Getting invited to a job interview is a good start. The next challenge is convincing the interviewer that you are someone worth hiring.
If you are applying for a training contract, a vacation scheme, a paralegal position, pupillage or a qualified solicitor role, the interviewers will want to know more than your academic results. They will be looking at how you think, how you communicate and whether you understand what the job involves.
You do not need to have an impressive answer for every question. What matters is how well you prepare, how you explain your experience and how you respond when a question catches you off guard.
Research the firm before you walk through the door
One of the easiest ways to lose an interviewer's interest is to give a generic answer when asked why you want to work for the firm.
Saying that the firm has an excellent reputation or offers good training does little to distinguish you from other candidates. Most applicants will have something similar to say.
Spend time looking beyond the firm's recruitment page. Read about its main practice areas, the industries it serves and the types of clients it represents. Look for a recent case, transaction, appointment or expansion that interests you. If the firm has published commentary on a legal development, read it and consider the issues involved.
You should then be able to explain why these details matter to you.
For example, if you are interviewing with a firm that advises technology companies, you might discuss a recent development in data protection law and explain why you are interested in the questions it raises for businesses. If you are applying to a set of chambers specialising in public law, you could discuss a recent judicial review decision relevant to its work.
The point is to show that you have made a deliberate choice. You should be able to explain why this particular organisation appeals to you, rather than simply saying that you want to work in law.
Know your own CV inside out
Anything you include in your CV or application form is fair game for discussion. If you mention a mooting competition, a legal internship or a university society, be prepared to answer questions about it.
What did you actually do? What did you learn? Was there anything you found difficult? How did the experience influence your interest in law?
These questions can become uncomfortable if you have listed an achievement without thinking about what it demonstrates.
Suppose you mention that you helped prepare a research memorandum during an internship. The interviewer might ask how you approached the research, how you checked the accuracy of the information or what you did when you could not find a clear answer. A convincing response would explain your own contribution, including any problems you encountered and how you dealt with them.
Do not exaggerate your responsibilities. If you assisted a solicitor with a task, say so. Interviewers understand that students and junior candidates work under supervision. Being honest about the limits of your experience is far better than claiming credit for work you did not do.
Read your application again a day or two before the interview. You should be comfortable discussing every significant statement in it.
Prepare examples that prove your skills
Candidates often describe themselves as organised, analytical, hardworking or good at communicating. These qualities are useful, but the words alone tell an interviewer very little.
A specific example gives the interviewer something to assess.
Think about a time when you had to meet a difficult deadline, resolve a disagreement, explain a complicated point or manage several competing commitments. Your example does not have to come from legal employment. University assignments, part-time work, volunteering and extracurricular activities can all provide useful evidence.
When answering a question about teamwork, for instance, explain what the group needed to achieve, what you were responsible for and how you contributed. If there was a disagreement, describe how you handled it. Finish by explaining the outcome and, where relevant, what you would do differently next time.
Keep the focus on your own actions. Saying that your team completed a project is less informative than explaining how you organised the research, identified a problem and helped the group meet its deadline.
A useful way to structure these answers is to cover the situation, your task, the action you took and the result. You can add a short reflection if it helps explain what you learned. This gives your answer direction without making it sound rehearsed.
Give a convincing answer to “Why law?”
This question deserves more thought than it often receives. An answer about enjoying debate, wanting to help people or being interested in justice may be sincere, but it can sound vague if you leave it there.
Explain what first attracted you to law, then identify an experience that developed your interest. Perhaps a module made you curious about how legal rules operate in practice. Perhaps you enjoyed analysing a difficult problem during a placement, or discovered that you liked explaining complicated information to someone who needed practical advice.
You should also show that you understand the less glamorous parts of legal work. Lawyers spend time checking documents, conducting research, drafting correspondence, managing deadlines and dealing with clients who may be under considerable pressure. The work can be demanding, and the answer to a legal problem is not always straightforward.
You do not need to pretend that every aspect of the profession appeals to you. You do need to show that your reasons for pursuing it are based on a realistic understanding of the job.
If you are applying for a particular practice area, explain what interests you about it. A candidate applying for employment law might discuss the relationship between legal rights and workplace disputes. Someone interested in commercial litigation could explain why they enjoy analysing competing arguments and assessing risk.
The more closely your answer connects your interests with the work itself, the more credible it will sound.
Demonstrate commercial awareness
For many legal roles, particularly in commercial law firms, understanding the law is only part of the job. You also need to appreciate the client's business, objectives and commercial pressures.
Commercial awareness does not mean memorising headlines or dropping the names of large companies into your answers. It means being able to explain why a development matters and how it might affect a client.
Choose a recent business or legal story and think through its practical consequences. A change in regulation might increase a company's compliance costs. Higher borrowing costs could affect a planned acquisition. A dispute involving a major supplier might disrupt a client's operations.
Consider who is affected, what risks arise and what decisions the client might need to make. There may be competing interests or uncertainty, so avoid presenting a complicated issue as though it has an obvious answer.
You should also understand how the firm makes money and where the work you are applying for fits into its business. If the firm advises financial institutions, technology companies or public bodies, consider the pressures facing those clients.
During the interview, it is perfectly acceptable to acknowledge that you do not know every detail of a development. Explain what you understand, identify what you would need to investigate and reason through the issue. A measured answer is better than confidently defending a point you have not properly considered.
Listen carefully instead of reciting prepared answers
Preparation can become counterproductive when you memorise entire answers and try to deliver them word for word.
An interviewer may phrase a familiar question differently or ask a follow-up that takes the discussion in another direction. If you are concentrating on remembering a script, you may miss what he is actually asking.
Listen to the question before deciding how to answer. If you need a moment to think, take it. A short pause is preferable to rushing into an answer that does not address the issue.
Keep your response focused. If you are asked about a time you handled pressure, choose an example that demonstrates how you managed pressure. Do not spend most of your answer explaining your background or describing unrelated achievements.
If you realise that you have misunderstood the question, clarify your point and move on. If you do not know the answer, be honest. You can explain how you would approach the problem or what information you would seek before reaching a conclusion.
For legal work, this matters. A lawyer who listens carefully, identifies the question that needs answering and communicates clearly is more useful than someone who speaks confidently without addressing the client's concern.
Show sound judgement when discussing difficult situations
Some interview questions test how you would respond to an ethical problem, a difficult client or a mistake at work. There may be no single answer that covers every possible circumstance. The interviewer wants to understand your reasoning.
Imagine that a client asks you to send a document urgently, but you notice a possible error in it. Do you send it to meet the deadline or stop to check the problem?
A sensible answer would recognise the urgency while explaining why accuracy cannot simply be ignored. You might say that you would establish the nature of the error, assess the consequences of sending the document as it stands and seek guidance from the supervising solicitor where appropriate. You would also communicate promptly rather than allowing the deadline to pass without explanation.
The same principle applies when discussing confidentiality, conflicts of interest or mistakes. Identify the relevant concern, explain the steps you would take and recognise when you need help from someone more senior.
Avoid giving the answer you think sounds most heroic. In practice, good judgement often involves recognising your limits, following the appropriate procedures and escalating a problem before it becomes more serious.
Communicate with confidence, not arrogance
You do not need to dominate the conversation to make a good impression. Speak clearly, answer the question and give the interviewer enough detail to understand your reasoning.
Avoid rushing through your answers, particularly when discussing a difficult subject. If you have several points to make, organise them in a sensible order. You do not need to announce a three-part structure every time you speak.
Body language matters, but it is easy to overthink it. Make natural eye contact, sit comfortably and pay attention to the interviewer. You should not be so concerned about your posture or hand movements that you stop listening to the conversation.
For an online interview, check your microphone, camera and internet connection beforehand. Find a quiet place where you can speak without interruption. Keep your CV and the job description nearby, but avoid looking down at notes throughout the interview.
Dress appropriately for the organisation and the role. If you are unsure about the expected dress code, a smart, professional outfit is a safe choice.
Above all, treat the interview as a professional conversation. You can be enthusiastic without overselling yourself, and you can acknowledge a weakness without undermining your entire application.
Ask questions that tell you something useful
When the interviewer asks whether you have any questions, do not treat it as a formality. This is your opportunity to learn something about the role and continue a conversation that has already begun.
Avoid questions that are answered clearly on the firm's website. Instead, ask about the work you would be doing, how junior lawyers receive feedback or what distinguishes people who perform well in the team.
For a training contract, you might ask how trainees are involved in client work or how supervisors help them develop practical skills. For a paralegal role, you could ask what the team would expect the successful candidate to take responsibility for during the first few months.
You can also ask about a point raised earlier in the interview. If the interviewer mentions that the department is expanding into a new area, ask how that is likely to affect the team's work.
Prepare two or three questions, but do not feel obliged to ask all of them. If the conversation has already covered a topic, choose another. The aim is to understand the opportunity, not to demonstrate that you have memorised a list of clever questions.
Avoid these common interview mistakes
A few errors can undermine an otherwise strong performance.
Speaking negatively about previous employers or colleagues. If you had a difficult experience, explain it professionally and focus on what you learned. An interview is rarely the place to settle old scores.
Giving answers that are too long. Detailed answers are useful when the question calls for them, but unnecessary background can obscure your main point. Pay attention to the interviewer's reactions and allow him to ask follow-up questions.
Pretending to know something you do not. If you are unsure about a legal point or recent development, say so and explain how you would find out. Guessing can turn a manageable gap in knowledge into a question about your judgement.
Memorising every answer. Prepare your main points and supporting examples, then practise explaining them in your own words. You should sound prepared, not as though you are delivering a speech.
Forgetting that the interview is also for you. You are deciding whether the role suits your interests and circumstances. Pay attention to how the interviewer describes the work, supervision, expectations and working environment.
Follow up after the interview
At the end of the meeting, thank the interviewer for his time and leave on a professional note. If you have been given a timetable for the recruitment process, make a note of it.
A brief thank-you email may be appropriate, particularly if you want to refer to a useful point discussed during the interview. Keep it short and genuine. There is no need to send a lengthy message repeating your qualifications or asking for an immediate decision.
If you are unsuccessful, ask for feedback where the employer is willing to provide it. You may not receive a detailed response, but even one useful observation can help you prepare for the next interview.
It is also worth reviewing your own performance while the discussion is still fresh. Which questions did you answer well? Where did you struggle to explain your reasoning? Did you give enough evidence for your claims? Make a note of anything you want to improve before your next interview.
Final Tips
Impressing the interviewers in a legal job interview comes down to the quality of your preparation and the way you handle the conversation. Research the organisation, understand your own experience and prepare examples that show what you can do. When a difficult question comes up, take your time and explain your reasoning honestly.
You may not know every answer, especially if you are applying for your first legal role. That is to be expected. What matters is showing that you can think carefully, communicate clearly, recognise your limitations and learn from experience.
The interviewers should leave with a clear understanding of why you want the role, what you could contribute and how you approach problems. You do not need a perfect performance. You need to give him sound reasons to take your application seriously.
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