Case Study: White & Case – From ABB at A‑Level to a $234k Training Contract

From ABB at A-Level and 4 Years of Rejection to White & Case Training Contract

Non-Target → Elite US Law Firm. $234,000 NQ Salary.

The Starting Point

Jack, an international student, came to us after four consecutive years of rejection.

• ABB at A-Level — below the typical threshold for elite firms

• Non-target university

• Zero legal internships despite years of applications

• Generic applications, no structure, no firm-specific logic

  
  

Four years. Zero interviews. The system wasn't working.

What We Did

VTMR™ CV Rebuild

Rebuilt his CV as a one-page, metrics-first document.

PEAL-3™ Interview Drills

20 HireVue mock sessions.

Application Engineering

8 redrafts per application. 300+ edits each. 75%+ screening pass rate.

Assessment Centre Preparation

Negotiation exercises, written tasks, and networking simulations — all rehearsed before the day.

The Outcomes

Vacation Schemes Secured:

✅ White & Case

✅ Baker McKenzie

✅ Macfarlanes

Final Rounds Reached:

✅ Willkie Farr & Gallagher

Training Contract Converted:

✅ White & Case — $234,000 NQ Salary

In His Mother's Words

"Probably the best investment we've ever made. Absolutely exceptional."

The Transformation

Before	After
ABB at A-Level	White & Case Training Contract
4 years of rejection	3 vacation schemes, 2 final rounds
Zero interviews	90% first-round pass rate
Generic applications	Interview invites at elite US firms
No legal experience	$234,000 NQ salary (on track)

Return On Investment

Metric	Value
Programme Investment	POA
NQ Starting Salary	$234,000 (on track)
Pay-back Period	~6 months
Projected Lifetime Earnings Uplift	£4,000,000+

Why This Matters

Jack didn't have perfect grades.

He didn't go to a target university.

He had four years of rejection behind him.

What changed?

Structure. Precision. Frameworks that work. And relentless execution.

The ECS system turned four years of "no" into White & Case.

Your Move

If you're facing rejection after rejection — the problem isn't you.

It's the system you're using.

• We work with just 30 clients globally per year across all programmes, with just 5 in the flagship programme.

Privacy notice: Some 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. Screenshots and offer confirmation held on file. Used with permission. Third-party firm names for context only — no affiliation or endorsement.