Employers want to hear how important this field is for you, so show your genuine interest in law when providing an answer. Example: "I want to practice law because I'm passionate about bringing justice to clients and upholding the law of our country.
Your answer to this question can position you as the best person for the role and can provide the hiring partner with a glimpse of the knowledge and experience you can bring to the job. Employers want to hear how important this field is for you, so show your genuine interest in law when providing an answer.
Interview Question: "Why Did You Want to Become a Lawyer?" Interviewing for a position as a lawyer means you'll likely encounter several different types of questions that will help the interviewer get to know you, assess your skills and compare your qualifications with what they're looking for.
Reasons can include the following: You have relevant work experience that would help you in this field. The firm is renowned for their work in this particular field. The firm has worked on several high-profile cases or deals that fit your particular interests in the industry or legal field.
Lawyers solve people's problems for them. For example, a client may say that they want to buy a particular business but are unsure what steps they need to take. We help them achieve that goal by working out the best way to buy that business and then help them do it.
So what is the best answer to the question “Why do I want to become a lawyer?” or “Why did I become a lawyer?” Because: I possess and convey knowledge of the ability to communicate and negotiate effectively with others. I welcome the opportunity to face and resolve conflict.
Lawyers are in a unique position to help individuals, groups, and organizations with their legal problems and to further the public good. Public interest lawyers champion legal causes for the greater good of society and help those in need of legal assistance who might not otherwise be able to afford attorneys.
Listening to your clients, listening to witnesses, listening to your opposing counsel, and listening to the court can be the difference between winning and losing a case. Great lawyers take in all relevant information, analyze it, and create a plan of action.
These include, amongst many others, being able to earn a good, secure living – because at some point, everybody needs a lawyer; status – as a traditional profession with good income potential; acquiring the skills to make a difference in the world; using Law to ensure access to justice amongst marginalised communities, ...
Well obviously if you're studying law and planning a legal professional career this question is an easy one. Or is it? I’m not so sure, I see lots of applications from students wanting to work “in a fast paced, ever changing environment”, sometimes also “in an international context” or maybe with a desire “to help others”.”
A “day in the life” of a law firm summer associate looked a little different in 2020 because life was a little different in 2020. Lawyers and law firms always need to be adept at adapting, whether to new regulations, surprising evidence, or evolving business trends, but the pandemic presented unique challenges.
Explanation: When responding to this question, you always want to thank the interviewer for asking the question. This response poses a question back to the interviewer, which helps you get further clarification on what they are looking for. If you can confirm what they need in a candidate, you can then refer to a specific instance where you performed that job duty with a positive outcome.
An interviewer may ask 'why do you want to be a lawyer?' to gain insight into your reasons for entering this career. Answering this question can help employers understand your key motivations and interests in the role, which can be useful for determining your aspirations.
There are various responses you could provide following this question, each bringing distinct advantages. Aim to show the interviewer that you have the right skills, knowledge and ambition to succeed in your answer. You can use this question as an opportunity to market yourself to employers and leave a lasting, positive impression.
Providing a detailed answer can set you apart from other candidates. You may also leave a positive, lasting impression on the interviewer. Outlined below are three example answers that may provide your interviewer with an insight into your ambition, professional work experience and skill set.
Lawyers solve people's problems for them. For example, a client may say that they want to buy a particular business but are unsure what steps they need to take. We help them achieve that goal by working out the best way to buy that business and then help them do it.
Working in the law means that you will deal with people. It is a client-facing industry and you will have to liaise with clients on the telephone, in meetings, via email and at events. This may not appeal to everyone but a good firm will make sure that you are comfortable.
These questions help a hiring partner get to know you a little more by understanding your passions, interests and how you may fit into the firm's culture:
These questions help an interviewer understand how your education and previous experience translate to the role:
An interviewer may ask these questions to get to know how you build a relationship with clients and navigate court issues. These questions also give you a chance to explain your processes and display the parts of your personality that make you the right candidate for the role.
Review these sample interview questions and answers to form your own responses:
Here are some interview tips to consider so you can present yourself well to the hiring partner:
If you have specific goals such as working for a particular disadvantaged group that lacks advocates, then the situation is different: It’s always good to showcase a unique, focused commitment. Even better would be if you had a track record of community service to back up your objectives.
Discussing specific areas of law is a surefire way to demonstrate a mature commitment to the study of law. However, admissions officers certainly do not expect this level of decisiveness. Another way to show your reasons for pursuing law is to tie your interest to personal qualities or skills.
Some people will discover their interest in law through an unplanned encounter. This applicant describes her involvement in an Equal Employment Opportunity suit, then ties this in with her interest in environmental law.
1. Tell me about yourself. This is where you should have your personal story ready. This should be a quick 1-2 minute summary (but no more than 2 minutes!) of what you did before law school, how that path led you to law school, and why you want to be a lawyer at your interviewer’s firm.
First, reflect on your past personal, educational, and work-related experiences. Second, discuss how each experience logically led to the next. This should eventually lead to why you decided to go to law school and why you want to practice law. Third, reflect on your current set of skills and past work experiences.
Practicing attorneys are usually only experts in their practice area. It’s also been years since they have stepped into a law school classroom. During your 1L course, you covered a variety of topics (e.g., criminal law, property, torts, contracts). Look at your interviewer.
Don’t Forget: Interviews are Conversational. Keep in mind that your interviews will be very conversational and your interviewers may interject during your responses with questions. Don’t plan on actually giving your whole spiel. Go along with the conversational flow. Below, are commonly asked questions.
Your leadership experience doesn’t have to relate to a particular job. You can discuss leadership experience gained through your hobbies, academic projects, school organizations, and even volunteering. Use the STAR formula again.
When your interviewer asks you a question, it’s perfectly okay to take a few seconds to digest the question and formulate a response.
Becoming a lawyer means learning how to to negotiate and learning how to manage people. The Carnegie Institute (one of them ) says that 87% of financial success is three things: (1) personality, (2) ability to negotiate, (3) ability to manage people. So, only 13% relates to technical skills.
There is rarely a "correct" answer to any question in law school. In fact, the professors in law school do everything they can to make any questions they ask contain gray areas. They want your structured thoughts, your arguments, your intellect. They do not want a canned, correct response.
You can answer this question by following the steps below to highlight your strengths and make a great impression on the interviewer: 1. Focus on your strengths and skills. Give examples of your strongest skills that make you successful as a lawyer. For instance, your ability to communicate ...
Interviewing for a position as a lawyer means you'll likely encounter several different types of questions that will help the interviewer get to know you, assess your skills and compare your qualifications with what they're looking for.
For instance, your ability to communicate persuasively, your attention to detail and your compassion towards your clients are strengths that you can have as a lawyer that make you successful at doing your job. Your pride in your skills and expertise can show the interviewer how motivated you are to succeed in the career.
The interviewer will likely want to see that your core values and philosophy about practicing law connects with the job responsibilities and their firm's mission and values. Describe the character traits you feel you have developed as a lawyer and how these traits helped shape the values you have today. Then, relate these values to what you know about the company and the clients it serves.