30 Legal Assistants Interview Questions (with Answers)

1.

How has your education prepared you to work for us?

When you answer this question be sure to include specific courses that were especially helpful to your career. You can also talk about any additional training.

Rachelle's Answer

"When I was attending university, I would have to say that my favourite, and most applicable course, was the Family Law Procedures course. Attending post-secondary education, in itself, taught me a lot about managing deadlines and being efficient with my time."

Anonymous Answer

"Attending university enabled me to consolidate my organizational skills as well as my ability to prioritize tasks. I am still studying at the moment, but once I complete my intellectual property law units, I will have a deeper understanding of the law behind the work."

Lauren's Answer

It would be helpful to provide a new response and sentiment. The question is repetitive, but try to make sure your response is not.

"I am currently immersed in knowledge and concepts that I can directly and actively put into use. I am increasing my knowledge base every day and would build upon my momentum by taking on this role."

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2.

How familiar are you with the law we practice at our firm, or the law I specialize in?

This is a great opportunity to show the interviewer that you did some research on their firm prior to the interview. Be sure to highlight any of your work experience that you think would be comparable to what it is they do.

Rachelle's Answer

"From the research I have done, I see that your firm specializes in Family Law and Divorce. The past 4 years of my career have been primarily focused on those areas of law as well. In total, I have 5 years' experience as a legal assistant within family law."

Anonymous Answer

"From the research I have done, I understand that your firm specializes in intellectual property law. Although I have yet to start my IP units at law school, I have had three months of experience in a similar role at my previous legal internship in New York."

Lauren's Answer

This is a great start. I would hold off on disclosing the IP units you have yet to complete in school, however. I changed the wording of your response to reflect eagerness to learn.

"Based on my research, your firm specializes in Intellectual Property Law. I have legal assistant experience from my previous legal internship in New York that will be extremely helpful for you and the firm. I am eager to immerse myself in IP Law and expand my knowledge in this specialty."

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Anonymous Answer

"From my research, your law firm exclusively specializes in criminal cases, ranging from white collar crimes, drugs and DWI, violent crimes, etc. It is evident you know how to build defense tailored to different jurisdictions in the area."

Rachelle's Answer

Good! It's clear that you understand the primary focus' of this particular law firm. Chances are, you will be interviewed by a lawyer in the firm or even multiple partners. If you have any background on the individual(s) interviewing you, this question is a good opportunity to discuss what you know about their career path and accomplishments.

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3.

Are your grades a good indication of your academic achievement?

This question can be a tough one but it's intended to make you think a bit deeper into where your focus was during your post-secondary education. If you did not earn the GPA that you wanted, own up to it.

Rachelle's Answer

"I graduated with a 3.4 GPA which I was satisfied with given that I was also working a full time job in the evenings and weekends while attending school."

Anonymous Answer

"I think that my grades are not the best indication of my academic capabilities but they definitely do highlight areas of improvement. I have always been academically capable, evidenced by the scholarships I've received in the past. Unfortunately, I did not do as well as I had hoped during the first few years when my family experienced extreme financial disadvantage, however, my grades have been rising due to prioritization and being able to adapt to my new circumstances."

Lauren's Answer

Your transparency is commendable; I added supplementary language that will help convey your message.

"Like a CV or resume, my grades are not a complete summarization of my abilities, strengths, and uniqueness. I have always been academically inclined, as evidenced by my awards and scholarships. Unfortunately, I have not performed as well academically over the past couple of years due to personal family circumstances. I have, however, steadily improved my grades in recent times. I am adapting to new conditions and hopefully look forward to completing my education to embark on the next chapter in my career track."

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Anonymous Answer

"Absolutely. If you guys would like to look at my transcripts, you will see that during my first year at college I did not do well. Without making excuses, I took myself to community college where I could really spend some time bettering those grades and learning better habits. From there on I went back to my university for my junior and senior years and was on the Dean's List several times."

Rachelle's Answer

It sounds like you made some very dedicated choices to your educational career! I am sure you already know, but avoid the term 'guys' in a real interview :)

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4.

How do you check your work for accuracy?

As a Legal Assistant, being accurate is an absolute must. The interviewer will want to hear the various ways you are sure to handle all of your work with diligence and accuracy. Highlight the steps you take to make sure the attorneys receiving your work is 100% accurate.

Rachelle's Answer

"Once my work is complete, I am sure to give it a second review and sometimes will ask for another set of eyes if necessary. I have very strong research skills which are a great trait when it comes time to cross-referencing the facts of a case. To remain organized, I utilize a program called 'XYZ' which keeps me on task and on time."

Anonymous Answer

"I always double-check my work for accuracy. If possible, I like to get a third party to review the information. However, I have strong research and time management skills which allows me to easily cross-reference any facts. Often I'll use the app tools to organize my tasks into different projects and set timelines for each accordingly."

Lauren's Answer

Wonderful response. You have created organizational systems that enable you to work efficiently. I supplemented your response to reflect your analytical work style.

"Throughout my career, I have fine-tuned my organizational and time management skills. As an analytical thinker, I have created systems to keep me on-time and accurate. With the use of calendaring applications, I set clear deadlines for each project, and allot time to double-check and cross-reference my work. And, if time allows, I receive third-party feedback as well."

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Anonymous Answer

"I go the extra mile to double, triple, and quadruple check to be sure. In documents, I find it important to read them out loud, so it's easier to catch any spelling errors. If possible, I will have another person look it over, but that's not always an option."

Rachelle's Answer

Your method of checking for accuracy is good, and very specific.

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5.

What two or three things are most important to you in a job?

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Legal Assistants Interview Questions

How has your education prepared you to work for us?

Legal Assistants Interview Questions

How has your education prepared you to work for us?

How familiar are you with the law we practice at our firm, or the law I specialize in?

Are your grades a good indication of your academic achievement?

How do you check your work for accuracy?

What two or three things are most important to you in a job?

What goals, other than those related to your legal career, have you established for yourself for the next 10 years?

Can you give me an example of a situation where you demonstrated an eye for detail?

What are the main components of a case file and what steps are carried out to file a case?

How do you handle stressful situations?

Do you work well under pressure?

Tell us about a time you had to handle a difficult client.

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?

What qualities do you feel are most important for a successful legal assistant?

How has your college degree prepared you to work in this firm?

Why are you the best candidate for us?

How can you contribute to our firm?

What are your long and short range career goals and objectives?

How would you describe yourself?

What have you learned from the other attorneys/paralegals you've spoken with today?

What subject did you like the most at school? Why?

Why did you leave your last position?

What type of work environment would allow you do to your best work?

Do you understand the impact you, even as a legal assistant, will have on the lives of our clients?

What are you doing to better yourself as a Legal Assistant?

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 do you deal with sensitive or confidential information?

How do you manage your research work considering there is so much to look through?

Why did you choose to pursue a career as a Legal Assistant?