Top 30 Legal Assistants Interview Questions
Question 1 of 30
What qualities do you feel are most important for a successful legal assistant?
"I feel that the most important qualities for a legal assistant to have would be a keen eye for detail, strong time-management and strong communication skills. You must have these to be successful in this career. I have managed to fine tune these skills over the years and can confidently say that I have these abilities."
This is a good opportunity to talk about your soft skills and why they make you a good fit for the position.
More professional answers available after the upgrade
List of Legal Assistants Interview Questions
- What qualities do you feel are most important for a successful legal assistant?
- Do you enjoy working as part of a team?
- What is your greatest strength? Greatest weakness?
- Which areas of law are you most interested in?
- How do you check your work for accuracy?
- Why are you the best candidate for us?
- How has your college degree prepared you to work in this firm?
- How can you contribute to our firm?
- What are your long and short range career goals and objectives?
- What two or three things are most important to you in a job?
- How would you describe yourself?
- What have you learned from the other attorneys/paralegals you've spoken with today?
- What goals, other than those related to your legal career, have you established for yourself for the next 10 years?
- Are your grades a good indication of your academic achievement?
- Can you give me an example of a situation where you demonstrated an eye for detail?
- What type of work environment would allow you do to your best work?
- What are the main components of a case file and what steps are carried out to file a case?
- Do you understand the impact you, even as a legal assistant, will have on the lives of our clients?
- Why did you leave your last position?
- How do you manage your research work considering there is so much to look through?
- Tell us about a time you had to handle a difficult client.
- How familiar are you with the law we practice at our firm, or the law I specialize in?
- How do you deal with sensitive or confidential information?
- Can you give me an example of a situation where you needed to deal with multiple priorities at once and how you deal with it?
- How has your education prepared you to work for us?
- What subject did you like the most at school? Why?
- Why did you choose to pursue a career as a Legal Assistant?
- What are you doing to better yourself as a Legal Assistant?
- How do you handle stressful situations?
- Do you work well under pressure?
Legal Assistants Information
September 21st, 2017
Although lawyers assume ultimate responsibility for legal work, they often delegate many of their tasks to paralegals. In fact, paralegals, also called legal assistants, are continuing to assume new responsibilities in legal offices and perform many of the same tasks as lawyers. Nevertheless, they are explicitly prohibited from carrying out duties considered to be within the scope of practice of law, such as setting legal fees, giving legal advice, and presenting cases in court.
bls.gov/oco/ocos114.htm
Although lawyers assume ultimate responsibility for legal work, they often delegate many of their tasks to paralegals. In fact, paralegals, also called legal assistants, are continuing to assume new responsibilities in legal offices and perform many of the same tasks as lawyers. Nevertheless, they are explicitly prohibited from carrying out duties considered to be within the scope of practice of law, such as setting legal fees, giving legal advice, and presenting cases in court.
bls.gov/oco/ocos114.htm
Legal Assistants User Submitted Interview Answers
Question 1 of 30
What qualities do you feel are most important for a successful legal assistant?
"I feel that the most important qualities for a legal assistant to have would be a keen eye for detail, strong time-management and strong communication skills. You must have these to be successful in this career. I have managed to fine tune these skills over the years and can confidently say that I have these abilities."
This is a good opportunity to talk about your soft skills and why they make you a good fit for the position.
More professional answers available after the upgrade
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
Organization, time-management, having a positive attitude.
2.
Detail orientated, can handle a high work load and short deadlines,
Verbal and written skills, organized, friendly,
3.
I feel the most important qualities for a sucessful legal assistant is to be able to be dilligent and be a great researcher.I feel that you must also be able to look at a problem from many different angles so you can see many diffrent alternatives.
4.
Qualifications, skills and commitment and reliable.
5.
Honesty, punctuality, work well with others, strong attention to detail.
Question 2 of 30
Do you enjoy working as part of a team?
"I do enjoy working as part of a team. I am productive in both a team and independent environment. Do you offer a strong team environment here, or are you more individually task driven?"
This is an important question to answer in a positive and slightly neutral way. Unless you know for sure if this firm offers a highly collaborative team environment, you want to avoid answering in a way that paints you into a corner.
More professional answers available after the upgrade
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
Yea I do, I feel that important in the legal field or any field actually.
2.
I do love working as a team. Honestly, I'm a expert at adapting, working in a team or on my own would not slow me down in any way.
3.
Yes, always willing and helping others in the department.
4.
Yes it is always helpful in getting things done on time.
5.
I do. A team dynamic always produces a more refined work product.
Question 3 of 30
What is your greatest strength? Greatest weakness?
"I have been told many times that my greatest strength is my ability to time-manage. This means that I consistently meet my deadlines and am able to deliver when I need to. The aspect I am working to improve would be my detailed documentation. I have been working on improving my notes so that anyone could pick up my files and fully understand where I was at, in my work."
When you answer this question be sure to talk about what you are really good at and what you are improving on. It's always best if you can talk about the steps that you are currently taking to improve yourself.
More professional answers available after the upgrade
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
My greatest strength is my attention to detail. My greatest weakness would also be my attention to detail.
2.
Proactive, high energetic person and goal orientated.
3.
The ability to overcome obstacles through critical thinking and ingenuity. If there is a problem that needs to be solved, I will find a way to do it.
Overly critical of my own work.
4.
I am passionate about my job.
5.
My greatest strength is my organization skills and my weakness is I place a lot of pressure on my self to complete all tasks given to me and if I am unable to complete the task I make sure I discuss with my attorney the time it will take to complete.
Question 4 of 30
Which areas of law are you most interested in?
"I have always been most interested in Family Law because of the variety between each case. I understand that a lot of what your firm does, is in Family Law?"
Be sure to answer this question in a way that it relates to the firm that you are interviewing with. You don't want to say that you are most interested in an area of law that they do not even work in.
More professional answers available after the upgrade
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
When I first was in school I liked landlord tenant board but as I finished I realized I might want to be an administrative paralegal and I am up to any area of law.
2.
For success legal assistant learn with their experience and broad mind and present of mind.
3.
Municipal violations Like traffic and class c misdemeanors.
4.
Real estate and commercial.
5.
Data protection, right to be forgotten, copyright, right of publicity.
Question 5 of 30
How do you check your work for accuracy?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
I triple read everything and, if I can, I will have someone else read it over. If I need to know spellings or layouts of anything, I'll go to a credible source and check my work against that example.
2.
It will depend on the level of importance and the task.
3.
In the current job I do I check it by proofing. Every transcript that is sent out is proof read so make sure all spelling and grammar is correct. I also sometimes double check if the chance is given on smaller situation such as double checking a lawyers number or business address so that there is no missing anything or being incorrect.
4.
By looking it over and over and over, as well have another person take a look at it for a second set of opinions.
5.
What I do is to make sure I go over my work thoroughly.
Question 6 of 30
Why are you the best candidate for us?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
I have a vast experience in a legal setting and can adapt to the way you run your office.
2.
I'm the best candidate because although I may not have experience in corporate law, I am willing to learn and I am a fast learner, I can pick up a new skill or task very easily.
3.
I am a hard worker and a team player. I like working under pressure.
4.
I am a quick learner and I can adapt to any situation. I have experience working in a highly.
5.
I work well with others and take pride in all my work.
Question 7 of 30
How has your college degree prepared you to work in this firm?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
My paralegal certificate requires me to obtain continued education in the legal field and in doing so it has taught me the necessary skills needed in the legal field.
2.
Describe a time when you feel you worked well in a team answer.
3.
It has prepared me to work in this firm because I know the high importantance every client is, accurate and no errors are a. P must and I know the legal terminology.
4.
My college degree has prepared me to work for this firm because it has really honed my analytical and critical thinking abilities. My pre law background has prepared me to pursue a career in law and I have a great interest in being in this industry.
5.
I have taken many legal classes where I learned legal vocabulary and writing skills.
Question 8 of 30
How can you contribute to our firm?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
By being an honest employee and doing the job that is expected of me.
2.
I can contribute because I am a fast worker, and accurate. Any and all work that is needed to be done will be done by or before the deadline needed. I can help with any other department or employee if they need a hand with their workload. Since I am a fast learner, once I know what I am doing I will ask little amount of questions.
3.
My interpersonal skills and commitment to accuracy will definatly have a positive impact on the department I will be working in.
4.
I am a very positive person and get a long with everyone.
5.
I can utilize my skills and am of the firm believer of supporting the firm I work with. I bring an additional quality that makes e the best person for the job. I am passionately committed in producing good results.
Question 9 of 30
What are your long and short range career goals and objectives?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
To have the opportunity to grow professional and personally with a reputable firm.
2.
My long term careers goals are to attend law school and pursue a career in internation law. My short terms goals are to learn as much about the law as I can. I want to work for a firm where I can gain real life experience and apply the education that I gained from University where I can grow as an employee.
3.
Right now I want to gain legal experience and use this job as a stepping stone to become a mediator. In a few years I see myself as a successful mediator.
4.
I know this position is a junior legal assistant position so, eventually I'd like to move forward as a legal assistant and continue my career with your company.
5.
To advance myself by taking the paralegal courses and taking interests in work that I do.
Question 10 of 30
What two or three things are most important to you in a job?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
To satisfy my boss and the client.
2.
Job security, positive job environment, professional growth.
3.
What is the top 3 things most important about a job.
4.
Number one is definitely the atmosphere, I believe its important for the work environment to be positive and influential. Another is room for growth.
5.
The most important things to me in a job is a great environment, understanding, and great work ethic.
Question 11 of 30
How would you describe yourself?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
I am hard worker and reliable and good listener.
2.
I interact effectively with others and I am not afraid to get the job done regardless of what it takes.
3.
I would describe myself as detail oriented and hard working. I care very much about the presentation of my work and I take alot of pride in what I do. I want to be excellent in every task I set out to achieve, no matter how small or big.
4.
I would describe myself as someone who is very organized and likes enough work a day so I feel useful, I don't always like sitting around waiting for someone to need work.
5.
Respectful, I get along with everyone, I'm focused and determined.
Question 12 of 30
What have you learned from the other attorneys/paralegals you've spoken with today?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
They seem to be part of a team.
2.
It's good to ask questions and communication is key.
3.
I have learned the culture of the law and learned to do research about law.
4.
I have learned to draft, analyse, strategize and research.
5.
I have learned a little about what it will take to be a part of this team. I have also learned how they work and what they would expect from me.
Question 13 of 30
What goals, other than those related to your legal career, have you established for yourself for the next 10 years?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
To be healthy through fitness, be a great mother and own my own business.
2.
Achieved good experience in HR
3.
I really just want to save as much money as I can so I can buy a home with my boyfriend and be able to get married. If we don't have a home to move into after we get married I wouldn't want to move back in with my parents.
4.
I need to become a person who society should be proud of.
5.
In the next ten years I would like to have my student loans paid off and begin buying real estate. I want to be comfortable and be able to have college funds for my children. My oldest will be graduating in around ten years and I would like for him to be financially supported while he begins his journey.
Question 14 of 30
Are your grades a good indication of your academic achievement?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
Yes and No. I feel that majority can show you that I was a good student but some not so much because you learn once you make a mistake and you don't get the chance to redo, only not do it next time so you still got the mark for doing it wrong although you now know how to do it write.
2.
I have made mistakes before but I have worked hard to improve and learned from experience.
3.
Yes, for IP. But not necessarily, when I was a student I had to juggle between 2 jobs in order to be able to sustain myself. Therefore, I could not study as much as I should for exams.
4.
The classes I cared about are. If you were to look at my transcript you'll see the math classes aren't as well because I didn't enjoy math. The classes I enjoyed tend to have better grades because I liked doing the work and learning in them.
5.
No. I think that grades depends a bit on luck.
Question 15 of 30
Can you give me an example of a situation where you demonstrated an eye for detail?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
Yes, will getting ready to enter all patrol schedules I noticed wrong dates entered on spread sheet. I reconfirmed with the seargent before entering it into the computer .
2.
In current job the advert placed online had grammatical issues, once checked informed the concerned department to rectify and follow up until sorted.
3.
Where I did my placement, he handed my paperwork to do for small claims court and I noticed he had spelt the name of the client wrong and the numbers on the schedule A had been mixed up from adding more so I made sure I re did the form and changed the schedule A so there were no problems with the form being returned.
4.
Exits that were mixed up on a motion that I corrected.
5.
Reporting filing particulars and various applications.
Question 16 of 30
What type of work environment would allow you do to your best work?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
I do well in all types of environment.
2.
I feel one where the workload is not TOO much but not enough. Say I have 12 things due in the next 2, I will still do my best but I can do my best work when say I have around 6-7 due so I can reAlly focus.
3.
My ideal work environment is one that is adaptive. When necessary its easily handles fast paced work.
4.
Great colleagues and good team are the most important environment.
5.
Any kind of work environment.
Question 17 of 30
What are the main components of a case file and what steps are carried out to file a case?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
The main components of a case file and steps are to
File a case
Summarize the case
Collect and organize materials for the case
Research the law regarding this situation
Schedule and speak with witnesses and all involved
Team reviews the case.
2.
Main components of a case is statement of claim.
3.
The citation, complaint and plea form from defendant.
4.
Details of the clients and litigations.
5.
A case file contains the first complaint stating the people involved and anything about the case, discovery I would say is the main component. Summarize the case and organize the material, research the law and ask the team who is involved what they think.
Question 18 of 30
Do you understand the impact you, even as a legal assistant, will have on the lives of our clients?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
Not only expensive legal costs but personal such as anxiety, high stress even depression for clients.
2.
Yes, I may be the first person at the law firm that the client will talk to so I must make sure to be precessional and friendly with any client even if some may get angry I need to talk to them and help them know that I understand and I am only trying to help.
3.
Yes, they successful application depends on me.
Question 19 of 30
Why did you leave your last position?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
My husband had got a job in the UK so I had to relocate with him so I had to leave my previous job.
2.
3 months ago because I undertook 4 subjects at university.
3.
Its a routine work where not much development and exploring was done.
4.
The last position I had to leave because it was a co op and they didn't have a job opening at the time. The position I haven't left but was looking for different work so I could learn new skills and move on and up as I can't in this current position.
5.
Because my husband got me visa for Qatar.
Question 20 of 30
How do you manage your research work considering there is so much to look through?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
I just do it step by step, I know how to research, I make sure I figure out what I am going to research first and I find that then I will go onto the next, I have not done much researching other than in school or my time at JBC
2.
I look up for the key words and read the decision pronounced in the judgment.
3.
Read up the most relevant ones.
4.
I try to find what is the most important in all the research.
5.
Find the key words, try to summarize the key points in the documents.
Question 21 of 30
Tell us about a time you had to handle a difficult client.
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
A defendant was up set that his case was reset by the state. I always think it's helpful listen before I answer so it lets them know I want to be helpful to their concerns.
2.
In various scenarios the client was under pressure, had made the client calm and understand the situation in detail by convincing them in related issues.
3.
A client came into the office threatening the receptionist and being very rude and abusive about the progress of his case. I intercede and assertained why he was upset and explained the process to him as best I could. I understand that most individuals understand how the legal process works.
4.
We had a filed a case on behalf of a beneficiary of a trust against the appointment of the trustees and sale of the immovable property by them. Our client was aged and also suffering from a number of disease, so was on high dose of medication. There were times that the case was getting adjourned for some reason beyond our control but our client used to always blame us and question our ability. It was difficult to convince her that we were doing our best to get her justice.
5.
Stay calm and show empathy then understand its issues before being able to offer solutions.
Question 22 of 30
How familiar are you with the law we practice at our firm, or the law I specialize in?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
I am very familiar with commercial litigation.
2.
I am not too far familiar seeing as I went to school for paralegal I did not learn about corporate law, real estate, nor wills and estates but I am happy to jump in and learn as well as researching everything on my on time.
3.
I am familiar with it to an extend. Also I am always open to learn.
4.
Extremely well, as you can see in my CV.
5.
In law school I got basic knowledge on every law field. Your firm practice a lot of corporate law and its specialties. I am familiar with basic knowledge of tat kind of area. You also practice intellectual property law, I wrote a master's thesis from trademarks.
Question 23 of 30
How do you deal with sensitive or confidential information?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
By not talking about it or showing it to any not associated with the case. And also keeping it put up when not working on it.
2.
I believe that it is exactly what it is confidential.
3.
I would not discuss the information with anyone.
4.
I know I have to keep it to myself. I never bring my work home. What is in the office stays there.
5.
I know that everything in the legal field is confidential. I would never tell anyone about the details that I deal with or see at work other than coworkers who already know.
Question 24 of 30
Can you give me an example of a situation where you needed to deal with multiple priorities at once and how you deal with it?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
Yes by prioritize the importance of each priority.
2.
Well I was at JBC alone for awhile and I would answer the phones and clients walk ins as well as doing plaintiff claims. I would work on the plaintiffs claims as much as could and when a client would come in to pay rent I would simply stop and help them and continue back with my work as they left, and the same with telephone calls.
3.
I first try and do a task which I can do quickly. In the mean time I would request one of my colleague to help in the other task.
4.
Look through which needs extreme priority attention and get to work.
5.
Negotiation with the United States army - dealing in English and French - and liaising with a high level of stakeholders.
Question 25 of 30
How has your education prepared you to work for us?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
I have studied law so with that knowledge I can contribute my knowledge for the growth of this firm.
2.
Master in IP for the theories and for the practice I did an internship.
3.
The mindset development that I gain during my education period.
4.
Legal education, case analysis skill.
Question 26 of 30
What subject did you like the most at school? Why?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
Leadership and management.
2.
Corporate law and banking law. These subject I had interest in.
3.
History because it explains today.
4.
Maths. It has a set of formula, but you have many ways to answer the question.
5.
Case study. I am fun in reseaching.
Question 27 of 30
Why did you choose to pursue a career as a Legal Assistant?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
Improve knowledge skills in legal.
2.
In high school, I took law in grade 11 and 12 and I loved it, I loved studying and I knew everything on tests. I also loved history but I couldn't see what career I could get with that. I knew I wanted to get into the legal field so I went to college for paralegal and I am not a licensed paralegal I only have the knowledge and I felt that legal assistant was a good way to work in the legal field.
3.
Since my previous roles and responsibilities our similar to the role of a legal assistant, so I decided to pursue a career as a legal assistant.
4.
A stepping stone into becoming a lawyer.
5.
I am qualified for that position and I want to learn more and I know I have to start from the beginning.
Question 28 of 30
What are you doing to better yourself as a Legal Assistant?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
I try to work better and try to compete with myself.
2.
If the opportunity presents itself. I would take courses.
Question 29 of 30
How do you handle stressful situations?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
Peacefully and calm going.
2.
Calmly try to maintain control and not become frustrated.
3.
By eating foods and listening to music.
4.
Go straight to the point. Stress does not help to achieve our goal.
5.
Client interactions, attending board meetings and.
Question 30 of 30
Do you work well under pressure?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
Yes, some of my best work has been done while under pressure.
2.
Yes, it is very common to work under pressure in a legal environment.
3.
Yes, I believe my ability to prioritize my work and stay organized help me to do that.
Video
Top 10 Legal Assistant Interview Questions, selected from 30 questions by our visitors. Created on March 1st, 2016
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