Why do you want to become a solicitor or barrister? 

 

​

• Keep your response personal. They don’t want to hear the same answer ‘I want to help people’. Sure that is a good answer but it is also a generic answer. You want to make yourself stand out. To do so think of a memory maybe a time where you’ve seen injustice or a time you’ve seen justice being served. Explain how an event made you desire to become a lawyer.

• Always try and make your want to be a lawyer relevant to the law firm that you’re applying for. This will show a keen interest and it will also show that you have truly thought about the firm.

​

Why us?

 

​

This is your time to show off. Think of it as if you were talking about your favourite show or book. Make sure you know it inside out, show your passion after all this could become your firm. Make sure to pay attention to their key areas, they’re strengths and weaknesses. Don’t fail to mention how you could contribute to their strengths and improve their weaknesses as a firm.

 

 

Could you tell us about a time where you were... helpful, a negotiator, confident, a team worker, had good time management.

​

 

This question will always be used as it encourages a candidate to answer a question with a personal example. Saying you’re good at teamwork isn’t good enough. Tell them how, when, how could this be used to help the firm.

​

What area of law would you improve and why? 

​

 

We will all have a law or an area of law that we find inconsistent, illogical and pointless. After all we are law students. Use this prior knowledge as a student to argue why a law in your opinion is utterly useless and then make suggestions as to what can be done to improve it.

 

What are your biggest strengths? 

​

 

Often people struggle with this question. Understandably you don’t want to come across as arrogant or self-absorbed. A great way to tackle this question is to back up why you believe you’re a good team player or a great negotiator. You need to convince your interviewer that you are what you say you are, after all you are slightly biased so make sure to give evidence. 

 

What motivates you?

​

 

Again this is a great question to use examples to back up your point. Everyone will have something that motivates them, some times money, a promotion, good grades, dream job. Take the time to explain how you have been motivated in the past to achieve a goal and this motivation has resulted in you achieving this goal. Since you’re being interviewed for a career in law it would seem relevant to show that you are motivated to join the firm and carry out x, y and z. You believe your personal motivation will allow you to do this...