Tricky Law interview questions: how to answer them

Its almost expected that the interviewer will ask you at least one 'trick' question. A successful interview can make or break your law career and practice makes perfect, so being prepared for these questions can help get you that training contract, pupilage or even job! 

Here's some of the most commonly asked questions, the most creative answers and how to answer them:

• Give me an example of a recent case which contains a legal decision you either agree or disagree with and why.

This is your opportunity to demonstrate your real-life legal knowledge. In the days before your interview you should keep an eye on some legal news stories and a few cases to be able to accurately answer this question in the interview. 

• How would you demonstrate to a client that you are commercially aware of their needs in business?

Its that phrase we all hate- "commercial awareness" you'll see it crop up everywhere. This is a skill all employers are looking for and so demonstrating this early on can help make the rest of the interview feel like a breeze.

• Why do you want a career in law?

This is probably the easiest question to ask but the hardest to answer. It's always better to be honest but avoid saying you liked the lawyer in a certain TV show or that you 'knew' you always wanted to be a lawyer. They have been over done and are now such a cliche that they are more likely to do you harm than good.

• Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

While its good to show that you are ambitious, telling the interviewer who is also the senior partner that you want his job is not likely to go down well. A good answer would be to give a generalised answer, like "Eventually I'd like to become a partner or even have my own firm, but as for 5 years from now I'd like to be working as a corporate lawyer on cases such as ---- and ----, which I noticed your firm took on and I really admired how you handled those cases." By answering the question and then combining that with evidence that you have done research into the firm will definitely boost your chances. 

• Which other firms have you applied too and why?

In this question the interviewer is looking to see if it is the area of law that you are interested in or simply the company. You should answer honestly as they won't expect you to have applied to only big firms with a speciality in a certain area of law but also smaller firms and perhaps a few different areas of law. The best way to handle this question would be to mention your knowledge of the specific firm, perhaps compare and contrast their similarities with other firms and how they have handled similar types of cases. 

Keep practising these tricky interview questions and soon they will become second nature. Remember: think about the question carefully and then answer. A slight pause in conversation is better than an incoherent jumbled answer.