Legal Interview Tips: Private Practice and In-House

Here at Harvey John, we like to take interview prep to the next level: think 30 tabs open with company profiles, LinkedIn pages, news articles, and ranking lists all compiled into one place.

Rather than gatekeeping, we figured we’d share the top tips from our interview confirmation emails for the world to see. Behold: our top legal interview tips, and make sure to scroll to the bottom for the aesthetically pleasing PDF versions!

First things first: practicalities

Who are you meeting, and where? What do you need to know?

If it’s a face-to-face interview, you’ll need to work out travel arrangements, such as knowing the length of your drive or researching public transport schedules. Ensure you have the correct directions; know in advance where to park and which entrance to use. 

Remember, while eagerness is encouraged, arrive no more than 5 minutes early to avoid inconveniencing busy interviewers.

If it’s a video call, make sure your WiFi is stable, your camera is angled according to your eyeline, the lighting is suitable, and your surroundings are quiet.

Knowing yourself

Utilise your resources beforehand

Take a good look at the job description (or an overview of the role that your recruiter has provided in lieu of this) to ensure you understand the requirements of the role, comparing it to your CV. Cross-referencing the job description against your experience will ensure that you showcase how relevant your experience is to the role. 

Questions are likely to be based on the information found in your CV, so make sure you read it thoroughly, particularly as we will have reformatted it before sending it to the company/firm.

Your salary expectations, general requirements, and working preferences will be shared beforehand, so make sure you’re clear on these to get started on the right foot.

Think outside the box

Feel free to keep a physical copy of your CV with you to rely on if need be, but try your best not to use it in the interview itself. After all, it’s your experience, and you should know it well.

Instead, you should be able to expand on your CV, adding substance and talking about your experience confidently, concisely, and with clarity. Pull on examples of matters you have dealt with when answering technical questions. 

What are your hopes for future progression? They will want to know whether this role aligns with your long-term career aspirations.

Know the company

On their website…

Take a close look at the different pages and services they offer, and read about the different teams and structure of the wider company, if applicable. This will showcase your understanding of the company, including their background and values, in terms of social and charitable pursuits, as well as their culture. You should also get an overview of the company and its history compared to where they’re at now, giving you an idea of its capacity for growth; this is particularly prevalent if you’re interviewing in-house.

Elsewhere…

Find the interviewers’ LinkedIn profiles and take a look; you could find some common ground that will make all the difference in your upcoming meeting. Conversely, who are their competitors? You’d be surprised at what information you can pick up that will give you an edge and show your understanding of who you’ll be working with.

Research is key

Show that you have a genuine interest

Reputation: Take a good look at their website so you get a clear and solid view of what the company does—in terms of services provided or products sold. This will give you a clearer understanding as to how the legal team may be required to support the business.

If you’re interviewing with a law firm, take a look at the Legal 500 and Chambers rankings and read reviews and case studies to see if you get a feel for the calibre of clients they work with.

Location: Work out what geographical remit they cover to get a feel for the jurisdictions you might need to support. Recognising the company’s reach, whether local or international, will give you a better understanding of the types of matters you’ll work on. Additionally, your role may require travel to other offices, and it’s always handy to know where all your colleagues are spread out!

Marketing: Find their media output, particularly on LinkedIn or their website’s news/insight pages; read this material along with reviews, if applicable, to get a feel for the calibre of clients/customers they work with.

Values: Take a look at their values, and align yourself with them.

Size: Is the company or firm a subsidiary of a wider group? If so, what does the group look like? And, are there any recent mergers or acquisitions that you need to be aware of?

The team: At HJ, we’ll provide you with a detailed overview of the existing legal team and where you would slot into that team. If you’re figuring this out for yourself, familiarise yourself with the company’s About Us pages, along with their LinkedIn profiles.

Etiquette: the do’s and don’ts

Do…

• Come armed with questions, and make sure to ask a thoughtful question at the end! Write them down and keep them on you, if need be.
• Appreciate that your interviewers are taking their time to speak to you.
• Use the STARV interview method.

Don’t…

• Mention benefits, working arrangements, or salary. They’re aware of your expectations, and we can find out anything you’d like to know.
• Be confident in your experience, but be careful not to appear arrogant. 
• Don’t be damning of your current or previous employers. It’s a small world!

What now?

Did they indicate next steps?

There could be several meetings after the first interview, which is not always initially clear. Don’t be afraid of asking how it went; this could give you some great insight.

If you’re working with a recruiter, remember to take some time to call them after your interview to share your feedback and initial thoughts.

Take your interview prep to the next level with our cheat sheets

Find our legal interview tips cheat sheets linked below, where all of the above is neatly compiled and ready to download, so you can use them whenever you need to. We’ve even separated them into Private Practice and In-House, to cover all bases.

Legal Interview Tips for Private Practice

Legal Interview Tips for In-House

If you’re keen to find a new position and like the sound of a recruiter who goes above and beyond, reach out to our legal team, Hayley or Chloë, for more information.