Volunteering and doing good
Panel discussion hosted by the Ministry for Economic Affairs of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia in the Düsseldorf Ständehaus: Dr. Christian Reichel lectured on “corporate social responsibility”
From left: Dr. Günther Horzetzky, Prof. Dr. Gesine Schwan, Christina Fiege, Dr. Christian Reichel, Nelly Kostadinova, Martina Teichelmann
What does the civil society expect of enterprises in terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR)? This question was discussed by representatives of industry, science and civil society on the occasion of the “Ständehaus discussions on the corporate social responsibility of enterprises” held on March 6, 2012. One of the speakers was Baker & McKenzie’s Frankfurt-based partner and member of the Baker & McKenzie Global Pro Bono Committee Dr. Christian Reichel. The event was organized by the Ministry for Economic Affairs of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia in cooperation with the Association of German Women Entrepreneurs (VdU). The Düsseldorf-based Baker & McKenzie partner Dr. Barbara Deilmann, who had suggested Christian Reichel for the panel, also attended the event in her capacity as a member of the board of the VdU’s regional association Rhineland. All in all, approximately 350 guests, one third of them women, had accepted the invitation to the Ständehaus near the Kaiserteich in Düsseldorf. The Ständehaus is one of the most beautiful event locations the Rhine metropolis has to offer.
Dr. Günther Horzetzky, administrative head of the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, Building, Housing and Transport of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, welcomed the guests and subsequently yielded the floor to Martina Teichelmann. The chairwoman of the VdU’s regional association Rhineland was very pleased that, together, the Ministry and the VdU had managed to triple the number of participants. She also stated that the event benefitted from the strongest female presence ever, and not only in the sense of being more colorful. The introductory speech was given by Prof. Dr. Gesine Schwan, president of the Humboldt-Viadrina School of Governance in Berlin. The political scientist criticized that the term “corporate social responsibility” was too often reduced to its mere charity component. In times of globalization, enterprises had to evaluate their core business in terms of social responsibility. She emphasized the chances of binding reporting on CSR issues as provided for in Kofi Annan’s Global Compact because it may encourage good governance on a transnational level.
The topic led to an exciting panel discussion among Christian Reichel, Nelly Kostadinova, CEO and owner of the translation agency Lingua World, and Christina Fiege, member of the family owning the private brewery Moritz Fiege. Along with the two women entrepreneurs, the employment law partner argued against binding reporting on CSR or the stipulation of further statutory provisions in this regard: “CSR, as we see it, does not call for statutory regulation. Any activities performed in this area should not be directly or indirectly controlled by statutory provisions but be voluntary in nature – and have their roots in the individual’s sense of responsibility.” Implementing diffuse obligations would weaken the legal system.
Christian Reichel further pointed out that aside from its responsibility for its own activities the law firm attached great importance to the charity aspect: “As a law firm, we are, for instance, able to assist non-profit organizations with our pro bono legal advice.” As far as social responsibility was concerned, every single employee of the law firm had the opportunity to volunteer, do good and live up to what the market environment expected in terms of the law firm’s corporate social responsibility. “For us, CSR plays a prominent role when it comes to the recruitment of staff, professional development and our client relationships”, said the Baker partner. The important aspect was that CSR work was voluntary in nature. “Our law firm provides the groundwork – by means of inspiring support, release from work and communication.”
During the subsequent get-together the participants had the chance to meet the speakers in person and continue the lively discussions. It turned out that one can no longer imagine business life without corporate social responsibility and that the expectations of the civil society in this regard are on a constant rise. It is, however, important to clearly distinguish between concrete legal obligations and a voluntary assumption of responsibility.
"Women’s Law Forum" Event
In cooperation with the Law faculty of the University of Muenster and other German universities, Baker & McKenzie has established a forum specifically aimed at female legal talent: the "Women's Law Forum". The Forum intends to serve as an impetus for female legal professionals still at the start of their career, to equip them with an adequate networking platform getting them just another step closer to their ultimate goal of working in the profession of their dreams.
The events taking place at the University of Muenster feature successful female professionals working in the areas of science, economics, business and corporations, justice and administration who will provide insight on their personal career paths on the following dates:
Here you will soon find our events in 2012.
Passionately Global Breakfast
Once a month we invite our trainees, trainee lawyers, legal professionals (juristische Mitarbeiter) and anybody who might be interested to join us in Frankfurt for a Passionately Global Breakfast event. Experience the global world of Baker & McKenzie. Benefit from receiving first-hand information and extraordinary personal accounts from our attorneys on the relevant country while enjoying a breakfast typical for that region.
In 2012, Passionately Global Breakfast events are planned for the following dates:
May 31, 2012
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Belgium
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June 28, 2012
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France
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July 26, 2012
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New Zealand
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August 30, 2012
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Vietnam
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Contact person:
In-house Events
Baker & McKenzie regularly organizes in-house events for legal professionals still at the start of their career. Join us and find out all you need to know about working as a legal trainee, completing a legal internship (Anwaltsstation) or an elective stint (Wahlstation) or working as a legal professional while completing your Ph.D. In 2012, we will be hosting workshops in Munich, Frankfurt am Main and Dusseldorf. Why don't you get to know Baker & McKenzie personally at one of our events?
Contact person:
and
Fairs
You can meet us in person at the following events:
JURAcon Frankfurt am Main
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May 22, 2012
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Clavisto/KSzW - Karriereforum
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June 26, 2012
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University of Cologne
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Fakultätskarrieretag
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July 11, 2012
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Universität Freiburg
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Fakultätskarrieretag
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July 24, 2012
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Universität Erlangen
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Fakultätskarrieretag
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September 26, 2012
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Universität Mannheim
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Fakultätskarrieretag
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November 28, 2012
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Universität Marburg
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Absolventenmesse
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October 12, 2012
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Bucerius Law School (Hamburg)
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Fakultätskarrieretag
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December 5, 2012
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Universität Göttingen
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Fakultätskarrieretag
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January 26, 2013
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University of Cologne
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This page holds a selection of articles from newspapers and magazines on your career options with Baker & McKenzie.
Contact
Head of Public Relations
Recruiting & Professional Development
Germany
T + 49 162 299 08 55
V-Card 
2012
Beck'scher Referendarführer 2012/2013: Women's careers in international law firms The legal profession has long ceased to be a male domain. Dr. Barbara Deilmann, a corporate partner at Baker & McKenzie, Dusseldorf, reports on part-time partnership models, the relevance of networks and the Women's Law Forum Baker & McKenzie established specifically for young female legal talent.
Source: Beck'scher Referendarführer 2012/2013
Iurratio: Corporate law advice and litigation in a large law firmDr. Sabine Otte, LL.M., explains what makes the work of a classical corporate lawyer and litigator so appealing and describes the multi-faceted character of her daily work.
Source: Iurratio, edition 1/2012,
www.iurratio.de
Iurratio: Women's Law Forum – How successful female lawyers plan their career Bringing up-and-coming female legal talent closer to the job of their dreams – this is the objective of the Women’s Law Forum founded by Baker & McKenzie and the legal faculty of the University of Muenster in fall 2010. Iurratio reports on the two events held in November 2011 where successful female lawyers from international law firms and the judicial authorities revealed their secrets to success.
Source: Iurratio, edition 1/2012,
www.iurratio.de
Justament: More and more a women’s domain A portrait of the Baker & McKenzie lawyers Katharina Spenner, Nina Niejahr and Sarwenaz Kiani, working in the firm’s approx. 140-strong European antitrust group, who talk about career opportunities for women in the international law firm, about working together in the antitrust practice and about flexible working models.
Source: Justament April 2012,
www.justament.de
Karriere im Recht: Spending a summer in Silicon Valley Katja Häferer, associate of the employment law group of Baker & McKenzie Munich talks about her 5-month Associate Training Programme (ATP) in Palo Alto/California, U.S.A.
Source: Karriere im Recht 1/2012, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG,
www.nomos.de
karriereführer frauen in führungspositionen 2012.2013: Going one’s own way A portrait of Baker & McKenzie partner Katharina Spenner, LL.M. who has successfully reconciled her professional career and family life by choosing a flexible working model.
Source: karriereführer frauen in führungspositionen 2012.2013,
http://www.karrierefuehrer.de/magazin/frauen.html
Prospects for attorneys in 2012: A tour across various disciplines and I knew: Employment law is my thing! The Career Mentorship Programme enabled Dr. Lena Kern to experience several of the law firm’s practice areas, amongst them IP, antitrust law and employment law. Because she feels very passionately about the latter, she joined the Practice Group Employment Law as an associate in the spring of 2011.
Source: “Prospects for attorneys in 2012”, e-fellows.net GmbH.
http://www.e-fellows.net/show/detail.php/16798
2011
audimax JURA: A beacon in a flood of complaints
Currently, the market is experiencing an increased need for experts in antitrust law. Dr. Nicolas Kredel, an antitrust partner with Baker & McKenzie Dusseldorf, and Claudia Trillig, Director Strategic Development based in Baker & McKenzie’s Frankfurt office give their comments on this development.
Source: audimax JURA 2/3-2011;
www.audimax.de/jura
audimax JURA: Breakfast included Recently, Baker & McKenzie has launched the Law Clerk Programme geared at trainee lawyers (Referendare), interns and legal professionals. Law Clerk David Neukirchner and Claudia Trillig, Director Strategic Development, on the program's features and its unique opportunities.
Source: audimax JURA 2/3-2011;
www.audimax.de/jura
audimax JURA: Soft and hardClaudia Trillig, Director Stategic Development at Baker & McKenzie, elaborates on why soft skills are so paramount to the legal profession and identifies those soft skills applicants planning to start a job with Baker & McKenzie should have.
Source: audimax JURA November 2011 - January 2012;
www.audimax.de/jura (German only)
Der KarrierePlaner: “Building up the antitrust team” and “Workshops 2011”Dr. Nicolas Kredel and Christian Horstkotte, both partners with Baker & McKenzie’s antitrust practice in Dusseldorf demonstrate what they find so fascinating about antitrust law and how they plan to advance the practice. The article also describes the various workshops that Baker & McKenzie will host in Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich in 2011.
Source: Der KarrierePlaner (the career planner) of the Goethe University Frankfurt/Main summer term 2011,
www.derkarriereplaner.de
Der KarrierePlaner: Networking to boost your career Katharina Spenner, LLM., partner at Baker & McKenzie, speaks about career opportunities for women, the appeal and charm of working in a big law firm and how to reconcile your professional career and family life.
Der KarrierePlaner (the career planner) of the Goethe University Frankfurt/Main winter term 2011/2012,
www.derkarriereplaner.de (German only)
F.A.Z. (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung): Upon Information and Belief
Claudia Trillig, Director Strategic Development at Baker & McKenzie, names the skills executives should have and illustrates how to successfully balance strategic management tasks and daily business.
Source: F.A.Z. supplement "Bildung und Karriere" (education and career) of May 26, 2011
Jura Journal: In the Land of the Rising SunWhat does a normal work day look like for a German attorney in Japan and what are the rules in dealing with Japanese clients? Kai Dräger, Foreign Associate with Baker & Mckenzie Tokyo Aoyama Aoki Koma Law Office provides some answers.
Source: Jura Journal 1/2011,
www.juramond.de
Justament: Finding the perfect fitStrategic recruitment is a key factor for Baker & McKenzie. Claudia Trillig, Director Strategic Development, describes the law firm’s customized workshops, Baker & McKenzie’s Career Mentorship Programme, so far unique in the law industry as well as the "Women's Law Forum" aimed at committed female attorneys at the start of their career.
Source: Justament Ausgabe März 2011,
www.justament.de
Justament: Indian companies on a shopping tripDr. Thomas Gilles and Daniel von Devivere, both with Baker & McKenzie Frankfurt, illustrate success factors and obstacles in M&A transactions involving Indian companies.
Source: Justament, November 2011
Karriere-Jura: Claudia Trillig, Baker & McKenzie's Director Strategic Development, demonstrates how the law firm prepares both junior legal talent and career starters for their future day-to-day work as a corporate attorney with the help of tailor-made programs.
Source: 2nd September edition 2011 of the newsletter "Karriere-Jura",
www.karriere-jura.de
Karriere-Jura: Lighthouse Keeper with a 360 degrees perspectiveHuman resources managers need to successfully balance strategic management tasks and daily business. Claudia Trillig, Director Strategic Development, describes the responsibilities of a human resources manager in a large law firm.
Source: Karriere-Jura, second October edition 2011,
www.karriere-jura.de
Karriere-Jura: Soft Skills – Qualities HR managers look for when it comes to legal new hires Baker & McKenzie’s Director Strategic Development, Claudia Trillig, points out the soft skills paramount to the legal profession: Some soft skills, such as conflict management or good negotiating skills have to be trained with care and strategy.
Source: Karriere-Jura, Second edition 2011,
www.karriere-jura.de
Legal Tribune Online: A stepping stone for high-performing applicants Legal Tribune Online spoke with Claudia Trillig, Baker & McKenzie's Director Strategic Development, and Jens Wortmann, founder and managing director of the applicant platform clavisto.de about clavisto’s concept and recruiting strategies in the era of social networks.
Source:
http://www.lto.de/de/html/nachrichten/3173/recruiting_plattform_clavisto_de_sprungbrett_fuer_exzellente_bewerber
2010
Anwaltsblatt Karriere: How about doing it twice?Page 1 |
Page 2Axel Hamm, hiring partner with Baker & McKenzie talks about the benefits of a binational legal degree.
Source: Anwaltsblatt Karriere Vol. 1/2010,
www.anwaltsblatt.de
Anwaltsblatt Karriere: Making the right choicePage 1 |
Page 2 Claudia Trillig, Baker & McKenzie’s Director Strategic Development on job fairs, customized workshops and the firm’s Career Mentorship Programme
Source: Anwaltsblatt Karriere Vol. 1/2010,
www.anwaltsblatt.de
Going Public: “Traditional techniques of recruiting young talent are not very efficient” Interview with Axel Hamm, recruiting and professional development partner und Prof. Dr. Joachim Scherer, both partners with Baker & McKenzie, on talent management and career options at Baker & McKenzie.
Source: Going Public Capital Markets Law 2010,
www.goingpublic.de
Jura Journal: Brazil - A Charming Muddle
Christian A. Czernik, a mentee participating in Baker & McKenzie’s Career Mentorship Programme, on his stint as a legal intern at Baker & McKenzie’s German Desk in São Paulo/Brazil.
Source: Jura Journal 1/2010,
www.juramond.de
Jura Journal: Discovering the unexpected – a report from San Francisco
Daniel Sigg, a participant of Baker & McKenzie’s Career Mentorship Programme, writes about his experiences during his elective stint at the firm's San Francisco office.
Source: Jura Journal 3/2010,
www.juramond.de Justament: Female PowerIris Meinking, Head of Public Relations, Recruiting & Professional Development, on female attorneys working for Baker & McKenzie: How to start your legal career and how to balance life as an attorney with having a family.
Source: Justament April 2010,
www.justament.de
Karriereführer Recht (Career guide on law): The optimum preparation for your career as an attorney
Axel Hamm, Baker & McKenzie’s partner in charge of recruiting and professional development, on the advantages of studying at a private law school.
Source: karriereführer recht 2/2010,
www.karrierefuehrer.de
Karriereführer Recht: Very British Banking & Finance partner Dr. Dietmar Helms on becoming a solicitor and for whom the training will pay off.
Source: karriereführer recht 1/2010,
www.karrierefuehrer.de
Karriere im Recht (Law Career): Team work - it’s the name of the game Luisa Einsporn, an associate with Baker & McKenzie's Practice Group Employment on her typical day at work.
Source: Karriere im Recht 2/2010, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG,
www.nomos.de
Law Zone: In search of the perfect fitThe Career Mentorship Programme: An evaluation two years into the program. The transition from mentee to associate.
Source: Law Zone 1/2010,
www.lawzone-online.de
Law Zone: Women in Law
Female Attorneys at Baker & McKenzie's Dusseldorf office
Source: Law Zone 2/2010,
www.lawzone-online.de
NJW: An Attorney on a Sabbatical Title I
Interview Carsten Dau, partner with Baker & McKenzie, used his sabbatical as an opportunity to complete an LL.M. degree.
Source: NJW Heft 9/2010,
www.njw.de