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33 Law Firm Interview Questions
and How to Answer Them
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At law firms, partners ask questions to gauge your knowledge of the specific
field, understand how you balance your caseload and learn about your process
for interacting with clients. It's important to know what kinds of questions to
expect so you can prepare for your interview. When you deliver detailed
answers, you can leave a lasting impression on partners, increasing your
chances of getting a job offer.
In this article, we provide example questions and answers that hiring partners
may ask during law firm interviews and explore some interview tips.
Read more: Learn About Being a General Counsel
These questions help a hiring partner get to know you a little more by
understanding your passions, interests and how you may fit into the firm's
culture:
What adjectives would your friends use to describe you?
What are your biggest strengths?
How do you handle feedback?
What is your biggest accomplishment so far?
What are you passionate about?
How do you handle stressful work situations?
What is your biggest weakness and how are you working on improving it?
Why do you want to work at this law firm?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
How do you prioritize your work?
What made you pursue a career in the legal field?
Read more: 125 Common Interview Questions and Answers (With Tips)
These questions help an interviewer understand how your education and
previous experience translate to the role:
What was your favorite course in law school and why?
Tell me about a case you were lead on that substantially broadened your
knowledge of the legal field.
Which extracurricular groups were you involved in during law school?
Tell me about your law school internship or externship.
Describe a complex case you were in charge of.
How would you work with a difficult client or court member?
Why do you think it's important to be detail-oriented as an attorney?
Describe a court case that didn't go your way. What lessons did you learn
from it?
Describe any legal papers you've written.
An interviewer may ask these questions to get to know how you build a
relationship with clients and navigate court issues. These questions also give
you a chance to explain your processes and display the parts of your personality
that make you the right candidate for the role.
How do you build trust with a client?
How would you keep clients informed about the status of their cases?
Describe how you would approach a client who is unhappy with a judge's
ruling.
What resources do you use when writing your complaint or defense on
behalf of your client?
How do you hope to serve your clients and the community?
What would you do if you had to take on a case that went against your
values?
How can the legal system improve to make sure all people get a fair trial?
How do you manage your caseload?
Which area of law is the most interesting to you and why?
Review these sample interview questions and answers to form your own
responses:
This question allows you to talk about what attracted you to the legal field.
Your answer to this question can position you as the best person for the role
and can provide the hiring partner with a glimpse of the knowledge and
experience you can bring to the job. Employers want to hear how important
this field is for you, so show your genuine interest in law when providing an
answer.
Example: "I want to practice law because I'm passionate about bringing justice to
clients and upholding the law of our country. I believe it's important to be fair and
unbiased, and I'd like to help someone experience that in their case. Being an attorney
is more than filing paperwork with the court—it's a chance to represent someone who
needs help."
Employers want to know your strengths so they can see how you could work
with their current team. Since your strengths are unique, you can use your
response to stand out from other candidates. Answer this question by relating
your strengths to the job you're applying for and the tasks you expect to be
responsible for. Use the STAR technique to give a specific example of your
strengths.
Example: "One of my biggest strengths is perseverance. I once represented a client
who filed a suit against their employer for failing to pay for injuries they sustained
while on the job. It was a difficult case to gather evidence since no employees claimed
to witness the accident and there was no video footage. After performing some in-
depth research and interviewing several employees, I was able to find out that there
was a delivery driver present who corroborated my client's story. Thankfully, we were
able to settle quickly after that."
This question helps a hiring partner understand more about your client
relations. Think about how you want a client to feel after an interaction with
you in the office or courtroom. Consider what attributes you have and how you
work that makes a client happy to have you represent them. Employers want to
make sure that you treat clients well and represent their law firm in a positive
light.
Example: "I want my clients to know that I'll work hard in their case because they
matter to me. I care a lot about their personal outcome and do my due diligence in
researching their issue to offer solutions, file the appropriate paperwork and represent
them in disputes. My clients should know that I am their advocate, and they can be
honest with me about their situation and take comfort in the fact that I'm providing a
safe space for them."
How you perform in the courtroom can be the determining factor in winning
your case. Answering this question is your chance to share how you interact
with members of the court, present your case and represent your client. Give a
detailed, step-by-step answer that shows exactly how you prepare and work in a
courtroom.
Example: "Either the night before or the morning of a case, I study all of my notes so
I'm fully prepared for the trial. I make sure any witnesses or evidence I need to present
are confirmed. I usually take an aggressive stance during proceedings so my client gets
fair representation. When the opposing side is presenting, I take thorough notes so I
can counter effectively."
Here are some interview tips to consider so you can present yourself well to the
hiring partner:
Familiarize yourself with recent court rulings.
Research the law firm.
Bring examples of papers you've written.
The law firm's hiring partners may ask you questions about recent court rulings
to make sure you have up-to-date knowledge in your field. Be prepared to
discuss them and your thoughts as this shows your potential new employer that
you take your career seriously.
Read more: How to Prepare for an Interview
Especially if the law firm is well established in the community, the partners
want to make sure you will continue to bring good representation to them. It's
important to show that you have researched the firm and are excited to work
there. You'll also be able to better explain what makes you a good fit for the
firm and why you chose it as your new place of employment.
A large component of working at a law firm is being able to articulate your case
in a clear, concise and professional way. Hiring partners may want to see
evidence of your writing, so bring some examples. This could include court
documents you have prepared, an extensive legal research paper you wrote in
school or a legal memo.
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