You’ve secured the interview, and now you want to find out how to impress. Read on for our 20 law firm interview tips...
A job description isn’t just there to see if you fit the role before you apply. You should use the job description to your full advantage. It’s likely that lots of the questions you will be asked will be looking for you to demonstrate one of these essential skills. So, scour the job description, identify an example of when you have shown this trait and plan an answer out that tells a story. Hopefully you’ve got a few of these in your CV anyway so it’ll just be a case of practising how you will best show off these skills.
Some key traits that law firm interviews will be looking at you to demonstrate are commercial awareness (more on this below), time management skills and resilience. We’ve written a detailed blog post on the top personality traits law interviewers are looking for.
And after you’ve look at the job description, it’s time to…
…Research the law firm. One of the next most important steps. Not only are your interviewers checking off your resume, ensuring you fit the skills for the business, but they are also ensuring you’ll fit their culture and ethos too. And this means finding out about the company’s values, day-to-day working life, social aspects, cases and more. Not only will this show that you’ve done the research on the firm and are keen to work there, but you can also double check that this role will also be the right fit for you and your life.
We’d recommend researching:
It will look slightly strange if you state you are interested in an area of law, but don’t know anything going on in that industry. One of the key skills of a lawyer is being commercially aware. This helps you to know what new legislation is coming into play, support you in achieving the best outcome for a client, and will aid you in identifing what areas of law interest you. Make sure you are aware of current legal news stories, issues and legislation to show off your knowledge.
If you’re back to interviewing face-to-face, don’t forget the interview starts as soon as you walk in the door. Make sure to greet everyone with a smile, a handshake if offered, and maintain a professional manner from the start. Practice your handshake before you go to your interview.
Make sure to dress appropriately, whether your interview is in person or not. Not only will you look right for the role, but your outfit might also help you to feel more confident. Make sure you’ve tried it on first though and that it feels comfortable. You don’t want to be spending hours in an outfit you hate!
Not only should you research the firm and its competitors, but look up your interviews too (if you know who they are). Find out what areas they specialise in, what their backgrounds are, whether you have anything in common, and what awards or accomplishments they have. This will be great for making sure your answers are relevant, but also in making you feel more comfortable too.
Not only are you showing off your skills and experience, but you’re also trying to find out whether this law firm is right for you too. Prepare the questions that you’re going to ask your interviewer to see if they align with your values and ambitions too.
Questions could you include:
Get a family member or friend, or if you’re going through a recruitment company, your recruiter, to help you with a mock interview. Identify bad habits, practice your answers and get feedback on where you can improve.
Alternatively, record yourself. Yes, we know that this is one of the last things on your mind - who really wants to watch a recording of themselves?! But it can be helpful to look back and see your body language, tone of voice and how you are coming across. If there are any issues, or things you want to do differently, you can rectify this now.
Think about examples you can give, remember specifics but keep it succinct too.
Remember what you wrote in your application, CV and cover letter and review this before the interview, so you are prepared to answer questions. One thing law firm interviewers love is examples. If you’ve included specifics in your CV and cover letter about projects you’ve been involved in, modules you’ve enjoyed and dissertation topics, work experience, hobbies and more, be prepared to answer questions about these.
Make sure you think about how to structure your answers so it shows your ability favourably and so the interviewer can follow what happened.
It’s unlikely that you’re going to become a Managing Partner overnight and there’s no problem with being ambitious. But in your interview, you need to be able to show that you are happy to do the grunt work before you make your way up. Be prepared to show this in your interview and make sure you understand what a trainee solicitor does.
After your law degree, you are probably all too familiar with the jargon and language used within the law and law firms. But make sure you refresh yourself on expressions, acronyms and key terms.
It’s likely that you’ll be applying to some of them too if they specialise in the area of law that you are interested in. So, make sure you understand who the firm’s competitors are and any notable cases they are working on too.
You might have been set on criminal law for as long as you can remember, but if you are applying for a large firm with multiple specialisms and are interviewing for a trainee position, don’t close the door to finding a new love.
We’ve also written a blog post on 14 law firm interview questions and how to answer them. This is a great way to prep for the interview, make you feel more confident and get those all-important examples ready.
And finally, the night before, try to relax as much as possible and get a good night’s sleep. Our top tips for relaxing the night before include:
Positive thinking will help you feel more confident. Remember, that the skills you’ll learn from interviewing can be as important as being successful in the interview. If you don’t get this first job, or second, or third job, don’t panic. There are lots of ways into a law firm and jobs you can apply for.
If you now feel ready to take on a law firm job interview, why not head to our jobs page to find out what vacancies are currently available?
If you have any top tips for preparing and excelling in a law firm interview, let us know in the comments below.