• Make sure you know about the kind of work the organisation undertakes- this will mirror the materials/ tasks you are given.
• Know as much as you can about the work of lawyers at the organisation and the work of their clients- this will help you understand any commercial issues
• Find out as much as you can about the assessments you might face- do some research and if you can then practice
• Do any preparatory work requested
• Keep up-to-date by listening to the news and reading the ‘comment’ and ‘analysis’ sections of newspapers and publications

Case study materials

• Pay attention to the problem- make sure you answer the question asked
• Skim read all the documents given to understand which ones are mostly relevant.
• Set a structure- identify the major issues that need to be examined

Group task

The skills recruiters look for:

• Teamwork- make sure you contribute to the whole team effort
• Listening and communication skills- listen and take on board what others have said, communicate clearly and confidently. Summing up or paraphrasing and recapping can be useful.
• Interpersonal skills- make eye contact with all members of the group when you speak and lean forward slightly to show interest. Try to treat other members of your team as “colleagues’ rather than ‘competitors’. Remembering and using other candidates names can be useful.
• Task focus- support the team in progressing through the task and ensuring it is finished within the time given
• Leadership- if you want to lead then make sure you do not dominate
• Negotiation- be prepared to compromise in order to move forward and also take n board what others have said.
• Assertiveness- if the team is loosing focus then pull the group back on track

Presentation

• Have a clear structure- tell the audience what you will be covering, cover it, sum up what you have covered.
• Use markers to distinguish sections of your presentation e.g. firstly, secondly and thirdly
• Body language- look confident, use gestures to emphasise particular points, and remember to smile on occasions
• If you use visual aids then do not just read from your notes- don’t turn your back on the audience to read from your PowerPoint.
• Time your presentation to make sure you can finish it without rushing it.
• Keep things simple- you don’t need to tell the audience everything you know
• Practice your presentation standing up and in front of someone

Written exercise

Preparation:

• Practice- make sure you know the basics e.g. layout
• Commercial awareness- know issues that are likely to be important to clients
• Look at your spelling and grammar

Abilities recruiters look for:

• Your spelling, grammar, and clarity of expression
• Appropriateness of tone- how you adapt your tone accordingly based on recipient
• Analytical ability- identify relevant issues- legal, commercial, and practical
• Time management and organisation- complete task within time limit and make sure you gather information quickly.
• Client focus- make sure your advice is commercially minded and takes into account the client’s interests and objectives

E-tray/ In-tray exercise

You need to show that you can deal with conflicting priorities quickly and effectively under time pressure. The recruiters will be looking for:

• Analytical skills, and your ability to get to the heart of the matter
• Organisation and planning skills – your ability to understand what needs to be done, and planning how to do it
• The ability to work under pressure
• Business mind and commercial awareness – realising the importance of items for you, your client and the recruiter
• The ability to use your common sense when it comes to making decisions
• Your drafting ability, if you have to respond to a colleague or client.