9 questions you might be asked in a law interview

How to prepare for a law firm interview

Preparation is one of the most important factors in a successful law firm interview. Employers expect candidates to demonstrate a genuine interest in both the legal profession and the firm itself.

Start by researching the organisation thoroughly. Understand its:

• culture
• key clients
• office locations
• practice areas
• recent deals or cases.

Be prepared to explain why you have applied to that specific firm rather than its competitors.

Review your application form, CV and cover letter before the interview. Recruiters often ask candidates to expand on experiences, achievements and skills they have mentioned during the application process. Make sure you can discuss everything you've included with confidence.

You should also keep up to date with commercial and legal developments. Read the legal, business and national press regularly and consider how current events could affect clients, industries or the wider legal sector. Commercial awareness remains a key competency for many law firms. Read more on the essential skills for a career in law.

Finally, practise answering common interview questions. Think about examples that demonstrate skills such as:

• communication
• leadership
• problem solving
• resilience
• teamwork.

Using the STARR (Situation, Task, Action, Result, Reflection/Review) technique can help you structure your responses clearly and concisely.

What to expect in an interview with a law firm

The type of interview you'll face when applying for a law job really depends on the firm and the role you've applied for, but candidates can often expect a telephone or video interview and a panel interview, which may be conducted by a combination of graduate recruitment and fee-earning colleagues.

Broadly there are three types of questions you'll come up against in a training contract job interview:

• Motivational questions - where the interviewer will ask you to provide your personal reasons for becoming a lawyer and for applying to that particular firm.
• Competency questions - the interviewer will ask you to provide examples to show you have the specific attributes required of a trainee solicitor.
• Commercial awareness questions - questions on commercial topics are asked to gauge your understanding of local, national, and world business and how this impacts the wider law sector.

When interviewing for training contracts you might also face a case study scenario, in which you review several documents and then present back to the panel on the risks and opportunities facing the potential client.

Common law interview questions

1.Why do you want to become a solicitor?

This sounds like an easy opening, but it can throw you off course if you're not prepared.

Consider the type of firm you're interviewing for. Commercial law firms want to know that you have a genuine interest in commercial work, not just legal work generally. Interviewers also want to know that you truly understand what the role entails.

Look at the firm's website - not just their recruitment website, as it often contains useful information about the sectors that the firm is active in.

This question can be phrased in a number of ways, such as:

• Why choose a career in law?
• Why have you applied to us?

Questions about why you chose the type of law you'd like to practice are also common, so be prepared to explain your choice.

Highlight your breadth of legal work experience and identify which specific element led you to pursue a career in your chosen specialism and why. Give details of the experience you've sought in your preferred field and how this has strengthened your interest in this area of law.

Vacation schemes aren't the only experience of value, so be sure to mention periods of work shadowing and relevant extra-curricular activities. For example:

• use your experience volunteering with a victim's rights charity to demonstrate your passion for criminal law
• your captaincy of a university sports team to show your interest in sports law
• your creation and management of a local event, such as a fashion show or music or arts festival, to show your commerciality.

Gain an insight into the reality of working in law.

2.Have you applied to other firms?

This isn't a trick question. Be honest and specific in your answer.

Name two or three other firms that you've applied to, with a common reason why - such as they all share a similar culture, or they guarantee all trainees an international secondment. This demonstrates consistency in your applications. It shows the employer that you're committed to your field and determined to build a career in a certain practice area.

Don't be afraid to mention an application to a competitor firm. If you impress with the rest of your interview, this may work in your favour as recruiters are unlikely to want a talented candidate working for the competition.

3.What attracted you to this firm?

Interviewers are looking to see that you have researched the firm and truly want to work there. Be specific to the firm and evidence your interest with any experience - for example, did you speak to a member of the firm at a university law fair? Attend an open day? Reach out to someone on LinkedIn? Did you attend a legal event where the firm presented?

You can also draw on experiences such as insight days and any work experience that confirmed they were the right firm for you.

Are there any benefits, initiatives, employee networks or schemes on offer unique to the firm that set them apart from their competitors? Bear in mind that answering 'Because you pay higher trainee salaries' is unlikely to impress.

Further demonstrate your knowledge by mentioning a couple of recent cases of interest or express a wish to work with specific clients.

You may also be asked:

• What do you know about our firm?
• Why do you want to work for us over our competitors?

Read up on top UK law firms, then search for law jobs.

4.How would you make yourself stand out as a trainee?

There are far more applicants than training contract places, so this is your opportunity to highlight your unique selling points and make clear what you could bring to the firm.

Identify key strengths and experiences using real, relevant examples. Don't just say that you're a great problem solver; instead, tell the interviewer how you demonstrated this skill in a student mooting competition. Try to pick examples from a varied range of experiences, whether from your academic studies, legal work experience, employment, or extra-curricular activities.

This is also a good time to demonstrate how the culture and values of the firm fit with your own. Are there any social or charity events that you'd be keen to get involved in? Are there any organisational sports teams you'd like to join? Would you like to play a role and make your mark on employee networks such as LGBTQ+, women's or ethnicity groups? Are there any gaps in the firm's social offering that you could fill?

5.If you could bring any law into force what would it be and why?

Another variation of this question is 'which law would you like to change and why?' Questions like this test your legislative knowledge, as well as provide an insight into your judicial opinions. Your response will also highlight the areas of law you're passionate about.

Avoid choosing anything too controversial. Picking a law or legal issue that has recently been in the news is a good option, as it demonstrates that your legal knowledge is up to date. Alternatively, choose to introduce a law that would directly benefit the firm or its clients.

6.Give an example of a time you used your ability to negotiate.

In a law interview demonstrating your knowledge of the firm is all well and good, but you also need to show that you're qualified for the job. This is where strength and competency-based questions come in.

These questions require you to give relevant examples of times when you have demonstrated the necessary skills and competencies, and are a common feature of all job interviews.

Where possible, use examples from your legal work experience, but don't be afraid to draw on:

• your time at university
• extra-curricular activities
• gap year experience
• part-time work.

Use the STARR method to structure your answer.

Other skills and competency-based questions include:

• Tell us about a time you worked as a team.
• Give an example of a time you dealt with conflict and how you resolved this.
• What achievement are you most proud of?
• How would your friends describe you?

7.In a client meeting your supervisor gives incorrect advice. What do you do?

Similar questions include:

• You're alone in the office and a client calls demanding instant advice. What do you do?
• What would you do if three partners all came to you with work they wanted done by 5pm?
• What would you do if a client asked you to do something that was legal but morally questionable?

While questions centred on a dilemma can be uncomfortable to answer, they're asked to test your situational judgement.

The best way to prepare for these types of questions is to read the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Code of Conduct, which states that all trainees and solicitors must act with integrity and in the best interests of each client. It also states that you should provide a proper standard of service to clients and behave in a way that maintains the trust that the public places in you. Any behaviour that contradicts this code of conduct requires action.

8.Can you talk us through a current issue affecting law firms?

When asked, legal recruiters say that commercial awareness is one of the most important skills that a candidate can possess.

Your response needs to prove that you have an understanding of industry, regulatory, economic, cultural and social issues, as well as company identity and structure.

To tackle questions surrounding commercial awareness watch the news and read newspapers daily. Sign up to legal newsletters and set up notification alerts on your phone to receive the latest business news. Check firm websites and follow their social media accounts.

Alternatively, you may be asked:

• What are the main challenges facing city law firms today?
• What recent legal stories have caught your eye and how are they progressing?

9.Which three historical figures would you invite to a dinner party and why?

Not all candidates come up against off-the-wall questions, but some firms use them to get to know an interviewee better and to test how they think on their feet.

In the majority of instances there is no right or wrong answer - so don't panic. Recruiters simply want to hear how you think through an issue.

Talk through your response to demonstrate logical thinking and conversational ability and back it up with an explanation.

Similar questions include:

• If you were stranded on a desert island, what five items would you take and why?
• Define religion.
• How many cars are there in the UK?

Questions to ask your interviewer

Most law firm interviews end with an opportunity for you to ask questions. This isn't simply a chance to gather information. It's also an opportunity to demonstrate your interest in the firm, your understanding of the legal profession and the thought you've given to your future career.

Avoid asking questions that can be easily answered by looking at the firm's website. Instead, focus on topics that provide a genuine insight into the organisation, its culture and the opportunities available.

Depending on the stage of the recruitment process, you could ask:

• What qualities distinguish trainees or vacation scheme students who perform particularly well at the firm?
• How does the firm support trainees as they rotate through different seats?
• What opportunities are there to gain client contact during a training contract?
• How has the firm's work changed in response to recent developments in the legal market?
• What does the firm do to support professional development and ongoing learning?
• How would you describe the culture of the team and wider firm?
• What are the biggest opportunities and challenges currently facing the firm?
• What attracted you to the firm and what has kept you there?
• How does the firm encourage collaboration across departments and offices?
• What are the next steps in the recruitment process?

When it comes to asking more general questions, see 7 good questions to ask at an interview.

The best questions are often prompted by something discussed during the interview. Listening carefully and asking follow-up questions can help create a more natural conversation and leave a positive impression.

While it's important to show enthusiasm, avoid focusing solely on salary, annual leave or other benefits at an early stage unless the interviewer raises the topic.

Find out more

• See what the legal sector has to offer.
• Discover how to become a lawyer.
• Learn more about different law careers.