Legal Firms Law Researcher Interview Questions And Answers

Your interest may have been sparked off by talking to friends or family in the legal profession, by careers presentations, by reading or by assessing your personal suitability for different careers and finding law a good match. It may also have been fired by watching television courtroom dramas and legal soaps but this is not the best answer to give!

Describe how your awareness of the profession developed and what initial steps you took to follow up your interest. Was there a key individual who helped you along the way? Where did you get information about the career from? Were there any other occupations that rivaled Law at this stage?

Answer in detail, but do not launch into a long-winded account. Do sound enthusiastic!

Your reasons could take various approaches: why you want to join the legal profession; why you want to become a solicitor as opposed to a barrister; why you are interested in the particular firm interviewing you. It is a good idea to give an account of any practical experience, such as work placements, that has given you an insight into law in practice. You can also take the opportunity to put over your personal qualities and interests that relate to the work, such as communication and interpersonal skills, initiative, numeracy and flexibility.

Try not to simplify your answer. In other words do not suggest that there is one reason, and one reason alone, for your choice. You should be firing on all fronts in answer to this question. The interviewer needs to be convinced that Law is something you really want to do and have thought about seriously.

You have probably applied to a number of firms, using broad-brush criteria such as type of practice or location. It is OK to mention these, but you also need to say something more specific about what attracts you to this firm among all the others that you have applied to. You may mention what you have read on the firm's website or in the legal press, or what you have heard from previous years' graduates in the legal profession or from academics.

Highlight positive, developmental factors such as the in-house training provided or specialized areas of law within the firm into which you hope to gain an insight, rather than the convenience of the location or the range of social activities.

It is OK to say that you have applied to others - not to have done so would indicate either a lack of interest or gross over-confidence. But make sure that the ones you mention are of a similar type to the one interviewing you -the interviewer will be looking for a commitment to their type of practice and for a methodical approach to applications.

You could mention other firms with similar:

Legal specialisms
Types of clients
Geographical location[s]
Numbers of staff

You may not even have applied for this course yet, as many firms will interview for training contracts in September and applications for the LPC open in October. However, you should be aware of where the course is available and give reasons for your favored option, academic or personal. You may want to ask if the firm has any preference.

Consider the following reasons for choosing a course in your answer:

Quality of course/institution
Location
Cost
Recommendations of others
Research you have undertaken.

A question to test whether you have done your background reading. Even if you are not a law student, law-related issues frequently make it out of the law reports sections of the daily papers and into the main news pages, and you should certainly have read these. Your answer may depend on the type of firm, such as whether it specializes in legal aid or corporate law.

Be prepared for quite detailed questioning and challenging on your answers to questions of this type, and don't be afraid to argue your point of view - the interviewer will want to test how well you can think on your feet, stand your ground and make a well-reasoned argument.

A question to test your common sense, integrity, persuasive and diplomatic skills. Questions like this may require some thought before answering and it is quite OK to take a minute or so to think it through.

You may feel you need more input from the interviewer regarding what type of a case it is. Beware asking for too much additional information, however. This may turn a single hypothetical question into a long and drawn out discussion.

"The last time I had to hand in an essay" will probably be the most common answer - if you can come up with anything more original it will probably be appreciated! This is an opportunity to give an indication of your ability to plan your work, organize your time and handle several competing priorities - more essential skills for a solicitor.

Consider including in your answer:

Any restrictions or limitations that risked your meeting the deadline
Your effective prioritization of tasks which enabled you to be on time
The need for initial planning and organization
How you handled conflicting demands from other sources
The need to be focused on the task at hand.

This often happens in solicitors' firms, especially in the City - you need to show that you can be flexible and adaptable and that you don't panic.

Describe some of the things you may have to do in such circumstances. These might include:

Delegation of less pressing work to others in your office
Negotiation of the new deadline, just in case there is any leeway
Taking additional work home with you
Seeking help from others on the case that has been brought forward.
An assessment of what can reasonably be done in the time available.

Many graduates apply to City firms because of the possibility of international work - this question will help to sift out those who do not have a realistic appreciation of what it would be like to work in an English law firm's foreign offices. Again, the firm's website or brochure should give some insight into this work. Focusing on the type of client and the nature of the advice they will be seeking would be a good place to start.

The interviewer is likely to be interested in the broad picture - not just in any law-related placements you may have done. This could include paid or voluntary work, travel or dissertations. Think about all your past experiences and which aspects of them might be relevant to the work of a solicitor.

Consider the skills you could demonstrate from your vacation time. These could be:

Planning events and activities
Organizing others to do things or go to places
Helping others in difficult circumstances
Offering advice to friends or relatives
Making decisions on different vacation opportunities.

The best questions to ask are those that you really would like to know the answer to, rather than those you can find in books on interview skills. If you research the company well enough, you will find a number of questions naturally arising that you wish to be answered.

You should, though, concentrate on questions that show your interest in, and motivation to do, the job itself, rather than the rewards it will bring. So, for example, you should ask about training and career progression in preference to pay and pensions!

Some examples of questions you could reasonably ask at interview:
"What are other recent training contract students now working on?"
"Are there any particular types of client which I might expect to work with when I first begin work?"
"Are there any key developments planned for the firm over the next few years?"
"How do you market the firm?"

I'm a very energetic and well-rounded person who can follow instructions well. I am a good communicator and quite a team player. At the last department I was with I initiated advanced medic classes for the officers who were interested in learning new first-aid techniques. It had such a positive impact that they are offering the same course again this year.

My last chief taught me the importance of time management - he didn't pull any punches, and was extremely driven. His no-nonsense attitude pushed me to work harder, and to meet goals I never even thought were possible.

I've learned a lot from my current role, but now I'm looking for a new challenge, to broaden my horizons and to gain new skill-sets - all of which, I see the potential for in this department.

I have always appreciated and admired those who put their lives on the line to protect our communities. My interest really piqued in law enforcement however, after I witnessed a domestic dispute and watched the responding officers diffuse the situation. I heard the calling as I saw the officers control the situation and remove one of the parties from harm's way. It was then I knew that this is what I was meant to do.

In ten years I'd like to have an even better understanding of what it takes to be a good officer. Also, I really enjoy being the first to a scene, and I work very well under pressure. Ultimately, I'd like to be in a commander-type position, where I can use my organizational skills and industry knowledge to benefit the people working with me, and those we are there to help.

I've never been very comfortable with public speaking - which as you know, can be a hindrance in this field. Realizing this was a problem, I asked my previous department if I could enroll in a speech workshop. I took the class, and was able to overcome my lifelong fear. Since then, I've given several safety presentations to school children across the county. I still don't love it, but no one else can tell!"

I've been a law enforcement officer for the past five years - my chief has said time and time again that without me, the department wouldn't function as well as it currently does. I've also taken the time to educate myself on some of the non-standard techniques that may come in handy while on duty. I can react quickly in hectic situations, and can handle the responsibilities of a leadership role. What's good enough for most people is never really good enough for me.

I'm more interested in the role itself than the pay. That said, I'd expect to be paid the appropriate range for this job, based on my five years of experience. I also think a fair salary would bear in mind the high cost of living here in New York City.

When I was in college, I took an art class to supplement my curriculum. I didn't take it very seriously, and assumed that, compared to my Engineering classes, it would be a walk in the park. My failing grades at midterm showed me otherwise. I'd even jeopardized my scholarship status. I knew I had to get my act together. I spent the rest of the semester making up for it, ended up getting a decent grade in the class. I learned that no matter what I'm doing, I should strive to do it to the best of my ability. Otherwise, it's not worth doing at all.

My work is important to me, so I won't be satisfied with any old job. Instead of rushing to accept the first thing that comes my way, I'm taking my time and being selective to make sure my next position is the right one.

I'm a people person. I was always happiest - and most satisfied - when I was interacting with community residents, making sure I was able to meet their needs and giving them the best possible comfort in a tough situation. It was my favorite part of the job, and it showed. Part of the reason I'm interested in this job is that I know I'd have even more interaction with the public, on an even more critical level.

There was nothing about my last job that I hated, but I guess there were some things I liked less than others. My previous role involved traveling at least twice a month. While I do love to travel, twice a month was a little exhausting - I didn't like spending quite so much time out of the department. I'm happy to see that this role involves a lot less travel.

I've always been motivated by the challenge - in my last role, I was responsible for training our new recruits in firearm care, and wouldn't stop teaching until each recruit passed the course. I know that this job is very fast-paced and I'm more than up for the challenge. In fact, I thrive on it.