Find out more about our people's stories
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Frances Okosi, Partner, Banking - video
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Frances Okosi, Partner, Banking
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Our approach
Commercial and pragmatic. The two words that sum up our approach. Whether it is meeting the needs of our clients or prospective clients, supporting our staff, delivering legal services of the highest quality, or managing the firm on a daily basis.
Our approach is to become clients’ trusted business advisers. We believe that understanding their business is the only way we can deliver legal advice that truly adds value. We ensure that our advice reflects their commercial priorities and is pragmatic enough to respond to the realities of the sector in which they operate.
It is an approach that we instil in our trainees through both formal training and more informal mentoring, support and guidance. One of the most effective ways to develop your commercial mindset is through hands-on experience. Hence, we ensure that from the day you join us, you start working on real transactions and projects, not just as an observer, but as a valued contributor to the team.
We believe that strong teamwork is essential for delivering seamless legal services of the highest quality. Thus we bring our people together regularly to enhance existing relationships and develop new ones.
Our innovative approach applies to the way in which Baker & McKenzie is managed. Despite our large international network and strong presence in all major legal markets, there is no dominant nationality in the firm’s governance, composition or culture. There is no permanent headquarters. Instead, we have a ‘virtual’ headquarters that moves throughout the firm depending on the composition of the management committees and where they meet.
Play the video above to hear more about the experiences of one of our partners, Frances Okosi, or read about them below.
Frances' story
“I became a Partner in the Banking group in 2008, having joined the firm as a trainee in 1998. Virtually all my work is cross-border, working on transactions that often involve at least three jurisdictions.
As well as our technical excellence, clients recognise the benefits they gain from our unique approach. They come to us for the creativity we demonstrate in the legal advice we provide. We don’t just tell them what the law is, we draw on the full range of our skills, knowledge, experience and commercial acumen to explain how the law can be used to their best advantage.
A big part of that comes from understanding very clearly what the client’s broader commercial priorities are and tailoring our legal advice accordingly. It is about working together to achieve a pragmatic solution that not only addresses the legal issues, but which also that fits their wider business objectives.
The diversity of the firm also has an impact on the kind of creative, commercial advice we provide. Because Baker & McKenzie has such a diverse mix of people from different backgrounds and cultures, we can draw on that range of experiences and knowledge to provide clients with innovative legal solutions.
Our global reach is another major factor in our approach. It means that right from the initial discussions with a client, we can provide a global perspective on the transaction, advising them of the likely international issues they may face.
A recent proposal involved a deal in Egypt, with elements of British Virgin Islands’ law, and with documents governed by English law. Due to my own previous experience, and the fact that I could immediately pick up the phone to a colleague in Cairo, we were able to advise the client on the potential cross-border issues. It’s symptomatic of our entrepreneurial approach to advising clients and developing relationships.”
Frances Okosi, Partner, Banking
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FRANCES' PROFILE
ACADEMIC
HISTORY
1991 - 1994 Law, Manchester
SUMMER
PLACEMENTS
Called to the bar of
England and Wales, completed
18 months pupilage, 1995
TRAINING
CONTRACT
September 1998, 1st seat Finance
March 1999, 2nd seat Dispute Resolution
(Completed one year training contract given previous experience)
September 1999, qualified into Banking
SECONDMENTS
2005 to client
CURRENT ROLE
Partner, Banking
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++ UPDATES ++
FROMBAKER & MCKENZIE- Training Contract application deadline for Law applicants is 31st July
- Baker & McKenzie LLP boasts 95% NQ retention rate for September 2010 qualifiers
- The London office's 2010 International Summer Clerks will be travelling to New York, Chicago and Sydney
- Baker & McKenzie announces 93% NQ retention for March 2010
- Firm collaborates with Social Mobility Foundation to host two internship induction events
- Baker & McKenzie arranges trainee secondments to Hong Kong, Tokyo and Abu Dhabi
- Baker & McKenzie to participate in diversity career events with MERLIN, Pure Potential, Target chances and Lawyer2b
- Firm prepares to welcome the 40 summer vacation scheme students of 2010
- Firm introduces group exercise into assessment day
- Firm Nominated for BEST TRAINER - Large City Firm by LawCareers.net
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