Mock Assessment Centre with STRIVE

STRIVE is a diversity driven organisation created by Sana Shafi (Travers Smith Trainee) and Bertilla Chow (Ashurt Trainee). STRIVE believe in potential alone and help individuals from various backgrounds pursue a law career in the City. From this event, we looked at key components needed to produce a successful application as well as how to thrive during case studies.

Tacking Applications

Why me? Why law? Why this firm?

STRIVE’S 4 S’s:

1. Structure 2. State conclusion 3. Signposting

4. Specifics “Show, don’t tell”

Create a plan before the 4S’s! A plan will help you organise your ideas and bring clarity to your points.

Example:

1. Establishes the structure: “Three key attributes”
2. State the conclusion: “Good future commercial lawyer”
3. Signposting: Use words like firstly, secondly, and thirdly instead of furthermore or additionally.
4. 4. Add a mini conclusion = “good communication skills’

This will support your big conclusion, which was mentioned in the first sentence, “good future commercial lawyer”

1. Provide specifics: What experience or task have I conduct to acquire this specific skill. Add value to your work experience. Hence, make it context-focused instead of the task. For instance, I wrote a memo for a multimillion deal for X company. Instead of merely mentioning you wrote a memo.

Primary steps: Does the firm require specific competencies from their trainees?

Planning your structure: Identify and list your strength in correlation to the firm’s competencies. Combine two competencies to make your answer less cliché.

Start to write: Follow the steps above and add signposts.

Case study scenarios:

What to expect?

If you are given to create a document, be prepared to either hand-write or type it. Or, you may have to prepare an oral presentation under a limited amount of time.

Scanning:

1. What is required of you? Read properly and identify the number of issues that you need to advise the client?
2. Who are you and who are you speaking to? You might be a trainee or a counsel who is required to write or present a document to a partner or managing director. Hence, you must identify your role and your audience.
3. How much material is given
4. How strong is each option? High keywords and use different colours to identify each point.

Planning:

1. You should start making concrete decisions such as: whether or not the client you proceed with acquiring X company after resolving specific challenges
2. Identify the advantage and disadvantage that will come with this decision
3. Finally, provide a thesis sentence to explain why the client should proceed and what might be the specific issues

• Writing/Presenting:

1. Formalities & Salutation (if applicable)
2. Thesis sentence
3. Signposting
4. Provide heading and sub-headings
5. Explain the advantages and disadvantage

Tips:

If you are stuck and asked to assess whether a company’s performance, you can use the SWOT PESTLE framework. This will help you identify the cons and pros of acquiring that prospect.