lateral law firm interview questions

Preparing for a law firm call-back or lateral interview can be nerve-racking, especially if you’re the type who tries to guess the questions a firm will ask. Of course, it is impossible to know the exact roadmap for your interview, but you certainly can prepare for some typical legal interview questions, such as

But as any good attorney will tell you, you should ways prepare for the unexpected. Some firms have branched out and use behavioral questions while other firms engage candidates in legal analysis. Practicing responses to a wide variety of questions as you prepare for your interview is ideal. While we can’t provide a call-back crystal ball, we can offer some insight into the array of questions firms may ask. We took a look at Vault’s Annual Associate Survey to find some of the more interesting interview questions law firms have been asking. Below are 14 of the most unique law firm interview questions shared by associates at Vault Law 100 firms in this year’s survey:

While there is no guarantee you will face any particular interview question, trying your hand at a wide variety of practice questions can better prepare you for interview day. The more you practice, the more at ease you will be thinking on your feet during the real interview. But, those interviewing for an associate spot shouldn’t focus solely on questions. Sometimes, it’s more important to prepare for the broader conversation than an interrogation. As one responder to the annual survey shared: “In an ideal world, a screener or callback interview will have few actual questions. The interviewers are looking to have a conversation—honestly, about any area where the interviewer and interviewee click. This could be law-related, about current events, or about things like “Harry Potter.” The key is to be friendly and interesting—as is the key in life, really. If you find an interviewer simply asking you a list of questions, youre either not building a relationship with that interviewer that is going to be particularly helpful, or you got a lemon of an interviewer.”

To read more about your target firms hiring criteria and interview questions, check out its Vault profile.***

Associate Minute: Big Law Lateral Move Part 1

How to Prepare for a Lateral Law Firm Interview

You survived the exhaustion of on-campus interviewing, you got your first job, you got some experience, and now you’re a successful lawyer. You know what you want and you’re going after it. First, take some time to congratulate yourself. You survived the exhaustion of on-campus interviewing,

Let’s walk through them.

InTERVIEW QUESTION: What DO You Do In Your Current Position?A law firm hiring for a lateral position is looking for you to fill a specific role in a specific practice group. The interviewer will want to know if you have the skills to fill that role—so the

Adjectives, nouns, and action verbs, oh my! Next time youre zhuzhing up your resume, heres a great list of resume words to color your resume—and some to avoid.

We hear people describe themselves as detail-oriented all the time. We hear employers say they need the most detail-oriented people on their teams. But what does it actually mean to be detail-oriented? Lets find out.

Phone interviews are the first step to getting that job. Learn the best tricks to ace your phone interview, including common phone interview questions.

You got the job offer, but you dont really want it. Heres how to politely decline a job offer that doesnt fit.

All the writing you need to do in order to get hired can feel daunting if youre not a seasoned writer. Here is how to write a compelling writing sample.

Why did you leave your last job? Heres how to politely explain why you quit your last job in an interview setting.

When its time to deliver your elevator pitch, heres our best advice on making it count.

Cold emailing for jobs is something every human hates, but its often a necessity. The trick is doing it the right way. We took some tricks on cold emailing from salespeople and marketers to try to sell our talents to prospective employers.

Sometimes, its just as important to know what not to do in an interview setting. Here are 12 things to avoid in order to save your next job interview.

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Tips every associate should know.

Now that you have successfully navigated your law school’s On Campus Interviews (“OCI”) and landed at your first big law job, you may be thinking your interview skills are top-notch. In fact, looking back, the entire OCI process was a breeze. You answered questions about your law school experience, your interests, and why you want to be a lawyer. Plus, your law school grades were the envy of your classmates. How difficult will it be to find another position if your first job doesn’t work out?

This may not be obvious if you are a fourth year right now and have been living through fat years in Biglaw, but it can be VERY DIFFICULT. Unlike OCI, law firms only go through the lateral interview process when they are desperate and have an immediate hiring need. So, although at this moment in time for mid-levels we have a lot of variety in clients looking for lateral hires, when you are ready to look for a new job, there may be ZERO opportunities available. So, unless you’re stupid enough to think that you’ve found your dream job and will retire at your firm even though all you have had are a couple of solid reviews (in which case, we don’t want to hear from you), you should always be passively exploring the market. Take an occasional interview. Keep your skills up. Then, when a lateral opening peaks your interest, act quickly. Opportunities don’t wait around.

Plus, if you are looking, other associates looking are too. How do you beat the competition? Remember: Interviewing for a lateral move depends on your body language, appearance, conversational skill, but not really on your GPA and law school standing.

Be Humble and Respectful

Arrogance will get you nowhere in life and there are few things a partner hates more than to interview a 2nd year associate who brags about how great they are and why they are too good for their current firm. You may be scoffing in reading that prior sentence, but this is something several of us have experienced. What’s even worse are people who don’t mean to brag, but they are so incredibly myopic that they don’t understand how they come off. So, check the ego at the door and be pleasant, humble, and respectful. Since you were invited for an interview, there was something on your resume that interested the partner. Focus on your experience and the reason you are looking to make a lateral move. If you have found a recruiter you trust who is experienced, ask that person at some point before your interview to tell you what they think of your presentation. You have fully aligned interests, hopefully, so the answer will be honest. Take it to heart.

I once had a candidate return from a full round of interviews who complained how she “was not impressed by the [insert biglaw name] associates” and thought her experience was superior even though she was a second year attorney working in-house at a bank. The candidate didn’t have any law firm experience-big law or otherwise. As you can probably guess, the candidate’s attitude showed through; she didn’t receive an offer. Moreover, it took her eleven more months to finally land at a big firm. She learned her lesson and accepted that offer on the spot.

Be Early for the Interview

Be at least 15 minutes early for the interview. If your interview is at 10 AM, then show up by 9:45 AM. You will be thankful you were early because this gives you a moment to collect your thoughts, use the restroom, and be in interview mode. This also shows you value and respect the partner’s and recruiting coordinator’s time. You know you killed your chances when the law firm calls you or your recruiter asking where you are at 10 AM. If you are caught in traffic or stuck on the metro, call the firm directly to alert them. If your excuse is legitimate, and it better be, you will probably get a pass. If you get invited back for a second round, leave your house a lot earlier. You cannot be late twice.

Smile, Make Eye Contact and Give a Firm Handshake

In the age of social media, making personal connections is more difficult than ever before. Everyone seems to communicate with their thumbs and in 140 characters. When you meet the recruiting coordinator or law firm partner, remember to look them in the eye, smile, and give a firm handshake. A smile shows you are friendly and eye contact shows you are vested in the conversation and you are present. Still, you have to make sure your smile and eye contact is natural. Don’t be creepy and have a frozen smile and stare. DO NOT, under any circumstances, offer a limp handshake. A limp handshake will usually guarantee you won’t be invited back for a follow up interview because, remember, lateral hiring is done to fill urgent needs only. Someone capable of hitting the front lines is needed. Be that person. Have you ever met a SWAT team member who was timid? Remember, you will be judged on your actions and appearance within the first five seconds of the meeting. You want to be sure you do not do anything that will make the interviewer question your confidence or competence before you even step into the conference room. Again, assuming you have met your recruiter in person, ask him or her for sincere feedback. If you’re dealing with a pro, you will get sincere feedback.

Appearance and Dress Code

Since you have been practicing law, I assume you behave and dress in a professional manner. But, in case you need a reminder, when it comes to dressing for the interview, remember to stick with dark solid colors such as a navy or dark gray suit, and keep jewelry at a minimum. This means no dangling bracelets, or necklaces-you don’t want to create a distraction. For guys, a solid tie with muted colors like dark red or blue, is fine. Make sure you are neatly groomed (hair washed and out of face and facial hair trimmed). Avoid body odor, cologne or perfume. You don’t know who is allergic to cologne or perfume and body odor stinks. I once had a candidate show up at the interview with greasy hair. Instead of the partners focusing on his resume, they questioned privately when was the last time he washed his hair. Again, ask your fully aligned recruiter what his or her opinion is about your appearance. If you’re dealing with a pro, you’ll get an honest and easy to implement answer.

Be a Storyteller

Once you are in the conference room, the partner(s) may jump right in to the questioning. This is your chance to be a storyteller because no one wants rehearsed answers. Relax and remember this is one long conversation-a conversation about YOU. Make sure your answers are genuine because partners are judging you on whether they want to work with you and if you can hold a conversation. They want to work with people who feel comfortable in their own skin, are relaxed and are not robots. Before going into the interview, you should have researched as much about the law firm, the partners’ bios, and the practice group you are interviewing for as you can. How long ago was the firm founded, how many lawyers do they have, what’s the partner/associate (leverage) ratio, who are some of the clients, how are these different from your current situation? If we send you to the interview, we will have prepared you, but in any case, be prepared! Partners will want to understand why you are interested in their firm. It’s OK to be interested, it’s required in order to make a positive first impression. By understanding what makes this firm different from your current one, you will make your story and reason for considering a move more compelling.

Know Your Resume

Nothing will stop an interview in its tracks faster than for a partner to ask you about your membership in an undergraduate fishing club when you do not remember you ever fished. Any information you put on your resume is fair game for questioning. If you published articles in law school or in undergrad, read the articles to jog your memory. You don’t need to know everything word for word, but you should have a general sense of what you did before giving up your life to be a law firm associate.

Partners will ask you questions about the types of cases or transactions you are working on. Give three or four examples you can speak about off the top of your head. Partners like to ask specific questions about your work to gauge your experience level and to determine whether your experience is equivalent to similar situated associates at their firm. If you are asked a question you do not know the answer to, be honest. Not much is worse than an interviewee who is seen to lie or exaggerate.

Have Questions

At the close of the interview you will be asked whether you have any questions. If you have been engaged, YOU WILL HAVE QUESTIONS. In case you are stumped, some frequent and important questions you can ask are: 1) How is work assigned in the practice group? 2) What is the firm’s growth plan for the next 5 years? 3) What is a typical day for an associate? 4) What are some transactions/cases you will be working on if you joined the firm? 5) Who are the partners you will be working with? There should be no reason you don’t have any questions the next time you interview.

Thank You Notes

Everyone seems to have a difference in opinion when it comes to “thank you” notes. I love thank you notes. Plus, when was the last time you heard anyone say they hate receiving a note saying, “Thank you?” The only time you shouldn’t send thank you notes is from your mobile phone as you are walking out of the interview. In this situation, your thank you notes are not appreciated because the method of delivery shows thoughtlessness. Send thank you notes through email or handwritten that same evening or the following morning. Don’t wait more than one day to send them out. If you met with more than one partner, send each note separately. Keep the note short and sweet; thank everyone you met for their time and reiterate your interest in the position. If you met with associates, you can ask the partner to express your gratitude to them. Name them individually in the note. I once had a candidate who didn’t heed my advice and the law firm he interviewed with asked me three days later why they haven’t received a thank you note from him. Don’t be that candidate.

“Fit” is a catch-all category with multiple elements. While there are no set interview questions that speak directly to this, the areas of focus are:

(Note: If a firm has specifically reached out to you in a targeted fashion, the importance of this question is obviously minimized during the interview since you are simply responding to an invitation. Nonetheless, even if the firm is contacting you and courting you, you should still be prepared to explain — at some point — why you are receptive to the overture.)

In terms of answering the “Why are you considering a move?” interview question, examples of some of the responses that are most well-received by new firms include:

The most important thing interviewers want to know about a candidate is: “Why are you considering a move?”

Here, firms are exploring whether you are likely to develop business on your own, either from new clients or current firm clients who could benefit from your skillset. There are situations where partners have developed significant amounts of business at their current firms, but due to the institutional nature of the work, the work is not portable. Most firms place more of an emphasis on immediately portable business. This can be helpful in terms of your ability to generate business internally, but firms place a much higher value on partner candidates who have strong enough client relationships such that those clients will follow to the new firm.

FAQ

How do I prepare for a lateral interview?

1. Be prepared to talk about your representative matters. …
2. Assemble an effective deal sheet or representative matters list. …
3. Look professional. …
4. Do sufficient background research and prepare informed questions. …
5. Speak clearly and concisely.

What questions are asked in a law interview?

• Why do you want to practice law? …
• What are your strengths as a lawyer? …
• What do you want your clients to know about you?

How do you impress a law firm interview question?

1. Do your research. Lawyers are known for being good researchers. …
2. Be presentable and dress your best. …
3. Come prepared to ask questions. …
4. Be personable and show enthusiasm. …
5. Be genuine. …
6. Promptly send a thank-you note.

How do I prepare for a 1l interview?