Law Firm Interview Questions

Comprehensive collection of real law firm interview questions used by top commercial law firms. Practice with these questions to prepare for your training contract interviews.

100 Total Questions
13 Categories
5 Difficulty Levels
Showing 100 of 100 questions

Why law?

MotivationBeginner

Why do you want to be a City lawyer?

MotivationIntermediate

Why the City?

MotivationIntermediate

Why do you want to work at this law firm specifically?

MotivationIntermediate

Why did you choose to pursue a career in law?

MotivationIntermediate

Why do you want to be a solicitor and not a barrister?

MotivationIntermediate

Why not work in-house?

MotivationAdvanced

Have you considered other careers and how did you rule them out?

MotivationAdvanced

If you could not be a commercial solicitor, what would you be instead and why?

MotivationAdvanced

What do you think the role of a trainee entails?

Role UnderstandingIntermediate

What does a trainee solicitor do day to day?

Role UnderstandingIntermediate

How does a trainee's role differ from a partner's?

Role UnderstandingIntermediate

What do you want out of a training contract?

Role UnderstandingIntermediate

Why apply for a TC and not a VS?

Role UnderstandingAdvanced

Why were you unsuccessful in converting a VS?

Role UnderstandingExpert

What have you learnt since not converting your VS?

Role UnderstandingExpert

What seats are you interested in?

Role UnderstandingIntermediate

What might you struggle with as a trainee?

Role UnderstandingAdvanced

Tell me about yourself.

PersonalIntermediate

Tell us about your journey so far.

PersonalIntermediate

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

PersonalIntermediate

What would others say are your strengths?

PersonalIntermediate

Best 3 traits and worst 2 traits?

PersonalAdvanced

How would friends describe your best and worst qualities?

PersonalAdvanced

What criticism might people level at you?

PersonalExpert

What motivates you?

PersonalIntermediate

What motivates you to excel in your work?

PersonalIntermediate

What are your values? When were they tested?

PersonalExpert

What do you do for fun?

PersonalBeginner

What new skill have you recently learned?

PersonalIntermediate

Name a leader you admire and why.

PersonalAdvanced

How do you manage your time?

Work StyleIntermediate

How do you prioritize tasks when everything seems urgent?

Work StyleAdvanced

How do you handle conflicting priorities when managing multiple cases?

Work StyleExpert

How do you motivate yourself in boring tasks?

Work StyleAdvanced

How do you deal with constructive criticism?

Work StyleAdvanced

How do you define taking responsibility?

Work StyleAdvanced

How do you ensure attention to detail in your work?

Work StyleAdvanced

How do you handle stress and maintain work-life balance?

Work StyleAdvanced

Teamwork or leadership: which do you prefer?

Work StyleAdvanced

What qualities make you a good lawyer?

Work StyleAdvanced

Why would you be a good trainee?

Work StyleIntermediate

Tell me about a time when you had to work under pressure to meet a tight deadline.

ExperienceAdvanced

Tell me about a time when you made a mistake and how you handled it.

ExperienceAdvanced

Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult team member.

ExperienceAdvanced

Describe a time when you had to learn something completely new quickly.

ExperienceAdvanced

How would you handle a situation where you disagree with a senior partner?

ExperienceExpert

How would you approach building relationships with clients?

ExperienceAdvanced

Describe your experience with legal research and writing.

ExperienceIntermediate

Why did you choose your degree subject?

EducationIntermediate

Why did you choose your university?

EducationIntermediate

How did you find university?

EducationBeginner

What are your modules this year?

EducationBeginner

Favourite module and why?

EducationIntermediate

Least favourite module and why?

EducationIntermediate

Best performing module/subject and why?

EducationIntermediate

Worst performing module/subject and why?

EducationIntermediate

What was your dissertation about and why?

EducationIntermediate

What interests you most about corporate law?

Commercial AwarenessIntermediate

Why are you interested in private equity?

Commercial AwarenessAdvanced

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the legal profession today?

Commercial AwarenessAdvanced

How do you stay current with changes in the legal industry?

Commercial AwarenessIntermediate

How do you stay up to date with news?

Commercial AwarenessIntermediate

What have you read recently and why was it interesting?

Commercial AwarenessIntermediate

Tell us about a news story that relates to our firm.

Commercial AwarenessExpert

View on automation and client service?

Commercial AwarenessExpert

Is automation bad for future trainees?

Commercial AwarenessExpert

What is debt?

Financial KnowledgeIntermediate

What is equity?

Financial KnowledgeIntermediate

What does M&A mean?

Financial KnowledgeIntermediate

What does LBO mean?

Financial KnowledgeAdvanced

What do we mean by an SPV?

Financial KnowledgeAdvanced

What is a derivative?

Financial KnowledgeAdvanced

What is a direct listing?

Financial KnowledgeExpert

Why is the balance sheet important?

Financial KnowledgeIntermediate

What are the ways you can finance an acquisition?

Financial KnowledgeAdvanced

What are the pros and cons of equity vs debt financing?

Financial KnowledgeAdvanced

Pros and cons of debt vs equity?

Financial KnowledgeAdvanced

What are the differences between a warranty, an indemnity, and a representation?

Financial KnowledgeExpert

What do you understand competition to mean in an antitrust context?

Financial KnowledgeExpert

How does this firm stand out from competitors?

Firm KnowledgeAdvanced

Where does our firm sit in the market?

Firm KnowledgeAdvanced

What do you know about our recent cases or deals?

Firm KnowledgeAdvanced

What are your criteria for choosing a firm?

Firm KnowledgeIntermediate

Which other firms have you applied to and why?

Firm KnowledgeAdvanced

If offered TCs at all firms you applied to except us, who would you pick and why?

Firm KnowledgeExpert

What is your application strategy?

Firm KnowledgeAdvanced

What challenges might our clients face now?

Client FocusExpert

What threats do our clients face?

Client FocusExpert

What challenges are we currently facing?

Client FocusExpert

What opportunities should we capitalise on?

Client FocusExpert

What to consider when opening a new international office?

Client FocusExpert

Where should we open our next office?

Client FocusExpert

Why London (or another city)?

LocationIntermediate

Would you want an international secondment? Where?

LocationAdvanced

What would you get out of an international secondment?

LocationAdvanced

"London is the financial hub of the world"—discuss.

LocationExpert

If you were Prime Minister, what law would you enact?

HypotheticalExpert

If you could change one law, what would it be?

HypotheticalExpert

What questions do you have for us about the firm or the role?

QuestionsIntermediate

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