Case studies : Summer internship, Baker & McKenzie: Kate Ballantine Dykes

Kate Ballantine Dykes did a summer placement in the firm's London office.

The application process was extremely tough involving a number of different stages: an online application form; a verbal reasoning test; and finally an assessment day at the firm.

The scheme was a three-week placement broken down into two parts: two weeks in the dispute resolution department and another week in intellectual property. There were also presentations from lawyers about the different groups in the firm.

During my placement I wrote the first draft of an article on a hearing, proof read a pro-bono document, researched a pitch for a potential client, and compiled documents for the assignment of trademarks from one company to another.

The working environment at Baker & McKenzie was really supportive and the staff were very approachable. The ‘buddy’ system, whereby each intern was assigned two trainees, was extremely important for me - providing an avenue to ask questions and voice any concerns. The social events organised by graduate recruitment were also a great way to talk to other staff, who were more than happy to answer all our questions. The graduate recruitment team were always keen to support us in any way possible.

Before my internship I always thought that a legal career was something that I was both interested in and suited to; however, I knew that it was impossible to be sure without spending a substantial amount of time in that environment. Having now spent this time at Baker & McKenzie, I know that this is the path I want to take after completing my degree.