With more than 70 offices in over 40 countries Baker McKenzie is one of the world’s largest law firms. We work with our colleagues across the firm’s global network to serve clients and meet their evolving needs, providing tailored advice underpinned by deep practice and sector expertise and enhanced by first-rate market knowledge. Trainee solicitors are a vital part of our network, exposed to the international scope of the firm from the moment they start, with possible overseas secondment opportunities. Recent secondees have spent time in Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, New York, Sydney and Melbourne.

Types of work

With more than 500 lawyers, our London office is the largest in the firm and a major City practice in its own right, providing advice on some of the most significant and largest cross-border transactions, complex disputes and investigations, and international advisory matters in the UK and global markets. Lawyers work with their colleagues across the firm’s global network to serve clients and meet their evolving needs, providing tailored advice underpinned by deep practice and sector expertise and enhanced by first-rate market knowledge.

Through connected thinking and integrated legal solutions, our London team works with colleagues across the globe to help clients achieve their objectives, while mitigating risk.

To find out what it is like to work at Baker McKenzie read the firm's Meet the Lawyer profile.

If you've graduated or you're in the final or penultimate year of your degree (or second year of a four-year course), our vacation scheme is the perfect stepping stone to a training contract.

Our vacation scheme’s are designed to give you a realistic taste of what it’s like working for a global law firm. We’ll involve you in live work. You’ll attend client meetings and network with fee-earners of all levels – partners, associates and trainee solicitors. A lunch with our management committee will also give you a better understanding of the firm’s overall strategy.

Over the course of three weeks, we’ll give you experience in two different seats, with an allocated supervisor and a buddy in each. Since pro bono work is such an important aspect of what we do, you’ll also get to undertake a pro bono project.

Along the way, there’ll be training sessions to help familiarise you with some of our typical transactions, and develop some of the key skills you’ll need as a trainee solicitor. You’ll also take part in a client pitch exercise, which is a great opportunity to work closely with other people on the vacation scheme.

Spring vacation scheme: Tuesday 7 April – Friday 24 April 2026

Summer vacation scheme: Monday 15 June – Friday 3 July 2026

The two-year training contract comprises four six-month seats which include a corporate and a contentious seat, usually within our highly regarded dispute resolution department. We also offer the possibility of a secondment abroad or with a client. During each seat you will have formal and informal reviews to discuss your progress and regular meetings to explore subsequent seat preferences. Your training contract commences with a highly interactive and practical induction programme which focuses on key skills including practical problem solving, presenting and the application of information technology. The firm’s training programmes include important components of management and other business skills, as well as seminars and workshops on key legal topics for each practice area. There is a trainee solicitor liaison committee which acts as a forum for any new ideas or concerns which may occur during the training contract.

During the SQE1 prep course, trainees will have learning coach support and oppourtunities to attend face-to-face 'Prep for Success' workshops. Trainees will sit several practice exams prior to undertaking the actual SQE1. The SQE2 prep course provides practitioner expertise on practical transactions and legal skills. In addtion to SQE1 and 2, trainees will take part in our practice group overview practical workshops to build commercial awareness, client relationship skills and soft skills to ensure they are fully prepared ahead of their qualifying work experience.  

We offer full sponsorship to successful candidates through BARBRI.

If you have already passed the LPC, you will still need to complete SQE2, but you will be exempt from SQE1.

Baker McKenzie offer an SQE grant of £16,000 to law graduates and £17,000 to non-law graduates. Baker McKenzie are no longer funding the PGDL as they now only fund the foundation course with BARBRI. 

• Commercial litigation
• Intellectual property
• Technology & media
• Employment
• Private client
• Commercial property
• Commercial
• Corporate M&A
• Banking & finance
• Capital markets
• Private equity & funds
• Restructuring & insolvency
• Tax
• Competition
• Energy

• Corporate & Commercial

• London

• London

• Benefacto
• Prisoners’ Advice Service
• Victim Support

• Afro-Caribbean Network
• Aspiring Solicitors
• Black Lawyers’ Directory
• Black Solicitors Network
• Bright Network
• Career Academies
• City Solicitors Horizons
• DiversCity
• Lawyers in Schools
• Mindful Business Charter
• MyPlus Consulting
• Pathways to Law
• PRIME
• Rare Recruitment
• SEO London
• Social Mobility Foundation
• Stonewall
• StreetLaw
• Sutton Trust
• Uptree
• WCAN: the Black Women's Network
• Working Families