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:
- Establishes the structure: “Three key attributes”
- State the conclusion: “Good future commercial lawyer”
- Signposting: Use words like firstly, secondly, and thirdly instead of furthermore or additionally.
- 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”
- 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:
- What is required of you? Read properly and identify the number of issues that you need to advise the client?
- 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.
- How much material is given
- How strong is each option? High keywords and use different colours to identify each point.
Planning:
- You should start making concrete decisions such as: whether or not the client you proceed with acquiring X company after resolving specific challenges
- Identify the advantage and disadvantage that will come with this decision
- Finally, provide a thesis sentence to explain why the client should proceed and what might be the specific issues
- Formalities & Salutation (if applicable)
- Thesis sentence
- Signposting
- Provide heading and sub-headings
- 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.