27 Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 5 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
1. Have you been involved in a corporate tax audit before? What did you learn from that experience?
How to Answer
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP is often called upon for their legal guidance when a business is facing a tax audit. For this question, your interviewer is looking to see if you have experience working under IRS audit conditions and to hear what vital information you could bring to the team if hired. If you have experience, talk in detail about the type of organization you represented and what the audit entailed. If you don't have direct experience working with an IRS audit, talk about your working knowledge of the audit process and what your role would be in that.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Two years ago, I represented a small business that retained my firm after being notified of an audit. From the start, it was pretty easy to understand that the business owner had failed to report some pretty significant chunks of business income based on records that weren't reported. When it appeared like the IRS was poised to bring in their criminal investigation team, I worked with the client and the auditor to negotiate the standard settlement of interest on missed payment plus a 20% penalty. The client was extremely pleased to avoid potential stricter penalties and learned some important lessons moving forward with their business."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Two years ago, I was brought in to a very large, well known corporation that was receiving a tax audit from the IRS. While knowing that the accounting and finance procedures of the organization were spot on, my role was mainly to fully prepare them for the field audit that was happening in two weeks. Knowing the audit process well and reading the request from IRS, I was able to work with them on preparation for the field meeting in having all documentation prepared and being ready for any form of questions the auditors would bring. On the day of the audit, I was onsite representing the team and audit went very well."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2. Talk about a creative way that you helped ease the tax burden for a business during your career. How did you help put this process into place?
How to Answer
Modern corporate tax law allows organizations a lot of personal freedom to change the ways they do business to help lessen their taxes on a year to year basis. Your role with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP could potentially entail you working with clients to find creative solutions to their tax issues and to get a better sense of how you would do this, your interviewer is looking to judge off of a prior example from your career. If you are new to the field or young in your career, it is okay to speak from the hypothetical 'what you would do' scenario.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"As you can see from my time working in private practice, a majority of my clients were running and operating small businesses and this client base was very vulnerable to heavy tax burdens. But fortunately, they were also open to the most lenient ways to be creative with their finances and process to help ease their tax burden. With a client a couple of years ago, I helped evaluate their situation of hiring seasonal employees and employees full-time that were laid off at certain times of the year. In the evaluation, it proved to be extremely more cost-effective to hire most employees as contractors to help lessen costs like Social Security and Medicare taxes while also making sense from their business perspective as well. I helped this client set up all necessary paperwork and processes for hiring contracted help moving forward in the future."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"With a large corporate client last year, I helped lead the educational side of training their finance staff to find deductions for depreciation of their equipment. Being a large manufacturer with a great deal of investment in capital equipment, they were missing out on this key loophole to corporate tax law and my education and insight helped them see a huge tax savings for that year."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
3. If hired here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, how would you best build trusting relationships with our clients?
How to Answer
The law firm/client relationship is built upon trust and your interviewer at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP knows how important building trusting relationships is to the success of both the firm and the client. For you, it is important to understand and demonstrate that a trusting relationship helps open lines of communication and increases cooperation of the client in helping build cases. Talk about your own personal attributes and how they help foster and build trust with the clients you would be working with and reiterate to your interviewer why you believe trust is such an important factor in the relationships you will have with clients.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"For clients that I personally work with, a trustful relationship is the number one priority for me to show my clients that I care about them and that I am invested in the best possible outcome for them. To help build trust from the start, communication is key. I actively listen to them and show respect for their thoughts and opinions. If I disagree with them on anything, I do so professionally and tactfully while educating them on my thoughts. From there, I am quick with my decision making and setting of goals with clients and this greatly helps them trust me and us moving forward as a team."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Having worked as a Paralegal in a large firm, I've always tried to put a personal touch on my work with clients by showing them they are a top priority for me. I keep very detailed files on clients and have the ability to talk to them about their personal cases. As well, I stay in continuous communication with my clients and help set expectations for them regarding what they can anticipate from me and their attorney. All of these things are vital to my clients placing their trust in me and my firm and I'd look to bring these qualities to the team here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
4. Talk about a time your ethics were challenged on the job. How do you react to those situations in the legal profession?
How to Answer
The legal field in general unfortunately will always provide ethical challenges for those that work in the field and life is no different at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. Your interviewer will be looking to hear that you are able to separate your own personal ethical standards from business matters by having you cite an example where you had to do this. In your answer, talk about the situation and even feel free to talk about why you were challenged ethically in that situation. In the end, make sure that your interviewer sees that you have the ability to separate personal feelings from your job.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"During my career, there have been a few times where the attorney-client privilege has certainly tested my personal beliefs and opinions but I always keep level headed and focused on the rights of my client. In this business, the client is priority number one and this was most tested when I had a client that was being held on a string of charges, the worst in my mind being child neglect. During our initial conversation in the jail, she admitted to going on long drug binges and failing to feed her children and bathing them properly. Being a parent and a caring person, these accounts were extremely hard to hear first hand from someone. Hearing her rationalize her actions towards her children was making me extremely mad on the inside, but I had to and did remain focused on gathering the facts from her and proceeding forward."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Last year, our firm was handling the defendant's case of a very high profile case in our city. While I have known that this would one day happen with the sudden prominence of social media, I noticed many family, friends and community members were posting incorrect facts about the case and the rumor mill was certainly starting to spread around town. Being a part of the discovery of the case, I knew that most of the rumors just weren't true. As much as I wanted to correct people, I had to maintain strict confidentiality and wait for the facts to play out at trial."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
5. Employment law often involves deep human emotion when bonds are supposedly broken between employee and employer. How do you separate your personal feelings and emotions when involved with a case?
How to Answer
This question gets to the root of your ability to keep your own personal feelings and biases out of your work while working to the letter of the law in what is best for your clients. In the practice of employment law, you have been involved with cases that have involved potential injustice to the rights of workers and/or employers and you need to stress your ability to keep your own thoughts and feelings separate from your work. The best way to do so is through an example or two of a case that you worked on.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Recently, I was consulting a large employer that was moving forward with a mass layoff and part of my role was to ensure that the organization was selecting the right employees to layoff based on performance records. I spent many days reviewing performance reviews, improvement plans and disciplinary actions and my own personal thought was that the employer was really an organization filled with high performing people. While in my heart I felt for the employees that would soon be out of work, my duty to the organization was to help them take the best action legally and I did just that through a thorough and well documented process. If hired here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, I will bring the ability to remain focused on the best interest of your clients at all times."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"As part of my pursuit of my law degree, I received great advice to train in emotional intelligence and the training I received has both helped me be able to relate to and recognize the emotions of other and also to recognize and control my own emotions in the legal setting. A couple of years ago, I was representing an employer that was facing a wrongful termination lawsuit. During the discovery period, quite an extensive list of emails that included discriminatory remarks and harassment toward the terminated employee surfaced. I knew that the emails were certainly wrong and made me personally feel horrible for the employee, I was still able to focus on my representation of the organization and proceeding through the case ethically and professionally."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
6. What was your motivation for pursuing a career in the field of law/legal services?
How to Answer
As your experience and education were reviewed and desired by the hiring manager for the position you are interviewing for, this question is giving them the chance to really hear about your own personal motivators for your career in law. This is an opportunity for you to show what has driven you up to this point in your career and what will continue to drive you to help bring success to Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. Be open and honest with your interviewer as you give them insight into your own personal motivating factors.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"My venture into a career as a lawyer stemmed from my passion for helping people meeting with my desire to be intellectually challenged throughout my career. I love the fact that I've had to stay on my toes throughout my career to this point to learn and be up to date on changes in laws as they relate to my clients. I am a lifelong learner in this field and I always look forward to new educational opportunities for myself in this field. Along with this, I absolutely love working with clients and their legal rights. I am a client first advocate in the legal profession and my work is ultimately for them."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"My passion for the field of law stemmed my pursuit of a degree as a Paralegal. My aunt is a very successful trial attorney and she was definitely a role model for me during my teenage years. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to shadow her for a two day period for a report my sophomore year of high school and the drive to be in this field was ingrained at that point. Having worked as a Paralegal for five years now, I have a desire to pursue a Juris Doctorate degree and am slowly preparing for the LSAT's now."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
7. What in particular about our firm here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP interests you both personally and professionally?
How to Answer
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and your interviewer are looking to find the perfect match for the position that you are interviewing for and to do this, they are looking to hear firsthand what truly interests you in the firm. Be sure to do your research on Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and be able to speak about an aspect or two that appeals to you both personally and professionally. Putting a personal touch on your answer will help your interviewer understand that you will be invested into your job and be more likely to stay for the long haul versus your competition for the position.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"As I've been searching for the right firm to join, the one aspect about Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP that really appeals to me is your international exposure and client base. My background and strong Spanish speaking skills could be a great asset to your firm and my desire to practice in international tax and corporate law would fit very well with what you are looking for."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"In all honesty, this position is the only one that would pull me away from my current practice and that drawing factor that you have here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP is your reputation. The class, dignity and knowledge that are present among the staff here is world class and definitely a practice that I would take great pride in being a part of."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
8. When we look for diligent and effective people to join our real estate law team here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, the ability to effectively research legal options and write contracts are vital to our success as a firm. Talk about your ability
How to Answer
With local and state laws being so unique in real estate, the need to effectively learn and research the laws couples with the need to be able to write effective deeds and contracts. To prove your worth to Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, talk about your experience in working in real estate law as it applies to both research and writing and be sure to talk about a specific example where you were able to customize/personalize a deed or contract based on your abilities.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Having practiced in Oregon for the last eight years, I worked with many clients on the local Homestead laws and last year I worked with a family in a unique situation after the father had passed away. Facing some financial trouble from many avenues, I recommended that the family first focus on debts surrounding their property and mortgage as financing on the home and property were not a part of the Homestead exemption. I researched the best way for them to claim the exemption when creditors were coming for their home and the family was really held together in the end by their ability to keep their home and property."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Having worked as a Paralegal on the real estate side for a few years now, I have a wealth of experience in drafting purchase agreements, title documents and mortgage documents. In my current position, I have to work around a great deal of local and state laws and I fully realize that I would have a steep learning curve of local laws here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. If hired for this position, my first goal would be to learn local nuances to contracts and other documents so I could be up and running as part of the team as quick as possible."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
9. Talk about a recent time on the job you were working under pressure or stress. How did you cope with that situation and ensure everything was handled smoothly?
How to Answer
In the legal field, working under pressure should come naturally to you. Working with multiple clients on multiple cases under tight deadlines is something you've likely faced many time throughout your career to this point, so be sure to talk about a recent time that you handled with ease. Highlight the little things that you do that ensure each client and case is handled to the best of your ability and don't hesitate to point out to your interviewer that you will be able to handle situations like this when faced with them while working for Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"A couple of months ago, a colleague went out on maternity leave and we all had to work together at my firm to pick up the slack for our clients. While handling a full work load myself, the ability to handle everything with ease started with my ability to maintain self control and handle tasks one by one. Keeping a running to do list is important for me and I have the ability to prioritize and even delegate when needed and those abilities were key during this time. In the end when my colleague came back, I received some letters from clients that were very pleased with my service and a colleague that was extremely happy for the help provided."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Recently, my job had a huge influx of new clients when we added a new attorney to our practice. Without adding another body as a Paralegal, I took the extra work on with my head up and a smile on my face. The key for me was to keep a level head and remain as organized as possible to ensure that key tasks weren't missed. My organization starts with a running tasks list and updated calendar in Microsoft Outlook. This is a vital tool to help me during times of stress and certainly helped me during this time. Once the heavy work load fizzled, two of the partners at my firm surprised me with a lunch to thank me for my help."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
10. Outside of work, what type of creative activities do you like to pursue?
How to Answer
A genuinely creative minded person will have outside activities aside from what's happening in the workplace. These activities are important in helping people working in the field of law to unwind and refresh while outside of work while also keeping the mind in a great and healthy place.
Tell the interviewer about the variety of ways in which you express your creativity and explain why this is important to you.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Outside of work, my passion is art. My husband and I spend many vacation weeks away to awesome art destinations like Paris, New York City and Rome. A passion like art has definitely sparked some internal inspiration and motivation for me to be creative in finding solutions for clients by opening the abstract portion of my mind in problem solving."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"I think it's important to exercise creativity in a variety of ways to help me refresh after a busy work day or work week. I'm actively involved in youth sports and I currently serve as a coach for the local youth soccer team in my neighborhood. This hobby helps me become a better educator while helping me stay in shape as well. I find the time spent working with the kids very satisfying and inspirational to me personally."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
11. What are your interests and hobbies outside of work?
How to Answer
While this question can be a pretty standard interview question, the motivation of the interviewer here is two-fold. First, law firms can often operate like a family and life at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP is no different. Your interviewer will be looking to see if you will be a cultural and personal fit with the team so be sure to be open and honest with what personally interests you. Second, having personal interests that tie into the organization is important so be sure to do your research on Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and the job and try to think of hobbies of your that directly relate to them.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"My biggest passion when I'm not advocating for clients is being outdoors. My family and I are avid hikers, kayakers and bikers and we spend all of the time we can in the great outdoors. For me personally, being outside really helps me re-energize and prepare for a new day ahead on the job. Other than being outside, another hobby of mine is reading and I've been very entranced lately in historical books about the drafting of the United States Constitution."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Outside of work, my loves in my life are my family and personal fitness. I avidly participate in running and biking events and have recently been training to run my first marathon this upcoming summer. Family interests include athletics for my two sons, who actively participate in baseball, cross country and basketball. We spend many evenings and weekends traveling around the state to watch them and cheer them on and I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything in the world."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
12. At Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, employee satisfaction is very important. To ensure that you would be happy here, what brings you satisfaction in your day to day work?
How to Answer
With the varying landscape of the legal field and the variety of firms that are out there, your interviewer at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP will be looking to make sure that you are a good fit the position by having you talk about what brings you joy in your work. By doing your research on Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and the job you are interviewing for ahead of your interview, you should be able to be open and honest about what makes you happy in your work while ensuring that your satisfaction factors match what Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP can offer with this job.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"I've read the studies and surveys about job satisfaction being the lowest among attorneys in the United States when compared to all other jobs and I'm a firm believer that many people in this field have chased the dream for wrong reasons like money and prestige. I pursued a career in law to help fight and advocate for clients where no one else can and that is what drives me to succeed and brings me here to this interview with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. Employment law has developed into a passion and I greatly looking forward to focusing on that aspect here in the future."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"In my five years working as a Paralegal, the litigation side of the business has definitely been the most intriguing and fun for me and that is the reason I applied for this position. I am very good at the investigative part of the pre-claim process and I have a lot of experience and success in interviewing witnesses and taking statements. This work is both gratifying and exciting for me and you'll find that I excel in these areas if you select me for this position."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
13. Talk about the most difficult work situation you have found yourself in and explain how you used sound judgement to find a great outcome?
How to Answer
During your training and through your career up to this point, you have certainly faced some difficult situations that you could easily discuss with your interviewer. But your interviewer isn't so much interested in the situation here as they are in your ability to think on your feet and use your best personal judgement to make the situation better. In the example you give, be sure to prepare for a time where you can exemplify this ability with success.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Early in my career as a litigator for a large firm that handled criminal defense cases, I was slammed with a very large caseload almost always. In the months leading up to the Christmas period, I had three high profile trials that were all progressing to dates that would fall very near each other. After motioning to have some of the cases moved around with no leniency from the court, I had to think fast and work ahead as much as possible to ensure that all three cases were handled to the best of my ability. When crunch time came, I approached a colleague and their paralegal for all of the help I could get and they willingly obliged. With all three cases heading to trial without a hitch, I was very thankful for my resourcefulness and made sure to pay the favor back to my colleague the next time he needed it!"
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"During my time arbitrating employment disputes for the state of California and mostly handling unemployment cases, I encountered one particularly difficult situation where things got physical in the conference room of the county workforce resource center. My cases mostly involved disputes when companies would fight the payment of unemployment benefits based on malfeasance of the employee. During one particular case, a tow truck company was disputing a claim by a terminated employee and during arbitration, the supervisor from the company accused the terminated employee of harassing other employees and creating a fearful work environment. With that said, the terminated employee reached over the table and grabbed the supervisor by the collar of his shirt and started swinging. Being a female that is small in stature, my first instinct was to run and grab a member of the building's security team and they reacted quickly. When matters had settled, I immediately postponed the hearing and warned both parties that security would be present in a week when we met again. A final warning to the terminated employee was to let him know that charges would be pressed if any outbursts should occur the next time."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
14. What experience do you have in working with large scale construction companies on state and federal regulations? Would this be an area that would interest you?
How to Answer
Regulatory law firms are often called upon to represent large construction companies to ensure that all federal, state and local regulations are being met throughout a project. These companies can range from home building contractors to road construction companies. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear what type of experience you have in the broad area of working with construction outfits. If you don't have direct experience in this area, be sure to talk about some areas of construction regulations that you may have experience in. Example of this could be alternative dispute resolution, OSHA, building codes or insurance.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"With my current firm, we represent a couple of large construction companies and my role as a paralegal has me drafting payment agreements, contracts and completing applications for building permits and zoning. If hired for this position, I would be able to hit the ground running as I have familiarity with regulations in the state of New Jersey ."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"This area definitely does interest me as I have had a lot of success in both settling cases both outside litigation and with litigation. Last year, I represented a commercial builder in a construction defect lawsuit that went to trial. The work of myself and my firm helped save the builder a large amount of money in a potential lawsuit based strictly on how the contract was written. Seeing it hold up at trial was very satisfying to me professionally."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
15. With our diverse range of clients here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, are there any specific areas of intellectual property law that interest you the most?
How to Answer
For this question, be open and honest with your interviewer in talking about where your interests fall within your legal practice. This will better help them assess where and how you will fit with the team and best align you with the right clients if you are hired for the position. Do your research on Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP to find out if there are any particular areas that they specialize in and be sure to read the position description in detail when you apply to pick up on any cues for what they may be looking for in this hire and use that knowledge to your advantage.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"While I have a broad range of skills as a paralegal in intellectual property, I have loved working with trademarks for some very high profile clients. Being a sports fan, I have helped in the registration process for two major sports teams in their trademarking of their logo."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Since I start practicing law during the advent of the internet age, I became very adept at representing and litigating cases involving illegal distribution of copyrighted materials. My experience has involved me working with musicians and authors on their material being used illegally. My experience in this realm would help me bring unique experiences and expertise to the team here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
16. To better help serve our diverse client base here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, do you have an area of sub-specialization that you would prefer to focus on if hired?
How to Answer
Administrative and regulatory law spans a wide spectrum of industries and focuses in the legal aspect and for this question, your interviewer will be looking to find out where your strengths are and what clients you would best be suited to represent. Prior to your interview, make sure you do your homework on Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP to be able to highlight your skills and interests that best suit their needs. Don't be afraid to talk about your personal motivations for sub-specializing to really highlight your interests to your interviewer.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
Answer Example
"After practicing in a pretty general matter as an Administrative Attorney for several years following law school, my passion has always steered towards working with businesses on environmental protection laws. As you can see from my experience, I have worked with many large manufacturing organizations along the west coast in the states of Oregon and Washington. My passion for this section of the trade really stems from my inner desire to do what is right for the earth. Being an advocate for the law and potential healthy changes to the law not only benefits my clients, but also future generations that will follow in our footsteps."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
17. Working with clients here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP entails the need for strong finance and accounting principles. Why is this important and what will you bring to the team here in this realm if hired?
How to Answer
In the legal field surrounding tax law, attorneys work side by side with accounting and finance departments to ensure that laws and regulations are adhered to from the company's perspective. Because of this, representatives from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP must have working knowledge of finance and accounting departments and their principles to be as successful as possible. Talk about the importance of speaking knowledgeably about these principles and pull from your experience and education to explain why you'll be able to do this.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, my pursuit of this profession involved a dual law degree and CPA education and this path has been vital to my success thus far in my career. The CPA side of my practice has been vital in helping clients develop new processes and techniques for changes in legal processes, making me a two headed ally for them as their legal representation in tax law."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"My inspiration for pursuing a career in tax law really stemmed from my early days post-bachelor degree in the business world. There, I was exposed to the finance side of a large retail business where I learned many things. When the time came to apply and get accepted into law school, the solid job prospects and exciting work made this career a no-brainer for me. If fortunate enough to come work for Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, you will quickly find that my business experience and acumen will make me a key player on the team here."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
18. What do you consider to be the most difficult case or project you have worked on during your career?
How to Answer
With this question, your interviewer is not just looking to hear what you felt was the most difficult case or project you have worked on during your career to this point. While you should do a good job of painting the picture of what the case entailed, spend as much time as possible in explaining your process for helping facilitate the best outcome possible and the steps you took to get there. Prepare an answer that keep the process as much in mind as the end goal for this question.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Last year I worked on a patent infringement case where we were attempting to prove that the infringement was willful. After reviewing all of the case details with my client's executive, R&D and sales teams, I thought we had a case in that the infringing companies lead R&D Scientist had been formally employed by my client. I assembled a team from the client to help pull any communications and meeting notes that the competing scientist would have been a part of. The planning stage of the product in question had started almost eight years prior and the scientist had left employment six year prior, so there was a two year window that they would have been digging from. With my advice on when to dig and what to look for, the substantial record keeping of a couple of individuals helped prove our case of willful infringement and was a huge win for my client."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"With the Supreme Court significantly narrowing the trade dress protections that companies have around their packaging and labeling, I had a difficult case last year with a statewide business that was claiming trademark infringement on their logo by a competing line of convenience stores. When the competitor rebranded their signage and logo in the same color and same font, my client felt they had a legit case for infringement. In court, the burden of proof was on us and I utilized branding experts and consumer feedback on the distinct similarities in the signage and logo. Quickly, a cease and desist was immediately issued to the competitor by the court. What made this case difficult was working within recent Supreme Court rulings that had further defined what could be considered an infringement."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
19. What would make you a great trial advocate if you were to join the team here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP?
How to Answer
The decision to work for Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP will put you in the middle of a team of very experienced and dedicated individuals who strive to succeed when cases go to trial. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear what your key qualities, traits and/or experiences are that will make you key player on their team for their clients. This question gives you the opportunity to talk yourself and your abilities up a bit, so be sure to prepare to speak about what sets you apart from your competition for this position.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Looking back on my career up to this point, I can honestly say that a a great deal of my success in working with clients and winning cases has stemmed from my interpersonal skills. I have a charming and likable demeanor when I am speaking in front of people and this plays very well with jurors. I also have the ability to analyze the body language and tone of people when I am cross examining to be able to ask the right questions that pull as much information as possible. When in front of the judge and jury, I feel right at home and I won't hesitate to send you footage from some high profile cases that I have worked if you would like."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"If hired to join the team here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, my experience preparing subpoenas and evaluating jurors would prove to be vital to your attorneys. I would bring superior organization skills and analytical skills to your cases going to trial and you can rest assured knowing that I can be tasked with any duties surrounding cases with little oversight."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
20. What drew you to an interest in pursuing a career in real estate law? What excites you each day to be successful in this area?
How to Answer
For this question, your interviewer is really looking for your own personal motivation to be successful in your career choice. Be sure to hit on the skills and abilities that you possess that make you successful in real estate law while also reiterating that you are easily motivated each and every day on the job. Both Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and their clients will depend on your ability to do so.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Going to law school as really an open book and looking to find my niche, real estate law was very easy for me to gravitate to because of my ability to be detailed in contracts and agreements while upholding the letter of the law. I also really loved the opportunity to work with very high profile clients on helping their businesses succeed through new land purchases. Still being pretty young in my career, my main motivator are my clients that I represent and they are truly the only need I have to be motivated for success in my work."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"Growing up, I watched my mother thrive as a real estate agent in my hometown and she motivated me to pursue a license to sell property while attending school for my undergraduate degree. As I sold some homes and realized my knack in the field, may passion for large scale transactions was really my main motivator to pursue a law degree and eventually practice in real estate law. To this day, nothing excites me more than working with a client on a successful transaction."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
21. One common legal aspect that we work closely on with clients here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP is zoning for large scale construction and/or purchases. What experience do you have in working with local zoning laws?
How to Answer
Whether you've worked with large organizations or private individuals throughout your career, knowing and consulting on local zoning laws is an important aspect of real estate law and your interviewer will be looking to hear that you are knowledgeable and experienced in this area of the law. Talk in detail about the experience you have working in zoning and don't hesitate to bring up a success story you may have in advising a client on zoning laws.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Being well versed in Illinois zoning laws and those in particular around the suburbs of Chicago, I worked with a very large manufacturing company a couple of years ago on applying for a change in zoning for them to build a large distribution center in a development that was originally zoned for residential housing. Being that it had been years since the first two houses built had been sold, our argument of adding significant jobs to the area and the potential to bring more business to the area was a real no-brainer for the city. During the meeting to review, I was very pleased when all of our hard work had paid off and the city rezoned the area and ground was broken just months later for the company."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"I think a unique part of my career that makes me a great fit here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP is my experience working with clients and local boards of zoning appeals. As you can see from my resume and experience, I have spent time practicing in California and I worked with several Temecula Valley wineries on obtaining proper zoning for their vineyards through the local boards of appeals. I put together facts and helped write new zoning for the wineries that met both the needs of my clients and the counties to promote true win-win situations for all."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
22. When a problem arises, what is your first reaction?
How to Answer
In the field of international law, distractions, difficult clients and many other wrenches will get thrown your way each work day. For this question, your interviewer wants to know if your reactions to problems reflect maturity and professionalism. How you react will significantly determine how you fit with the team at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, so be sure to talk about ways that you handle problems with these two traits. Some key words to consider are respect, consideration and courtesy.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"When a major problem arises during my work day, my first instinct is to take a step back and absorb what just happened. I then go into brainstorm mode, jotting down potential ways to resolve the issue. From there, I can generally use a pros and cons list to determine the best course of action for a fast and amicable resolution. This approach takes all of the clients that I'm working with into consideration and enables me to take a logical and sensible approach to looking at the big picture."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"I have taught myself to become much calmer with my first reactions when problems arise on the job. Now, I will step back and review my options for solving the problem rather than allow myself to become frustrated and overwhelmed. For me personally, this starts with being organized and having an up to date, prioritized task list and calendar. By being organized and on top of my tasks, I find that handling the one off issues became much easier."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
23. Where do you feel you could use some improvement in the litigation/arbitration process at this point in your career?
How to Answer
While this may seem like the age old question of pointing out your biggest weakness, it is important for you to see this question as more of an opportunity to point out where you may have some inexperience or deficiencies. This gives you the ability to talk about personal growth in your career and what you have done or would like to do to grow professionally in this area.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Having come out of law school and began in a high stress, high case load environment for the past six years, I haven't been able to really hone in on and craft my time management skills to the point I would like to. I most often relied on our paralegals and office secretary to keep me organized when things were busy. Coming to this role with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, I would look to learn from others about their best methods for time management without relying on the assistance of others."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"As you can see from my experience on my resume, a majority of my litigation experience has come in the area of labor laws, work comp and FMLA. Now, I am at a point in my career where I'd love to branch out and hone my skills in other areas that interest me and I believe that opportunity exists for me here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. In talking with some of your colleagues here, I'd love to take on and be a part of cases that involve the environment and energy."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
24. To ensure that our clients here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP are served in the best way possible, our staff must ensure that they are up to speed on all state and federal laws. How do you stay in touch with changes to local, state and federal ta
How to Answer
While your years of education and experience in the field of tax law have prepared to you to work with the clients of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, your interviewer is looking to hear that you do what is necessary to stay up to date on changes in tax laws. Talk about the ways that you keep yourself educated and up to date in the field and make sure to speak with passion to your interviewer to show a true and genuine interest in your field.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, my dedication towards the tax law field immediately following law school when I pursued and attained my Masters in Law in Taxation degree. While this provided a very solid backbone for the start of my career, I am always actively learning more in the field through my pursuit of additional CLE credits and attending tax law seminars on a regular basis. And as any good attorney in this field, being tied at the hip to relevant materials directly from the IRS is always a plus. Being the tax nerd that I am, this comes pretty easy to me for some nighttime reading before bed."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"In this industry, staying up to speed on changes in policy and law involved staying connected and doing my research whenever necessary. Involvement and regular discussion with colleagues in this industry helps us all stay informed and helps in ensuring that businesses are able to flourish. I have many great contacts in tax law that I meet with and have discussions with on a very regular basis."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
25. What are some of the key components that you would advise clients here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP to include in their employee handbook?
How to Answer
Employment law requires some working knowledge of the ins and outs of a functional employee handbook and your potential role at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP may find you advising clients on edits to their handbook or creating a new one. For your answer, speak to the legal aspects of what should to be included in an employee handbook to help protect employers from legal action against their employees.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"While federal law doesn't require employers to have a formalized handbook for their employees, I will always advise clients to create a handbook for existing staff and new hires that is available in both hard copy and electronic versions for easy access. The first key area I will focus on is a section for local, state and federal fair labor laws and this section of the handbook also includes collective bargaining agreements, when applicable. The next sections, often the most important to protect against legal action down the road, include things like at-will employment clause, FMLA, EEO, drug free workplace policy and time and attendance policies. Throughout my career, I've helped many employers create new and highly functional handbooks and consider myself a great resource in this area."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"While the standard legal issues surrounding attendance, leaves of absence and benefits are fairly standard in today's age, my inspection of existing handbooks really tries to nail down overly broad statements that can cause legal issues for organizations. A great example of this was with a client a couple of years ago that had a policy prohibiting photos or videos being taken by employees during their work hours. Their broadly painted policy in the handbook didn't get to the root cause of the issue: no cameras or video recording devices were allowed on premise. I helped them rewrite the policy to include this language and also added additional language on prohibited phone usage during work."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
26. What do you feel is the most important skill that you possess that makes you effective in the litigation/arbitration process?
How to Answer
This is a twofold question where your interviewer is allowing you to talk about what you feel your best skills is as a litigator and/or arbitrator as well as letting you talk about what you feel is the most important quality of someone who is successful at trial or arbitration. Speak to your top strength and prove that it is vital to your success by using a specific example of a time that you've put it to use on the job.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Really my number one reason for pursuing a career in law has turned out to be what has made me the most successful I could be in my career and that is my verbal communication skills. In the courtroom setting, my persuasive skills come from a concise and logical place and this sits well with judges and juries alike. My communications skills extend to an innate ability to listen attentively and be witty enough to ask great follow up questions during cross examination."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"If I am lucky enough to be hired here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, you'll quickly find that my attention to detail makes me stand out from any other paralegal you have had on staff here. During the pre-trial process, I spend the extra time to dig for information that can help my firm win their case and any of the attorneys that I've worked alongside during my career would be willing to tell you that as well. Last year, I was researching a case and my close inspection of police reports noticed a blatant error made by officers during the arrest of a client. This was enough to have all charges dropped and put a big win on the books for our firm."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
27. Do you have any particular areas of wage and hour laws that particularly interest you?
How to Answer
A large firm like Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP often prefers staff to sub-specialize to be of best use to clients as subject matter experts. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to gauge your familiarity with the different aspects of wage and hour laws and where you find your abilities are best suited. There are no right or wrong answers for this question as your interviewer will be looking to see what clients you will best be suited in representing if hired for the position.
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"A majority of cases that I have represented during my career so far have revolved around exemption status laws under the FLSA. I have a great working knowledge of the salary basis tests and duties tests to advise clients to make proper decisions when considering statuses of their positions. With changes in law, like we just had recently regarding the minimum salary level for exemption, I am thoroughly versed in changes when they happen and can take swift action with clients to ensure compliance."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019
2nd Answer Example
"I've always had a particular interest in the child labor laws as I feel the United States is falling faster behind the world when it comes to preparing our future through our youth. I've been an advocate at the federal level for real changes in the surrounding this aspect, but I have also advised and represented organizations in their child labor practices in the food and hospitality industries. I think my experience and passion in this area would be a unique fit for the team here at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP."
Written by Ryan Brunner on June 10th, 2019