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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jacob Miller" data-source="post: 46636" data-attributes="member: 5063">Hi [USER=3382]@PP27[/USER] - congratulations on getting the AC! In terms of the presentation, I generally speaking broke it down, key issue by key issue, either chronologically (as they appeared in the facts) or in order of importance- I believe the latter is a much better approach, it was always the one I got better feedback for. In terms of tackling the CS, I always started by making a little diagram of the key parties (i.e., my client, the target company, key stakeholders in the target) and then essentially writing in key issues related to each of those parties in a mind map around the diagram I've already got drawn. From there, I would identify certain key points to bring up: say, for example, in the context of an acquisition, the target has a patent for a key product but it's due to expire in 6 months. They also have employees in factories across Europe, and supply chains into the UK from European countries. Two of the members of the target's board are key figures who your client wants to stay on, but you have information that they may be reluctant to. Finally, there are rumours that the target company may have undisclosed litigation hanging over it. I would decide which of these were the most important and develop a hierarchy to cover in the order- this hierarchy could depend on whether there was emphasis placed on certain points in the mock brief. After developing my hierarchy, I would then identify key next steps (e.g., find out more about X, gather more info through DD, ask for disclosure of certain facts, ask for warranties and indemnities on certain issues in the SPA/ APA) for each key area, as well as identifying the department within the firm who would be best served carrying that out (e.g., they may need employment specialists, real estate specialists, litigation specialists etc) and also identify which key international jurisdictions are engaged by the facts. Do A&O have offices in all the key jurisdictions? If not, what is the fall-back plan in terms of instructing local specialists as required? Understand the commercial implications of your next steps too: e.g., what advice is going to be the most commercially efficient in the context of each issue? Don't be afraid to suggest that certain information coming to light may also strengthen your client's negotiating position as well as potentially cause concerns. Remember that you'll almost never pick out all the issues- a Partner/ SA who's interviewing you will almost invariably spot something you've overlooked. That's normal, and it's how they assess your ability to think on your feet and respond to new information that you've not had any time to prepare. At these points, don't be afraid to take a couple of seconds to think, take a sip of water etc. If you're confused by the question, ask politely for the interviewer to clarify or rephrase their question- the interviewer will often give you a nudge in the right direction. If you're really really struggling, sometimes it's better to admit that you're unsure (I would typically phrase this along the lines of "I'm really sorry, but I'm not completely sure of the best advice to give for that particular issue and I would need to check with one of our specialists in this area" (If you're going full role-play, you could even add something like "I can follow up with you after our meeting once I've checked, if that would work for you?"). I always found the CS interview the hardest of the three- often this was because the interviewer would be 'in character' and so it is a little harder to build a rapport before the questions start. Just try not to panic or overthink, and stick to a nice clear structure. Taking notes during the discussion is also fine if the interviewer raises a key issue that you want to link into your presentation. Hope this is helpful, best of luck with your AC!</blockquote>

Verification: Our company is called, "The Corporate ___ Academy". What is the missing word here?

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