50+ Common Law Firm Interview Questions (+ How to Answer Them)

And the job interview prep isn’t that fun, either. But preparation is everything. Law firm partners and other attorneys will ask questions to better understand your personality, learn about your knowledge of the specific legal field, and gauge how you will balance a busy caseload. This includes your interactions with clients and building client relationships.

It's a lot to cram into one interview.

We’re making it a little easier for you by highlighting a variety of law questions you’ll probably be asked. And for some very common questions, we're even sharing how you can actually answer them.

How to Prepare for Law Firm Interview Questions

Proper preparation means carving out time to anticipate the types of questions you'll be asked and thinking through your answers. As with any job interview, you don't want your answers to sound scripted, overly rehearsed, or memorized. 

Some of the types of questions you'll encounter include common or general background questions, as well as behavioral, situational, and even hypothetical questions related to what you would do in a certain legal situation. Before you get intimidated by the interview process, remember that your ability to articulate and explain your answer concisely will be more impressive than any "right" answer. 

Here's an organized list of sample law firm interview questions to help you prepare to ace your next legal interview.

General and Personal Law Firm Interview Questions

Experience and Background Law Firm Interview Questions

Questions About the Law Firm

Behavioral Law Firm Interview Questions

Questions to Ask Your Interviewer

Sample Interview Questions and Answers 

Review these sample interview questions and answers to form your own responses:

1: Why do you want to work at our firm?

This question is tough. You’re going to have a lot of interviews with a lot of different firms. The problem is, no amount of research you do on their website will help you answer this question. Most firms have a broad range of practice groups, prestigious lawyers that are leaders in their field, and they promote a great work culture. A generic answer to this question just won’t cut it.

How to Answer:

First, try and find a connection to the firm, and ask them what they find is unique about the firm, or what they like about it. Then, in the interview, say specifically that you talked to [________] at the firm (which shows you’re invested and put in time already) and then mention what they had to say about the firm and why that resonated with you.

If you can’t find anyone to talk to, your answer should be similar but focused on the reputation of the firm. Explain that you’ve researched the firm and talked to other lawyers and professors, and explain why the firm stands out to you.

You want to hit that sweet spot between a general and specific statement—something about the caliber of the litigation or deals that the firm works on, the firm’s support of younger associates’ networking efforts, or that the partners want associates to take ownership of cases/deals rather than just doing the assigned task. Try to make two or three points here.

2: What was your favorite law school class? 

One thing to remember during these interviews is that you’re going to be physically and mentally exhausted doing them over and over again. Guess who else is doing just as many interviews and is going to be just as exhausted, plus has to go back to work afterward? The interviewer.

This is an easy question, but don’t say “Con Law” and breathe a sigh of relief. I guarantee you the interviewer’s eyes just glazed over.

You should tailor your answer to achieve two goals.

First, make sure your answer allows you to stand out. Don’t worry—if Con Law was your favorite class, I’m not banning you from saying Con Law. And I agree with you. I loved it too. But have something to say about Con Law, or any class you pick, and why that class was so interesting to you. Try and engage the interviewer in a discussion about it.

Second, explain why you’d be a good associate. Yes, the classic, “Use the question to show how great you are without them even realizing you’re doing it” strategy.

For example, talk about the rule of perpetuity in your contracts class and how you loved working through it as you read the case law. Explain how it was a puzzle you had to methodically work out, and how you loved the challenge. Make sure you’re being authentic while being strategic. The interviewer will be able to tell if your answer is only to stand out or impress them.

 

3. Why did you go to law school? Or, why did you want to become a lawyer?

This is one of those, “how’s the weather” questions. No one really cares that much about the answer, but it feels like an obligatory question to ask, and then you kind of hate yourself for asking it.

How to Answer:

Don't be too cute with this one. Don’t make the joke about how you argued with your parents and they told you to become a lawyer.

A great response to this question is that you wanted to have a profession, not just work a job. From there, you can explain why this profession fits best with your skill set. Rather than listing skills you have, base your answer off stories from past jobs, or volunteering, or college activities that show that skill in action. Telling a story engages the interviewer more than just saying you’re a great writer.

4: What kind of law are you interested in? 

This one is easy. If you are sitting there reading this and yelling at me saying you have no idea what kind of law you are interested in, it doesn’t matter. The formula for this answer is the same whether you know or don’t know.

How to Answer:

Pick a type of law that interests you, regardless of how interested you actually are at this point. The way a summer associate position is set up, you won’t be boxed in by this answer, but you do need to start somewhere.

Once you have that, your answer should follow this general guideline: “I’m interested in [_______] or [_______], but excited about the opportunity to participate in the summer program and work on assignments from various practice groups in the firm.”

Then, you could always follow up with a question of how the interviewer picked the practice group she is in. One word of caution—make sure to look at the firm’s website before an interview and confirm it has that type of practice. Worst case scenario? Saying you’re interested in criminal defense and the firm doesn’t have a criminal defense group.

Additional Law Firm Interview Tips for Success:

Don't Be Nervous

These interviews aren’t a qualification or talent analysis. You already passed that test with your resume and grades. The interviews are a compatibility test—would you fit in with the firm culture, would you be easy to work with, are you engaging. With that in mind, try and make the interviewer’s job as simple as possible. Be yourself, show your personality, and make it a conversation rather than an interview.

Don't Be Afraid to Show Your Personality

Add interests to your resume. As noted before, many of the people interviewing you are going to be tired and stressed and crunched for time. They want the interview to be easy for them. They aren’t too interested in stumping you on what the hardest challenge you’ve ever overcome is.

And, again, you’re one interview in a long string of interviews. If they can ask you about the time you baked a cake for the Queen of England or how you homebrew your own beer, you are guaranteed to stand out.

Do In-Depth Research on the Law Firm

This goes without saying but your interview prep research should include researching the law firm, the law partners, and anyone else you might be interviewing with. You can ask the recruiter for their names before your interview as well.

Understand and Be Familiar With Recent Court Rulings

It never hurts to be up-to-date on current legal issues. You should especially know what's recent and newsworthy in your specific legal field of interest.