This exercise is set within Mishcon de Reya and you are asked to assume that you are a business strategy consultant acting for a new client. You will meet the assessor shortly who will be representing the client in the case study. This is an individual assessment and you should not consult with the other candidates.
This exercise is tricky. However, we want you to enjoy it and do well. It is designed to evaluate how you make sense of a situation, construct and deliver a well thought-through response and handle questioning.It's not unusual for junior lawyers (or Partners) to be landed with a complex problem, without sufficient information or explanation and left to get on with it. In this case, that's what's happening to you. This is not designed to replicate the work of a trainee.
We do not expect you to pick up on everything, but we do want you to think broadly about the issues here and reflect that in your responses. As would happen in real life, you start off with some background information about a client. We give you some time to read this before giving you the opportunity to deliver your advice to the client (played by the assessor). You will need to consider the options, and explain them as you see them, identifying the benefits and risks of each. Please be prepared to share your ideas, views and opinions with the assessor.
Just so you know, legal knowledge and knowledge of Mishcon de Reya will not help you here; this is not about the law or a law firm. It is about you and the way you think. Read it calmly and see what occurs to you. It is not meant to trick you.
Step 1: Reading and Preparation (25 minutes)
You will be given some background information on the client, MeerBroad Properties (MBP). This pack contains some background about MBP and their current situation. You will have 25 minutes to consider the background information and prepare a response to the following requirements:
Note: assume the date of your meeting is February 2020 . This has been done to remove the need to discuss the impact of COVID19 and to encourage you to focus on the information provided.
- Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for MBP of the proposed strategic alliance with OurCasa and make recommendations.
- Other than those discussed in part (i), what other strategic options do you think are available to MBP?
- Using the data in the Exhibit and the other information provided, provide an initial assessment of whether MBP should close either branch, identifying any further information or closure criteria that would assist the directors in making this decision.
Step 2: Delivering your Response (10 minutes)
At the end of the 25 minutes preparation time you will be asked to deliver your response to one of the client's directors (played by the assessor). You will have up to 10 minutes to do this. You are not required to make a formal presentation. You are asked to briefly sum up the key issues before answering the three requirements above, explaining your rationale.
Step 3: Questions and Further Exploration of the Issue (20 minutes)
When you have delivered your response, the assessor will spend up to 20 minutes asking you questions about your rationale. Again, this is what we would expect to happen in a real life business situation. We also encourage you to make the conversation two-way at this point.
Whilst you are advised to manage your own time, you will be stopped at the end of your 25 minute preparation time and the facilitator from the Early Careers Team will put you in a breakout room where your assessor will join shortly after.
Remember:
- This exercise is not assessing your knowledge of the law – you do not need to have any legal experience in order to undertake this exercise.
- You are being assessed on how you make sense of a situation, construct a well thought-through response and handle questioning.
- You will have 25 minutes reading and preparation time followed by up to 10 minutes to deliver your response. There is then a period of up to 20 minutes to engage in a dialogue with the assessor who will ask you questions about your rationale.
- Please read through the information carefully.