what to ask in an interview for an attorney position

by Leatha Vandervort 7 min read

Question Overview: An attorney will have to be committed to his/her career in order to succeed. You will want to find someone who has a long-term vision for his/her career. Sample Answer: I want to be a partner in my firm and eventually run my own firm. What the interviewer is looking for:

Questions You Should be Prepared to Answer and Ask
  • Tell me about yourself.
  • How would your friends describe you?
  • How would you describe yourself as a person?
  • Why this particular geographic area?
  • What is the latest non-legal book you've read?
  • What are your outside interests and hobbies?
  • Who is your hero/heroine?

Full Answer

What are good questions to ask an attorney?

Top behavioral questions to ask lawyers Tell me about the greatest triumph of your career thus far and how you made it happen. Why this matters This question helps you to …

What are the top 5 questions to ask an interviewer?

Apr 21, 2021 · A good lawyer will learn from failure and make the necessary adjustments so it does not happen again in the future. Every lawyer will experience failure at some point. The key question is whether the lawyer can deal with it and bounce back in the future. What to look for in an answer: Resilience to deal with failure; A commitment to improving abilities

What are some questions they might ask at an interview?

The best tactic is to ask questions about the work/practice, listen to their answer, and respond with how YOUR background or experience will be helpful with that type of work. Examples are great! What do you consider to be your weaknesses? 3 sentences. 1—identify a weakness. 2—Say how you work with it. 3—How it doesn’t impact your job.

What questions should I ask a CEO during an interview?

5 Attorney Interview Questions & Answers. 1. As an attorney, you will need to deal with clients in a way that makes them feel comfortable disclosing personal and often uncomfortable information with you. How do you plan on maintaining your professionalism? I understand that being in the law profession means professionalism comes first and foremost.

image

What questions should I ask in an attorney interview?

11 Questions to Ask During Your Legal InterviewWhat type of cases and deals are distributed to new associates? ... What kind of tasks do new associates typically handle? ... What makes this firm stand apart from others? ... How do you consider the firm will grow in the next five years?More items...

How do I prepare for an attorney interview?

If you are interviewing virtually, all of these tips apply.Do your research. Lawyers are known for being good researchers. ... Be presentable and dress your best. ... Come prepared to ask questions. ... Be personable and show enthusiasm. ... Be genuine. ... Promptly send a thank-you note.Oct 28, 2020

What questions should I ask at the end of an interview?

20 smart questions to ask at the end of your next job interviewWhat do you personally like most about working for this organisation? ... What do you find most challenging about working for this organisation? ... How would you describe your organisation's culture? ... Can you tell me about the kind of supervision you provide?More items...

What do you say at a law firm interview?

Some example points to include:“I believe that being a solicitor/lawyer is more than filing paperwork with the court—it's a chance to represent someone who needs help”.“I want to practice law because I am passionate about bringing justice to clients and upholding the law of our country”.May 31, 2021

What are the top 5 questions to ask an interviewer?

The 5 Best Questions to Ask in An InterviewWhat do you expect from team members in this position? ... Will those expectations change over time? ... What is a typical day like at [company name]? ... Where do you see the company in five years? ... What are the next steps in the job process?

What are 10 most common interview questions and answers?

10 Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer ThemCould you tell me about yourself and describe your background in brief? ... How did you hear about this position? ... What type of work environment do you prefer? ... How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations? ... Do you prefer working independently or on a team?More items...•Nov 11, 2021

What are the 3 best questions to ask in an interview?

Top 3 Questions You Should Ask in Every Job InterviewIs this a new role or has this role existed previously with your company? ... Who are the main people and groups I'd be collaborating with? ... What are some of the paths you see in your company for the person who holds this position?

What are the top 10 questions to ask an interviewer?

Best Questions to Ask the InterviewerHow would you describe the responsibilities of the position?What are you looking for in a candidate?What are the biggest challenges of this job?How would you describe a typical day in this position?What is the typical work week?Is overtime expected?More items...•Dec 21, 2021

What are 5 unique questions you can ask at the end of an interview?

Questions to ask at the end of a job interviewHow would you describe the company's culture? ... What is your favorite thing about working for this company? ... How do you see this company evolving over the next five years? ... How would the person in this role contribute to this vision?More items...•Dec 8, 2021

Why should we hire you example?

“Over the years, I have acquired relevant skills and experience, which I shall bring to your organization. I have also worked tirelessly on my communication abilities and teamwork skills, which I will put to use in my future career, which would be in your organization if I am selected for the position.Jan 10, 2022

What are the most common interview questions?

Most Common Interview Questions:Tell me something about yourself.How did you hear about this position?Why do you want to work here?Why did you decide to apply for this position?What is your greatest strength?What are your strengths and weaknesses?What do you know about this company/organization?More items...•Mar 14, 2022

Why are you interested in this position?

After researching why you want to work with a company, you should be able to translate that desire in a way that benefits the company. - Be an asset: “I'm interested in the position because I believe my skills could help with the expansion your company is undergoing, and I want to be a part of that growth.”Feb 25, 2022

Can you please name a Supreme Court case that impacts your practice of law on a daily basis?

The purpose of this question is not necessarily to test the substance of the answer but more the fact that the candidate has an answer. This is indicative of the fact that they are informed and see the larger picture. So much of what a lawyer does relies on having strong background knowledge of the law.

Can you give an example of where you have chosen to involve yourself in the broader legal community?

Lawyers that network and do the “extra-curricular” activities are generally better informed about recent developments than other attorneys. In addition, networking helps a lawyer build a reputation in the legal sector. Attorneys who have better connections with other attorneys benefit from getting referrals of business from those other attorneys.

How do you handle a disagreement with a superior over a legal matter?

Disagreements happen in the practice of law. Two attorneys can reach different opinions about an issue and both can be correct. It is even more difficult when one of the attorneys works for the other. Part of being a successful lawyer is learning how to make one’s voice heard without being overbearing.

Can you elaborate on a situation where you were unsuccessful and how you handled it?

You should get a sense of how the lawyer handles adversity because there is quite a bit of it in the legal profession. A good lawyer will learn from failure and make the necessary adjustments so it does not happen again in the future. Every lawyer will experience failure at some point.

What aspect of the daily job of being a lawyer interests you the most?

Every lawyer has strengths and weaknesses. Some attorneys do things better than others. This question will test what a lawyer believes that they are good at and what interests them. If they indicate that they dislike a critical basic area of the job, it can help you determine where they would be a good fit in your company.

Have you ever worked on a case that was hard not to take home with you? How did you handle the situation?

Depending on the type of law they practice, lawyers may have to work on cases that evoke emotions like those in family cases or criminal trials. This question allows an interviewer to gauge a candidate's ability to maintain their mental health when working on particularly difficult cases.

5 Attorney Interview Questions & Answers

1. As an attorney, you will need to deal with clients in a way that makes them feel comfortable disclosing personal and often uncomfortable information with you. How do you plan on maintaining your professionalism?

MyPerfectResume Staff Writer

At MyPerfectResume, we are passionate about two things: sharing our knowledge about the workforce and providing exceptional tools to help jobseekers get ahead. Thanks to our well-rounded assemblage of experts, we offer industry-specific resume and cover letter writing tips and career advice for almost every job.

Interviewing with confidence

There are many considerations when preparing for a law firm job interview. What should I wear? How much do I share? How do I answer this question? To effectively communicate your desire to be part of a law team, you must prepare thoughtful questions in your interview.

Why ask questions at a law firm interview?

Asking questions during a law firm interview matters because the answers provide you with helpful information about the firm and your potential role. Having questions prepared also shows the law firm your values, work ethic, and priorities. Preparing can help you appear more confident during your interview, as well.

Tips for creating law firm interview questions

Creating poignant questions for the interviewer requires some research. Relevant questions will impress them and increase your chance of being asked back for a second interview. Here are some tips to consider when preparing your questions:

Insightful questions to ask and why

Review these questions to pose during your law firm interview, and learn their benefits.

More law firm interview questions to consider

The interview will answer some of your prepared questions with organic conversation, making it important to have several selections to increase your chance to learn about the firm and role. Here are some example questions to choose from or to inspire others, which you can edit to suit a specific firm:

image

General Questions

Image
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: 1. What adjectives would your friends use to describe you? 2. What are your biggest strengths? 3. How do you handle feedback? 4. What is your biggest accomplishm…
See more on indeed.com

Questions About Experience and Background

  • These questions help an interviewer understand how your education and previous experience translate to the role: 1. What was your favorite course in law school and why? 2. Tell me about a case you were lead on that substantially broadened your knowledge of the legal field. 3. Which extracurricular groups were you involved in during law school? 4. Tell me about your law school i…
See more on indeed.com

In-Depth Questions

  • 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. 1. How do you build trust with a client? 2. How would you keep clients informed about the status of their cases…
See more on indeed.com

Law Firm Interview Tips

  • Here are some interview tips to consider so you can present yourself well to the hiring partner: 1. Familiarize yourself with recent court rulings. 2. Research the law firm. 3. Bring examples of papers you've written.
See more on indeed.com