Ken Chase 
Learn how to answer these common law firm interview questions to separate yourself from the competition
Getting a job with a law firm can be difficult even in the best of times, thanks to the sheer volume of Lawyers in the country and an increasingly competitive jobs market. That's why it's so critical to know how to answer the most common law firm interview questions, to ensure that hiring managers can quickly identify you as a great candidate for their open position.
In this post, we'll consider 27 law firm interview questions and answers. Each of these answers can be used as guidance and inspiration to help you create your own responses, as you prepare for your next interview at a law firm.
1. Why did you decide to pursue a legal career?
“My parents raised me to always try to do the right thing. During my younger years, though, I couldn't help but notice that life wasn't really all that fair, and the right thing was all too often an afterthought. Once I realized that the law was the only thing separating us from societies where the most powerful get to define what's right, there was only one career path that I could choose. To make any kind of real difference in a society based on the rule of law, I had to pursue a career in the legal profession.”
2. What attracted you to our firm?
This question requires you to do your homework before the interview. Find out everything you can about the firm's primary area of expertise, vision, and mission. Then focus on something that aligns well with your own values. For example:
“I've been impressed by the firm's success in protecting its clients' First Amendment rights, and its broader commitment to all civil rights. Those key First Amendment rights have been a major interest of mine since my first year in law school and I've been eagerly looking for an opportunity to be part of a legal team that shares that commitment.”
3. Which areas of the law do you find the most interesting?
Again, it is important to familiarize yourself with the firm's specialties before the interview. Then shape your answer to align with the firm's legal focus. If, for example, the firm handles a lot of criminal defenses, you could say:
“Criminal law is certainly one of the most challenging and interesting areas of legal thought. It's also one of the areas that I focused on in law school. The Constitution's guarantee that every defendant has access to effective legal counsel is one of the most critical civil rights protections. I know that this firm has been committed to providing that high level of legal defense for criminal defendants, and I believe that my own dedication to representing those clients will make me a valuable addition to the team.”
4. What sets you apart from other candidates for this position?
“I can't speak to their qualifications or values, but I do know that one of my strongest attributes is my complete commitment to meeting every client's needs. For me, they're more than just a case number. Each client that I serve has a story to tell - and it's a story that matters to their families and their lives. I like to think that my ability to empathize with them and make their cause my own is one of my key strengths.”
5. What experiences and skill development are you hoping to gain from this role?
“My hope is that I can further develop my research skills, while also gaining more experience working as part of a focused team. Though I do have some familiarity with [cite one of the firm's areas of expertise], I also know that continued exposure to that area of the law is going to provide me with invaluable knowledge and experience that will help me to grow as an Attorney.”
6. Which traits do you think a lawyer needs to be effective?
“Obviously, you need to have command of the fundamentals - good communication skills, an analytical mind, and a firm grounding in legal principles. Given how fast the law has been evolving in recent years, however, I think that the ability to keep pace with those changes and adapt to the times is more important than ever before. In addition, I would add interpersonal skills to that mix, since we need to make sure that every client's experience is as positive as possible.”
7. How would you rate your research skills?
“I've always taken pride in my attention to detail and unwillingness to cut corners. When I research case law, I don't just look for the first case that fits my client's needs, but trace that case backwards and forwards to identify the source of the law and ensure that no part of its principles have been subsequently overruled by more recent cases. Of course, everything starts with fact-gathering and identification of the legal issues involved in any case.”
8. What was the most complex case you worked on?
“That would probably be the first case that I was tasked with leading. The Attorney who was leading the team had resigned to take another job, and I was thrust into the lead role with little warning. To make matters even more challenging, the client had rejected that Attorney's legal strategy, so we had to examine the case from scratch and develop a new approach. Ultimately, we obtained the buy-in we needed and went on to secure a fair settlement that met his needs.”
9. Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult client.
“One client who was involved in a property dispute refused to provide us with the accurate information we needed to properly represent their interests. We ended up being forced to hire an outside Investigator to figure out what was going on. In the end, we discovered that our client had no legal grounds to stand on. The partner who had agreed to take on the case ultimately moved to part ways with the client.”
10. Describe your ideal work environment.
“While I am flexible enough to adapt to any work environment, I do prefer a culture that fosters collaboration and team support. Before my time in law school, I spent most of my youth playing football and baseball, which taught me the value of teamwork. That appreciation for working together as a team is something that I've carried over into my legal career.”
11. Tell me about your most recent court filing or legal memorandum.
“My most recent brief was for a case involving [describe the case briefly]. The filing focused on [provide a brief description of the issues your brief addressed] and attempted to convince the court to [detail the outcome that you were seeking]. If you would like to look at it, I have a copy of the brief with me, as well as some other legal documents I've prepared to give you a better idea of my legal writing skills.”
12. What's your typical courtroom strategy?
“In most cases, I prefer a straightforward, assertive approach that lays out the facts and law in a clear way that the Judge and jury can easily understand. I'm zealous in my representation and have found that bold presentations are an essential part of that courtroom strategy. In addition, I always make sure that my team is taking notes during the opposing Counsel's presentation, so that we can effectively counter their arguments.”
13. Tell me about your biggest success as a lawyer.
“I'm especially proud of the [legal issue] cases we brought on behalf of [client or client group]. The cases involved a serious issue that impacts many people, and it was an honor to be part of the team that argued that issue. I'd be thrilled to bring that same level of dedication to your team.”
14. What do you want your career to look like five years from today?
“My hope is that I will have developed a reputation for providing the type of effective counsel that this firm's clients have come to expect. Given the firm's broad portfolio of legal services, I also expect that I will have had ample opportunity to research and argue a wide range of issues before the courts. Most importantly, I look forward to being seen as a leader in our profession.”
15. Describe your biggest weakness to me.
“One weakness that I identified early in my career is my natural tendency to pursue losing causes beyond the point at which I should concede defeat. That's something that I've been working to overcome by listening to my team's feedback. During tough cases, I tend to seek that feedback to ensure that I'm maintaining realistic expectations.”
16. How do you organize your workload?
“Great question! Personally, I rely on a detailed calendar app and task management tools to help me stay organized and on schedule. In addition, I focus on a solid system for prioritizing tasks and use a variety of different templates to standardize and simplify common tasks. I also use time blocks to manage my daily routine and ensure that I meet my priorities each day, week, and month.”
17. Did you have a favorite course in law school?
“My favorite class was criminal law, since I found the evolution of that branch of law to be fascinating. We also had an opportunity to work directly with the Innocence Project and contributed research and briefs to a case that helped free an innocent man from prison. That was one class that I'll never forget!”
18. Tell me about a time when you failed to get the court ruling you expected.
“It was several years ago in a divorce custody case. I was representing the wife and was convinced that we'd provided all the evidence and legal arguments needed to secure her primary custody rights. The Judge saw things differently, however, as opposing Counsel had provided evidence that our client had intentionally hidden from us. That case taught me to challenge client information, to ensure that everything is verified at our end before we ever go into court.”
19. What process do you use to develop trust with clients?
“In my experience, rapport needs to be developed before you can gain anyone's trust. I typically start with our initial interview and employ every active and reflective listening skill I possess to put the client at ease and reassure them that I'm on their side and understand their problem. From that point on, I communicate our strategy, expectations, and processes, so that they are never unsure about how their case is proceeding.”
20. What's your process for dealing with cases that conflict with your personal values?
“My personal values are very important to me, but there are times when cases conflict with those internal needs. When that happens, I remind myself to remain detached so that I can separate my beliefs from the client's needs.”
21. What do you think about the Supreme Court's recent ruling on________?
Make sure that you stay up to date on major court cases, so that you can offer some type of opinion about them. For example, you might respond to question about a free speech case by saying:
“The Court's ruling in [case name] is certainly worthy of note and I tend to agree with the broad stance on protected speech that the majority outlined in its opinion. It will be interesting to see how that case impacts lower court speech rulings in the coming months and years.”
22. Describe a time when you needed to convince members of your team to adopt your viewpoint on a case.
“That has happened on more than one occasion, and there have been times when others have worked to convince me to adopt their point of view. One instance that comes to mind involved a case that seemed to involve two conflicting legal principles. My research identified a case that was similar but not exactly on point, so it took several hours of meetings to run through the relevant case law with everyone and convince them to adopt that strategy.”
23. Tell me about your experience in moot court and the issue that you were advocating.
“We participated in a moot court defamation case that involved a man who was falsely accused of embezzling funds, and was trying to get news websites to delete stories that named him as an alleged criminal. My side was arguing that he should have the same “right to be forgotten” that the citizens of many European nations enjoy. The other side argued that the First Amendment's free press protections trumped that right.”
24. What did your clinical program focus on?
“I chose corporate law, mainly because it was not one of my favorite areas of legal expertise and I wanted to ensure that I was forced to learn about it. It ended up being very interesting, however, and expanded my understanding of the law's real-world impact on the free enterprise system.”
25. What motivates you?
“I'm inspired by the generations of legal giants, who laid the foundation of our current legal system and traditions, and in awe of the impact they've had on creating our modern civilization. I try to think about that historic work daily to ensure that I remain motivated to meet the high bar they set for great client representation and making a positive impact on the world.”
26. How do you handle pressure?
“I went into the legal profession expecting pressure and the job has certainly met those expectations! Personally, though, I thrive in high pressure environments and am at my best when under severe time constraints or when I'm forced to juggle competing priorities. Fortunately, I have a healthy life away from the office, filled with stress-reduction activities and diversions that help me to unplug from the job when I'm at home.”
27. How do you define success in a legal case?
“Obviously, winning is always the goal. But I understand that cases don't always go our way. As a result, I define success by how well I've advocated for my client, whether we've made the best possible argument to the court and done everything ethically possible to ensure that their needs have been met. Even when a case is lost, I can still feel like we did our best if the client walks away satisfied with our effort.”
Learn how to answer these common law firm interview questions to ace your next interview
Law firm interview questions can take a variety of forms, so it's important to do your homework and learn as much as you can about the company before you go to your interview. With the right preparation, you can ensure that you always have a solid answer to every question and make the best possible impression on your interviewer.
Do you want to take your interview preparation efforts to the next level? Contact us today to find out how our expert interview coaching services can help!