Case Study: Herbert Smith Freehills — Vacation Scheme Offer

hassan2990
Nov 11, 2025
2 min read

At a Glance

Prep time ~ free‑only; Cost £0 (Open resources)
Stages cleared: Screen → Video → AC → Offer
Frameworks: PEAL‑3™, PEAL‑X™, STAR‑3™, BDC™

Before

Capable candidate; generic “Why Law/Why HSF”; weak firm‑specific facts; inconsistent timing on video responses; uneven professional presence.

After

HSF Vacation Scheme offer confirmed; macro‑pitch crisp at 90s; answers evidence‑led and firm‑specific; professional presence consistent.

Problem

Top firms punish vague motivation and adjective‑heavy stories, especially in timed video stages. This candidate blended “Why Law” and “Why HSF” without verifiable firm facts, under‑used numbers in competency answers, and drifted past optimal timing. Professional presence (dress, grooming, email etiquette) was inconsistent. We needed a free‑only, interview‑safe rebuild: PEAL‑3™ to anchor motivation to evidence and a London‑centric trajectory; PEAL‑X™ to force a fact per sentence tied to HSF’s cross‑border matters and contentious/corporate strengths; STAR‑3™ to convert experiences into quantified outcomes; and a single 90‑second macro‑pitch rehearsed to one‑take reliability. Checklists locked presentation quality; timing rules protected delivery under pressure.

Solution

Scripted PEAL‑3™ motivation → 4‑part logic in ≤90s → cleaner screens & reviewer recall.
Built PEAL‑X™ “Why HSF” → ≤250 words, 1.0 facts/sentence (public, verifiable) → firm‑fit flagged specific.
Converted 2 experiences to STAR‑3™ → 100% lines quantified (volume/%/timing) → evidence‑led competency impact.
Rehearsed macro‑pitch → 3 timed reps, one‑take recording → video stage passed.
Installed pro‑presence checklist → 100% dress/grooming/email adherence → consistent first‑impression quality.

Result

Using only free ECS content, the candidate progressed through screen, video and Assessment Centre to secure an HSF Vacation Scheme offer (redacted evidence on file). PEAL‑3™ provided a credible motivation spine; PEAL‑X™ forced firm‑specific precision; STAR‑3™ replaced adjectives with measurable results. A disciplined 90‑second macro‑pitch and professional‑presence checklists tightened delivery at every stage.

ROI

Metric	Result
Investment	£0 (free content only)
Stipend/comp (VS)	Firm/season dependent; not disclosed
Pay‑back period	N/A (pre‑TC training context)
Lifetime uplift	Higher TC probability; City‑law earnings trajectory (qualitative)

Testimonial: “Simply exceptional.” — Name anonymised (consent on file)

Privacy notice: All case studies use fictional names and anonymised details to protect client confidentiality. Where appropriate, and with the client’s consent, we may arrange an introduction for you and your parents after their offer has been secured.