HI DJ,
Congrats on your AC! Not sure if you're already aware of the interview experiences section of the forum but here's a link to a rundown of the Bakers AC
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/threads/baker-mckenzie-interview-2019-2020.2238/
Here's my advice for each part of the AC:
Group Exercise
The group exercise doesn’t have an obvious commercial element to. It's not even a commercial scenario! I think the main purpose of the group exercise Bakers, more so than others, is to see how you work with other people. So just be yourself, don’t interrupt anyone and try your best to make some meaningful contributions. Maybe encourage other people to contribute if you feel like anyone is being too silent.
Associate Interview
The associate interview is actually just a competency interview. You can also expect typical questions on why law, why this firm, where else have you applied to, that kind of thing. The most helpful thing I did was make a list of about competency questions (corresponding to the key competencies Bakers look for - check their GR website for this) and prepare a few good examples for each one. I found that many of the questions I got asked were questions I had already prepared for. Even for the questions I did not foresee, I could somehow use and adapt my answer from the various examples I had prepared.
Case Study + Partner Interview
Read the questions before reading the background or any other information. It naturally helps you focus on the more important details in the documents. Don’t be afraid to ask the partners something you are unsure of because they are more than willing to clarify/it will show that you are really thinking about every detail. Even if your answers aren’t necessarily correct the partners will nudge you in the right direction. Be open to taking on their suggestions and reworking your answer.In the second half of the interview, be prepared for the partners to ask you commercially focused questions. Other than that just know your application well. I got a broad range of commercial questions some based on previous experience and some more general ones on things that had been happening the in news. They will also pick up on interesting things in your application - like your experiences etc.
Document checking Exercise
I genuinely think this exercise is designed for you to not finish it. No one in my AC managed to complete it! Just take your time and highlight as many mistakes and factual inaccuracies you can find and don’t worry as much about making it through the whole document. Focus on being thorough with the pages you have read.