Insider playbook (what we actually did)
PEAL-X® firm sheet (1 page). Four lines, each with a White & Case–specific fact → used across “Why W&C?”, matter notes, and interview opens.
STAR-3® bank (10 answers). Each at 75–90s with 3 actions → 3 results; rehearsed to solicitor-calm pacing.
Commercial fluency sprints. “Deal-in-60”: client, value drivers, legal path, risk/mitigation — public sources only.
Assessment centre flow. PEAL-3® open → STAR-3® detail → close with a supervisor-style summary; no monologues, no rambling.
Offer conversion. Same-day thank-you + 80-word supervisor summary; references pre-readied; follow-up cadence mapped.
Why it matters
Elite firms reward evidence density, structure, and clean positioning. This sequence makes you legible to partners — and portable to any Magic Circle/US shop.