Case Study: Baker McKenzie – From Four Years of Rejection to a £145k Training Contract

hassan2990
Sep 8
2 min read

Updated: Oct 7

At a Glance

95% offer‑rate benchmark; 9 months from reboot to offer; Frameworks: STAR‑3™, PEAL‑3™, PEAL‑X™
NQ salary track: £140k; lifetime uplift £3.5m+

Before

LSE undergraduate (2:1); four cycles, zero invites; HireVue nerves; unclear commercial narrative.

After

Vacation Scheme at Baker McKenzie converted to TC; confidence 4 → 9/10; on £145,000 NQ path.

Problem

Despite strong academics and polish, Harry spent four years collecting rejections from Magic Circle and US firms. His HireVue answers rambled; commercial vocabulary was thin versus Oxbridge/Ivy peers. Cultural nuances—addressing partners, navigating coffee chats—further dented confidence. With windows closing, he feared joining the one‑percent‑club of the excluded. He needed a narrative rewrite, executive‑presence upgrade, and translation of academic insight into client‑ready commercial value—fast.

Solution

PEAL‑3™ competency & motivational scripts → HireVue pass 0 → 95%.
Vocal‑gravitas drills → speaking pace −40%, eye‑line steady.
Commercial awareness coaching (e.g., Basel III, carried‑interest debate) → case accuracy +30pp.
Six warm partner introductions → insider tips secured AC invite.

Result

Within 6 months Harry flipped four years of rejection into a Baker McKenzie VS and converted to a TC. He now enters the City on a £140k NQ path—evidence that granular frameworks plus high‑touch coaching can turn repeated failure into elite‑firm success.

ROI Table

Metric	Result
Client Investment	£POA (Price on Appointment).
Starting Salary	£145,000
Pay-back Period	≈ 2 months
Projected Lifetime Uplift	£3.5m+

Testimonial: “I failed for 3 years despite excellent academics and attending a top university. I secured an offer in 9 months with the flagship programme. I think that says it all.

The financial return on investment speaks for itself given my likely £145,000 starting NQ salary.” — Harry, Baker McKenzie TC

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.