贝克·麦坚时国际律师事务所

The history of Baker & McKenzie is a story of imagination, determination and hard work. Over more than half a century, thousands of capable men and women have joined in the great adventure of creating, nurturing and maturing our unique global organization.

Before there was a law firm, there was a man with a dream. Russell Baker grew up in the rugged American Southwest, traveled by cattle car to go to college and started his legal practice years before getting his law degree (a common practice at the time). Follow this link to read more about the Prelude to Baker & McKenzie.

In the early years, we embraced the novel idea that qualified lawyers who were not US nationals should be equal partners. We also developed innovative ideas for tax planning that would spur growth across Europe and South America. You can read more about the Early Years here.

As we matured, Russell Baker would become one of the oldest lawyers ever to pass the rigorous California bar exam. He took it so that we could open an office in San Francisco. We would be among the first in China as we expanded to Asia Pacific and the Middle East, while growing to become the largest law firm in the world. Learn more about the Middle Years here.

By 1987, we would become the first law firm to employ 1,000 lawyers. We also double that number in a decade and triple it by 2001. We were the first to reach US$1 billion in global revenue. To keep up, we focused more than ever on quality and systems to maintain our standards. You can read more about the Recent Years here.

A detailed look at the Firm's history is provided in Pioneering a Global Vision: The Story of Baker & McKenzie by Jon Bauman. This 327-page book, published by Harcourt Professional Education Group (Chicago), is available for purchase from Amazon.com.