoring and literacy building programs, and corporate volunteering sessions.

Recruitment Process

Eligibility

To be eligible for a 2023/2024 Summer clerkship position with Baker McKenzie, you must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia or have the right to work in a full-time role in Australia from November 2023 - February 2024 (for the Sydney clerkship) or from November 2023 - December 2023, January 2023 to February 2024, or from June 2024 - July 2024 (for the Melbourne clerkships). You must also be enrolled in a law degree or equivalent which will qualify you for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia. At Baker McKenzie, our summer/seasonal clerkship programs are primarily aimed at students in the penultimate year of their law degree. However, final-year applicants are also considered.

Sydney application process

In Sydney, summer clerkships commence end-November and conclude mid-February. Each clerk will undertake two rotations. 

All applications should be addressed to Apolonia Mendel, Talent Management Consultant, and should include a cover letter, as well as details of your work experience, extra-curricular activities, interests, and academic results. We do not require you to upload your CV, as the information from your CV is used to respond to the areas above. We also ask you to complete 2 - 3 questions, particularly as our Firm does not use psychometric or other testing, group or individual assessments, or one-way video interviews as part of our overall assessment process.

Candidates will attend two interviews with partners/senior lawyers. In our interviews, we want to get to know all about you – your experiences, your interests, your achievements, your strengths and your abilities. We also want to know why you want to work with Baker McKenzie. To that end, our interviews are a mix of 'getting to know you' questions and 'behavioural' questions, so that our interviewers can get to know you and you can make the best possible impression.

Candidates are also allocated a ‘buddy’, to support them throughout the recruitment process.

Baker McKenzie also invites candidates to an information and networking evening, which is attended by partners and associates - so that you can meet as many people from our Firm as possible. 

For more information on our Sydney summer clerkship recruitment process or program, please contact Apolonia Mendel, Talent Management Consultant at [email protected].

Melbourne application process

In Melbourne, we run three seasonal clerkships, each with a duration of four weeks. The first runs from late November to December, the second runs from late January to February and the final clerkship runs from late June to July. 

All applications should be addressed to Virginia Nettle, Talent Management Consultant, and should include a cover letter, as well as details of your work experience, extra-curricular activities, interests, and academic results. We do not require you to upload your CV, as the information from your CV is used to respond to the areas above. We also ask you to complete 2 - 3 questions, particularly as our Firm does not use psychometric or other testing, group or individual assessments, or one-way video interviews as part of our overall assessment process.

Candidates will attend one interview with a partner and senior lawyer. In our interviews, we want to get to know all about you – your experiences, your interests, your achievements, your strengths and your abilities. We also want to know why you want to work with Baker McKenzie. To that end, our interviews are a mix of 'getting to know you' questions and 'behavioural' questions, so that our interviewers can get to know you and you can make the best possible impression.

Candidates are also allocated a ‘buddy’, to support them throughout the recruitment process. 

Baker McKenzie also invites candidates to an information and networking evening, which is attended by partners and associates - so that you can meet as many people from our Firm as possible. 

For more information on our Melbourne seasonal clerkship recruitment process or program, please contact Virginia Nettle, Talent Management Consultant [email protected]

What do we look for?

Baker McKenzie looks for people who genuinely want to work with us and who understand Baker McKenzie's unique offering and position in the market. 

We look for well-rounded, motivated individuals who have a performance mindset and strive to be the best in whatever they do; who are intellectually curious and have sound academics; who display business acumen and are practical in their approach; and who have a global mindset and are passionately committed to service excellence. We look for people who enjoy a challenge and seek new opportunities; who constantly look for ways to achieve better results while learning and growing; and who take proactive ownership and responsibility for their careers. We also look for people who act with integrity, honesty and candour in their dealings, decisions and actions; who express themselves confidently while staying open to new ideas; who seek a friendly, inclusive and diverse culture; and who take seriously our role in making a difference to our local and global communities.

Bakers' Dozen - Clerkship application tips 2

Remuneration & Career Growth

Graduate program

When you join Baker McKenzie as a graduate, we know you want to be working with clients on meaningful work right from the start, so we support you hone your skills and develop your experience as quickly as possible. We also pair each graduate with a supervising partner and associate "buddy" in each rotation to maximise your on-the-job and formal learning, and provide you with support at all levels. 

To foster the development of our graduates, our dedicated Leadership & Learning team facilitates sessions in five key areas - legal learning, managing your career, the business of law, business development & client service, and people & self-leadership. We offer targeted learning opportunities - including seminars on core legal topics (through our Cornerstone Legal Learning Program) and practical skills development workshops in areas such as drafting, legal research, commerciality, communicating effectively, building resilience, personal brand, innovation, financial literacy, and a number of further development sessions and panels to set you up for success in your graduate program - and beyond. We also support you with your Practical Legal Training, covering the costs and providing ample study leave. All of these ensure you get the best possible foundation for your career. 

In addition, we have regular roundtables and mid and end of rotation meetings to ensure you receive mentoring, coaching and feedback to enable you to develop as a graduate and lawyer.

Additionally, we bring graduates across our Australian offices together for various training programs to foster networks across the Firm. We have also sent our graduates on client secondments - virtually and on-site.

Global opportunities

As you progress to being an associate, you will attend regional and global training and events/conferences relating to your practice to help develop your networks and legal skills. Further, you will attend regional transition programs at each career stage which provide development in the key skills our lawyers need – like people leadership, business development and project management – and which will enable you to foster relationships with international peers at the same career stage. We also provide our lawyers with opportunities to attend USA summer school courses and to obtain scholarships for full-time legal study overseas, and we support our lawyers to undertake further study locally - both financially and with study leave.

In addition, the Firm offers opportunities for lawyers at varying stages of their career to work directly for clients or with our other offices globally.

Graduate Reviews

Overall Score
4.3
Overall score based on 9 reviews
They Score Best in…
9.0
Culture
9.8
Office Work Environment
9.0
Recruitment
8.2
Work Hours
9.0
Culture
9.8
Office Work Environment
9.0
Recruitment
8.2
Work Hours
What Graduates Say About Them
  • Incredible people, exciting clients, exposure to global work and resources, flexible attitude to work, competitive pay.
  • It has the cultural feel of a smaller firm (in that graduates get to work directly with senior associates and partners) with the structure and support of a global network.
  • There are lots of opportunities for graduates to try new things before joining one team permanently. This means you can join without really knowing what you want to do, and have lots of opportunities to figure that out.
  • I feel valued by my colleagues and have ample learning opportunities, particularly to engage with clients and contribute meaningfully to matters.
  • There is no 'worst' thing - perhaps maybe that since a lot of work is cross-border, the hours can be long or meetings can be at strange times of the night/day. But the cross-border work is exciting so I also consider this an advantage!
  • Technology can be a little difficult sometimes.
  • Culture is inherently team specific. As a result, your experience can be materially different depending on which team you are in.
  • The hours (sometimes).

Jobs & Opportunities

Locations With Jobs & Opportunities
  • Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane
Hiring candidates with qualifications in
L
Law, Legal Studies & Justice
Current Jobs & Opportunities

Internship, Clerkship or Placement

Sydney
Pre-register for Sydney Summer Clerkship Program!
Applications Close
4 Jul 2024
Start Date
27 Nov 2024
Salary
AUD 70,000 - 80,000 / Year

We offer a competitive salary for our clerkship opportunities.

Internship, Clerkship or Placement

Melbourne
Application for Melbourne Seasonal Clerkship Program is now open!
Applications Close
13 Aug 2024
Start Date
27 Nov 2024 - 24 Jun 2025
Salary
AUD 70,000 - 80,000 / Year

We offer a competitive salary for our clerkship opportunities.

Graduate Success Stories


  • Graduate stories
My supervising partner and buddy were incredibly generous with their time and checked in on me throughout the day, and the balance of mentoring, guidance and providing me with autonomy was the perfect springboard for me to thrive as a junior and develop my legal skills.

Sarah Nouv

  • Graduate stories
My supervising partner and buddy were incredibly generous with their time and checked in on me throughout the day, and the balance of mentoring, guidance and providing me with autonomy was the perfect springboard for me to thrive as a junior and develop my legal skills.

Sarah Nouv

  • Graduate stories
With the work, the people, the opportunities and the culture combined, I am confident that I have made the best decision in choosing Baker McKenzie for a clerkship and as the place to establish my legal career.

Austin Nguyen

  • Graduate stories
With the work, the people, the opportunities and the culture combined, I am confident that I have made the best decision in choosing Baker McKenzie for a clerkship and as the place to establish my legal career.

Austin Nguyen

  • Graduate stories
My supervising partner and buddy were incredibly generous with their time and checked in on me throughout the day, and the balance of mentoring, guidance and providing me with autonomy was the perfect springboard for me to thrive as a junior and develop my legal skills.

Sarah Nouv

  • Graduate stories
My supervising partner and buddy were incredibly generous with their time and checked in on me throughout the day, and the balance of mentoring, guidance and providing me with autonomy was the perfect springboard for me to thrive as a junior and develop my legal skills.

Sarah Nouv

  • Graduate stories
With the work, the people, the opportunities and the culture combined, I am confident that I have made the best decision in choosing Baker McKenzie for a clerkship and as the place to establish my legal career.

Austin Nguyen

  • Graduate stories
With the work, the people, the opportunities and the culture combined, I am confident that I have made the best decision in choosing Baker McKenzie for a clerkship and as the place to establish my legal career.

Austin Nguyen


A Day In The Life Of


  • Day in the life

Sam Morrison

Baker McKenzie runs a series of professional development sessions on a wide range of topics. These sessions help us upskill as junior lawyers and undertake a deep dive into specific areas of the law.
  • Day in the life

Sam Morrison

Baker McKenzie runs a series of professional development sessions on a wide range of topics. These sessions help us upskill as junior lawyers and undertake a deep dive into specific areas of the law.
  • Day in the life

Lauren Miller

The best thing about working in this team is the variety of work... Every day is different and I never know what I could be asked to get involved in next!
  • Day in the life

Lauren Miller

The best thing about working in this team is the variety of work... Every day is different and I never know what I could be asked to get involved in next!
  • Day in the life

Sam Morrison

Baker McKenzie runs a series of professional development sessions on a wide range of topics. These sessions help us upskill as junior lawyers and undertake a deep dive into specific areas of the law.
  • Day in the life

Sam Morrison

Baker McKenzie runs a series of professional development sessions on a wide range of topics. These sessions help us upskill as junior lawyers and undertake a deep dive into specific areas of the law.
  • Day in the life

Lauren Miller

The best thing about working in this team is the variety of work... Every day is different and I never know what I could be asked to get involved in next!
  • Day in the life

Lauren Miller

The best thing about working in this team is the variety of work... Every day is different and I never know what I could be asked to get involved in next!

Videos


How to plan your career path in private legal practice?

Ready for your law career but not sure which path to take? Join us as Natalie of Baker McKenzie gives you insights and guidance on where to start if you're thinking of pursuing your carer in private legal practice.

Our People Deal

Our People Deal is about delivering the best employee experience to enable one high-performing, global team to serve our clients.

How to plan your career path in private legal practice?

Ready for your law career but not sure which path to take? Join us as Natalie of Baker McKenzie gives you insights and guidance on where to start if you're thinking of pursuing your carer in private legal practice.

Our People Deal

Our People Deal is about delivering the best employee experience to enable one high-performing, global team to serve our clients.

Advice


A guide to Baker McKenzie's Seasonal/Summer Clerkship Recruitment Process

If you aspire to be an outstanding lawyer, your journey to a world-class commercial legal career begins here. Start with Australia's first global law firm and set yourself on the path to excellence. Kick start your career with our world-class Summer Clerkship. Build your technical, legal expertise through our Graduate Program. Receive outstanding work and mentoring to become an expert in your field, as an Associate.

A guide to Baker McKenzie's Seasonal/Summer Clerkship Recruitment Process

If you aspire to be an outstanding lawyer, your journey to a world-class commercial legal career begins here. Start with Australia's first global law firm and set yourself on the path to excellence. Kick start your career with our world-class Summer Clerkship. Build your technical, legal expertise through our Graduate Program. Receive outstanding work and mentoring to become an expert in your field, as an Associate.