Recently, TruPath helped place a litigation attorney in a promising position, instilling optimism and excitement for this new hire’s legal career. However, we know searching for an excellent fit for a strong litigation attorney can be difficult, so keep reading to learn about the best litigation attorney interview questions. You’ll also get an idea of some quality answers that strong candidates should be able to provide.
Give an example where you’ve been in a difficult situation requiring the use of good judgment.
This is a fairly generic question. But good judgement and the ability to analyze situations quickly and act calmly is a key component of work in the legal field. You want the litigation attorney, whose job is ultimately to represent your company in a positive way, to act accordingly.
Briefly discuss your experience in the litigation field. Then, tell us about something interesting not included on your resume.
While you can largely assess their career experience on their resume, have the candidate walk you through the resume. This provides more in-depth anecdotes about their educational/career experience that can determine if they’re a solid fit for the position. Since professional applicants often try to keep their resumes to a page, it’s possible they have some relevant or interesting experience to share that’s not easily accessible on their resume, so asking this in an interview is a good way to dig deeper into their skills and abilities.
Some strengths the candidate could mention, related to litigation? Oral advocacy, the ability to think on your feet, to work under pressure, to negotiate effectively and to advocate confidently and assertively.
Why did you choose law?
You want your litigation attorney to be passionate about the field. He or she should also prove a true asset to the company. A strong candidate should be able to articulate clearly what’s attractive about the legal field. Furthermore, why does the candidate want to bring his/her passions and strengths in the legal realm to your firm?
Tell me about a case you worked on that stood out and why.
This is one of the best litigation attorney interview questions, revealing the sorts of experiences the candidate has had previously. What was the verdict in this case? What was the candidate’s role throughout the proceedings? Watch the interviewee’s facial expressions as he/she describes the case, to gauge a level of passion for the work.
Why are you interested in our firm?
A great candidate will have researched your law firm prior to the interview. Has the candidate checked out information in Martindale-Hubbell, NALP forms and online? Has he or she researched news articles and recent cases completed at your firm? A top-tier candidate will have spoken with people who know about the organization or who worked there before (such as 3Ls who just worked a summer role there). What does the candidate mention regarding the reputation of your organization? What about the practice area, size of the employer or geographic location? Does the candidate express interest in prominent partners or associates at the firm, or interesting cases you might be involved with? Can he or she recite the nature of the clientele, and so forth? Look for genuine enthusiasm about this opportunity — through body language, facial expressions and tone of voice.
What other litigation attorney interview questions would you add to this list? Let us know! Contact TruPath if you’re looking to hire a litigation attorney or other member of your firm or organization.
As a trusted recruitment source for more than a decade, TruPath has the industry knowledge and a proven model to help our partners feel comfortable in their search for a candidate.
Through our TruProcess, we are able to consistently deliver exceptional candidates that help organizations continue down successful paths. Contact TruPath today to tell us about your staffing needs.