Most people assume deals happen when signatures hit paper. In reality, by the time ink meets contract, the real work has been done — and by corporate lawyers at every stage. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬: 1. 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 Before a single clause is drafted, lawyers assess viability: Which structure maximises value? Which jurisdictions apply? Where are potential legal and commercial obstacles? Early guidance shapes the deal itself. 2. 𝐃𝐮𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 This is investigative, forensic work. Contracts, IP, employment terms, regulatory compliance — every element is examined to uncover hidden risks that could erode value or derail the transaction. 3. 𝐍𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Lawyers balance ambition and protection. They translate complex commercial aims into legally enforceable terms, making sure clients get what they need, not just what they ask for. 4. 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 Drafting isn’t clerical. It’s about structuring deals, defining timelines, allocating responsibilities, and embedding protections for risk. Precision here prevents multi-million-pound disputes. 5. 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 Competition law, market regulations, cross-border approvals, data privacy — missing one detail can kill the deal. Lawyers coordinate with authorities and advisers to ensure smooth compliance. 6. Signing & closing All moving parts — people, documents, funds — must align perfectly. Lawyers orchestrate the handover, ensuring risk is mitigated and obligations are clear. In short: the legal work isn’t paperwork. It’s orchestration, foresight, and strategic alignment — turning complex, high-stakes transactions into reality. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 In major deals, corporate lawyers are not mere scribes. They are engineers, navigators, and architects — shaping billion-pound transactions at every turn. Next time you read a deal announcement, ask yourself: Which stages did the lawyers influence — and how did they actually create value behind the scenes?

Every law student knows the top 10 firms in the rankings. Many treat them like trophies to chase. But here’s the reality: rankings only measure perception, not the daily experience of life inside the firm. They tell you almost nothing about what really shapes your career. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥: – Quality of training: Are you getting mentorship that sharpens judgment, or just slide-deck assignments? – Partner investment: Do senior lawyers actively develop juniors, or just delegate tasks? – Team dynamics: Will you collaborate, or be left to survive in isolation? – Responsibility level: Will you handle real, high-stakes work, or just peripheral matters? – Client quality: Are your clients learning opportunities, or endless firefighting exercises? Prestige looks great on LinkedIn, but it doesn’t guarantee you’ll grow — or even enjoy the work. Your career isn’t built on logos. It’s built on experience, exposure, and the quality of work you do every day. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 Don’t chase a firm for its name. Chase the environment that challenges you, develops you, and positions you for influence — not just endurance. When evaluating firms, ask yourself: what matters more — the logo outside, or the work you’ll do inside?

This webinar breaks down why strong applicants still get rejected — and what to fix at each gate: - Gate 1: CV + application sift (signal + specificity) - Gate 2: online/VI screens (structure under time) - Gate 3: interviews (STAR-3® evidence + delivery) - Gate 4: AC/case (commercial reasoning) Do this after watching: comment “Law + deadline + stage” and we’ll route you to the right template thread. Historical outcomes; results vary; no guarantees. Third-party names/marks for context only—no affiliation/endorsement.

Does anyone have any experience/advice with this from previous years? Appreciate this process is still rather new, so for reference this is what I have been told I will be assessed on: Work simulation tasks – tasks based on real scenarios you may encounter at Freshfields. Video response questions – short recorded answers to real-life situations. Any/all advice would be super helpful, find video interviews much harder than in person ones.

Most aspiring lawyers spend years mastering black-letter law, case precedent, and drafting skills — yet the lawyers who rise fastest at top commercial firms do something entirely different: They think like strategists. In elite corporate practice — mergers, private equity, capital markets, restructuring — legal expertise is expected. It’s the minimum entry point. What truly distinguishes the best? They understand the business behind the transaction. ✔️ They translate legal risk into commercial opportunity. Not “Here’s the problem,” but “Here’s how to structure around it.” ✔️ They anticipate market shifts before clients ask. Dealmakers trust the lawyer who sees regulatory or economic change coming early. ✔️ They know the numbers. Valuations, EBITDA, funding stages, exit strategies — not because they’re bankers, but because they need to speak that language. ✔️ They read people as much as documents. Boards, founders, investors, banks — different agendas, different pressures. Top lawyers navigate all of them. ✔️ They add value beyond the deal. Once you become a source of strategic clarity, clients return — not for a document, but for direction. Corporate law at the highest level isn’t a “legal job.” It’s applied strategy, commercial reasoning, and business intelligence, played out through legal frameworks. 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 If your thinking stops at statutes and drafting, you’ll be seen as a technician. If your thinking extends into markets, economics, and business outcomes, you become indispensable. Are you training your mind to think beyond the law — into strategy, financial logic, and value creation?