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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Andrei Radu" data-source="post: 224595" data-attributes="member: 36777">I have no specific insider knowledge about what the firm expects candidates to write about in the cover letter, but I think it is quite likely that you would not be expected to discuss an interest in commercial law that goes beyond the kind of work the firm does in London. Firstly, a general rule you should stick to in figuring out how to approach an answer is to start from the literal interpretation of the question as formulated by the firm. Under the natural meaning of the language used, a broad "why commercial law" answer would be beyond the scope of the prompt, and I have been told by recruiters on many occasions that a mistake candidates often make is to look beyond what they are asked and read into it things that are not there. Secondly, the particular wording the firm used is substantially different from how most other firms formulate their requests for a cover letter, which again I generally assume reflects a conscious choice to change scope rather than an oversight.As for a general structure, there is no right or wrong approach; but if I was applying to the firm today, I would probably go for something like this:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Paragraph 1: I would explain the less strictly work-related aspects of Davis Polk that attract me, and connect these points with relevant experiences and motivations (i.e. training culture, growth in London, global strategy, history and reputation, etc) </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Paragraph 2: I would explain why I am interested in the work done in Davis Polk's main practice areas in London, illustrating my claimed interests with concrete examples from my experiences; I would also aim to showcase my understanding of what makes Davis Polk strong in these areas in the market. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Paragraph 3: I would draft this as a normal "why me" section describing my relevant skills and connecting them with experience; the only particular way I would deviate from the way I normally write it is to perhaps explain why my skills are particularly useful for the kind of work done in Davis Polk's practice areas, rather than those of any other commercial law firm. </li> </ol></blockquote>

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

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