On July 13, our Toronto office proudly hosted our 3rd annual Open House for prospective summer students.
The evening began with a panel discussion, held in our recently launched Whitespace Legal Collab, and wrapped with a networking session where the 35 students in attendance had the chance to mingle with some of our partners, associates and current summer students to learn more about their experience at Baker McKenzie.
“For students, choosing the right firm to start your career with is an incredibly important and sometimes daunting decision,” said Partner and Student Committee co-chair, David Gadsden. “And from the Firm’s perspective, seeking out bright and talented individuals who share our core values is an integral part of our growth strategy. The Open House, along with our Diversity and Inclusion Roundtable event, allows students to learn about Baker McKenzie early in the process and in a meaningful way so that they can make an informed decision when it comes time to apply for on-campus interviews later in the summer.”
David welcomed the students while Associate and Student Committee co-chair, Ora Wexler, lead the panel discussion which included Partner Christopher Aide and Associates Bonnie Tsui and Claire-Marie Colantuoni.
Christopher heads our Intellectual Property Practice Group in Toronto and spoke highly of the unique international opportunities that Baker McKenzie offers, sharing stories from the several years he spent practicing in the Firm’s Frankfurt office early in his career.
Bonnie and Claire-Marie were both part of our summer program in 2012, and both articled with our Toronto office before returning as associates in 2014. Each shared stories of how the Firm’s culture played a large role in their decision to join Baker McKenzie and how meaningful it is to grow your practice alongside somebody you’ve been at the Firm with from the very beginning.
Following up on Christopher’s point, Bonnie and Claire-Marie spoke of their time spent at Baker McKenzie offices abroad (London and Milan, respectively) and offered insight on the Firm’s International Clerkship and Associate Training Programs, which provide associates the chance to work in other Baker McKenzie offices. With our 77 offices in 47 countries, these programs offer young lawyers a unique and first-hand opportunity to attain international experience as they build their global practice.
Hosting the students in our Whitespace Collab added another dimension to the experience this year, David says, offering them a glimpse of the Firm’s commitment to innovation and finding new ways to meet client needs in an ever-changing legal environment.
“In addition to hearing from a panel of Baker McKenzie lawyers and networking with current students, associates and partners, attending students had an opportunity to hear from Sanjay Khanna, the Director and Futurist of Baker’s Whitespace Legal Collab, about the exciting cross-disciplinary initiatives and innovations occurring at the Firm,” David said. “The response received from students who attended the event has been overwhelmingly positive and we look forward to continuing to get to know the students as our recruitment process moves forward.”
