Do you take criticism well?

"I am always open to feedback on my work. I would prefer that criticism comes with additional feedback on how to improve. If I am doing something incorrectly, I am happy to correct it but may need some additional guidance."

All positions will be subject to feedback, which can sometimes be perceived as criticism. As a paralegal, you may also receive criticism from clients as you are often the front-line communication point for the firm. The interviewer wants to know how you address or cope with such interactions.

In your answer, provide an example of specific feedback you received and how it affected your work going forward. Also, talk about how your relationship with the person who provided the feedback evolved after that discussion.

Tell me a little bit more about your work at your last position. How did you handle assignments, schedules, various tasks, etc.?

"In my last position, I worked as a paralegal for an in-house legal department at Company ABC. There were five attorneys and three other paralegals on the team. We each were assigned a specific attorney that assigned most of our work. They used Asana project management software that helped us calendar and prioritize tasks. We also had weekly team meetings that provided further guidance and feedback on our work. I enjoyed this work environment but decided it was time for a change as I wanted to work in a law firm rather than a corporate legal department."

The interviewer wants to get an idea of previous work environments that you have worked in to help determine if you would be a good fit for the company. It can also provide insight into what training may be needed to successfully onboard you into the position.

In your answer, provide your general responsibilities in your last position. But it will also be helpful to provide specific examples to further explain how you tackled specific duties. Share specific examples that highlight your successes in that role.

How would you describe your work ethic?

"I am a goal-focused person who can work independently after I have my assignment. I know how to stay focused and get things done. I appreciate it when my colleagues have similar attributes."

This question can help determine if you will fit into the company culture. Depending on your answer, the interviewer may get better insight into which attorneys you will work best with.

Explain your general approach and work ethic. You can also provide specific examples of how you have applied this in past work for better context.

What motivates you to take initiative at work?

"I am looking to make an impact on people's lives. It doesn't have to be a huge impact, but I want to know that when someone needed help, I was able to provide it. As a paralegal, I have the opportunity to help both the attorney and the client. Being able to spot what people need and help them achieve their goals motivates me to work harder."

Each employee is motivated by different things. Some need encouragement, others need freedom in how the task is done, and others may be looking for a reward. The interviewer is looking for insight into your expectations and motivation.

Think about a successful task you completed and determine what it was that drove you to success. It may not be immediately obvious what motivates you so take the time to think through a few items in your past experience to see if there is a pattern of your drive.

What do you foresee as the toughest challenges you will face if hired?

"I believe the toughest challenge in this position will be dealing with an upset client. I choose to enter the legal field because I want to help people and solve problems. However, I also know this is not always possible. Inevitably, issues are going to come up. Being on the front line of communication with a client, I understand that I may see or hear more anger and frustration. I've learned though how to not take this personally and to simply maintain calm and professional communication. It can still be difficult at times though."

There are plenty of challenges in every job. But the specific challenge a person sees is often unique to their strengths, experience, and worldview. By learning this information, the interviewer can note specific training or mentoring you may need if you accept the position.

Identify the challenge you perceive and provide context for why you believe it will be challenging. If you know specific training or conversations that can help it seem less challenging, include that information as well.

Paralegals are essential to the legal team working on a trial or transaction. How do you see your role working on a team?

"Paralegals primarily provide administrative support to the team. This can include helping attorneys stay organized, on track, and facilitating communication with the client. However, just because the primary function is administrative support, paralegals can also provide helpful insight and perspective on the case or transaction. I would appreciate working with colleagues who can recognize the value that all staff members bring to the team."

The interviewer may be asking this question to ensure your understanding of the job description matches the tasks that will likely be assigned to you. If you have questions about the specifics of the job, this would be a great opportunity to start that conversation.

Include your expectations on typical tasks that you are going to be doing in the position. But you can also include some items that you enjoy working on and let the interviewer know that you would appreciate the chance to develop those skills further.

What are some of your strengths?

"I have a strong sense of responsibility, a deep love for learning, and enjoy developing strategies. I believe each of these strengths will prove beneficial in the paralegal role. I naturally feel invested in the tasks that I am assigned, which builds trust in my work and accountability. I love learning new things so I train quickly on new tasks and systems. And I can be a sounding board for attorneys as they think through a case or transaction for clients. I look forward to further investing in these strengths and developing skills in this role."

Knowing an individual's strength can help with determining what tasks are best assigned to them. It also helps to gain a more personal insight into what you enjoy.

Sometimes it can be difficult to articulate our strengths. By taking an assessment or personality test, you may benefit from learning the specific language to describe your unique strengths.

Do you have experience filing documents with the courts (for litigation) or secretaries of states (for transactions)?

"I do have experience filing documents with the secretary of state for business formations. I assisted an attorney last year who practiced in corporate law and many of our clients formed LLCs for new business ventures. I found the filing system to be very user-friendly and never encountered any issues or rejections."

Filing documents with the applicable entity is the paralegal's responsibility. If you do not have experience with filing documents, the interviewer knows to include this in your training.

If you have experience, be sure to include the different filing systems you have used and any issues you encountered (and solved). If you do not have this experience, assure the interviewer that you are a fast learner and provide an example of another system you were successfully trained on and utilized.

What experience do you have as a paralegal?

"I previously worked as an executive assistant. During my time in that position, the attorney started to assign me many tasks that I see in a paralegal job description. I assisted with filing court documents and located court documents to facilitate her research. It was a smaller office so even though I did not have a paralegal title, I believe I was performing many tasks that I would be in this role."

The interviewer may have questions on past experience included on your resume. Or if you do not have a paralegal role listed on your resume, they may want to know how you plan to transfer your experience into this role.

It is possible that you had previous positions that included paralegal responsibilities but they were done under a different job title. If that is the case, clarify your experience and show the interviewer how you qualify for this role.

Tell me about your legal experience.

"I decided I wanted to work as a paralegal during my undergraduate studies. After getting my bachelor's degree, I took night classes for my paralegal certification. I made sure to network with those instructors so I could better learn what is expected from a paralegal. I also worked as a research assistant for one of my instructors, which helped with my legal research and writing skills. While I have not worked in a paralegal position before, I am confident that I bring skills to the position that will help me succeed in this role."

The interviewer wants to know more about your past experience. If you have not had a paralegal position before, talk about applicable coursework from school or other experience you believe is transferrable to the role.

The question is asking for legal experience specifically so if you do not have much work experience, you will have to use other experience and explain how you plan to apply it to this position. Or perhaps you have a story of what inspired you to move into the legal field that would help clarify your desire to work in the position.

What hours do you expect to work as a paralegal?

"I would expect to be in the office Monday through Friday during working hours. I understand that in this field, it is sometimes necessary to work outside those hours to address client needs. Depending on the day or the time, I may not be able to be in the office outside working hours; however, if there is an arrangement to work from home, I am happy to tackle work assignments at any time."

Law firms do not always operate on an 8-5 basis. Clients' needs may need attention in the evenings and weekends, and the interviewer may want to know more about your flexibility to work such hours.

Answer this question honestly. You can also use this as an opportunity to clarify how they address paralegals working outside typical business hours.

What are your long-term goals as a paralegal?

"I believe this will be a position where I can learn a variety of skills and further develop my relationship-building skills. My long-term goals would be to find an area of law that I enjoy and continue to provide excellent support to clients and attorneys in that area. I believe this role will be a great start to my paralegal career."

The interviewer may be wondering if you plan on working as a paralegal long-term, or if you have other goals such as attending law school. While they want an honest answer, if you are unsure of your long-term goals, you can share your current thoughts.

When you answer, focus your answer not only on your goals for yourself but your goals of what you hope to bring to the company. This will help establish that you are interested in growing the company, not simply using the position to move forward.

What was your most challenging assignment at your last position?

"In my last position, we switched to a new legal research system about four months after I started. We had a rush issue come in with one of our clients right after the switch. The attorney needed cases pulled from the new system, but I was struggling moving so quickly because I was still learning how to operate it. Thankfully, I was able to ask a co-worker for some additional support and we were able to obtain all the needed documents in the designated time."

The interviewer wants to know how you overcome challenges and obstacles in the workplace. They will find it helpful if you can provide enough context for the assignment that explains how you successfully accomplished it.

If possible, pick an assignment that is applicable to the position you are interviewing for. If you are new to the industry, or if this is your first position, you can use a school assignment as an example.

What are you looking for in a company?

"I am looking for a company with a clear mission and a drive to help clients achieve their business goals. I noticed that your mission statement was clearly stated on your website. I also saw that many client tutorials highlighted the expertise and personal excellence your attorneys show in transactions. I am excited to be part of a company that has such a reputation and look forward to continuing to build it in the work that we do."

Each company will have a unique culture. They want candidates that are going to fit or support that culture.

Prior to interviewing, you should have researched the company and understood the values they currently have. This is an opportunity to explain how you can support the values and culture they have built so far.

How do you manage your time?

"I utilize Outlook calendar to keep my days, weeks, and months organized with the different deadlines I have coming up. Each morning, I review my calendar to help prioritize my tasks for the day. If those tasks have been assigned by a specific person, I check in with them to make sure nothing has changed (i.e. the deadline is still the same) and provide an update on my status if it is a longer-term project."

Time management can be critical in many positions, but in the legal industry, a client's livelihood can be greatly affected if a deadline is missed. The interviewer wants to know that you have a firm understanding of how to manage your time and meet important deadlines.

If you have specific systems you use to manage your time, include a description of those in your answer. Otherwise, provide insight into how you stay on top of tasks, manage competing priorities, and ensure the necessary work is completed.

What do you consider to be the most important qualities or skills that a good paralegal must possess?

"I believe a paralegal must possess excellent communication and organization skills. Many times, the paralegal is the first line of communication with the client. And when clients are dealing with legal matters, there are multiple emotions that can come into play. As a paralegal, I recognize that calm, professional, and consistent communication with clients can go a long way in helping sustain the relationship. As for organization, the attorney is going to be dealing with multiple deadlines, and providing support to ensure those deadlines is absolutely critical to the business succeeding."

The interviewer likely has an idea of the perfect candidate for the role. However, they are interested in what you think and what unique features you may be able to bring to the company.

In your response, provide general qualities you see as beneficial but then also provide specific examples of why you find these important. Take time to think about when you have been successful in tasks and what skills you utilized to succeed. These are the qualities you want to highlight in your answer.

What experiences do you have that are related to being a paralegal?

"My past positions have required excellent organization and time-management skills. I am accustomed to meeting deadlines and working on multiple projects that may have competing priorities. It's my understanding that these skills are critical for paralegals and will provide an excellent foundation as I start this new role."

If you do not have a paralegal role on your resume, the interviewer wants to know about your transferable skills. Help them understand how your past work will benefit the company and serve you well in this new role.

You want to be as specific as possible when explaining how you plan on applying past skills into a new role. It may be helpful to network with a paralegal to gain insight on common tasks so you have a better understanding of how your skills will work in the role.

Why are you interested in being a paralegal?

"I am interested in being a paralegal because I want to learn more about the legal industry. I have thought about law school but decided it's not currently what I want to pursue. I believe I can be happy working as a paralegal in the industry and providing support to attorneys, clients, and other colleagues."

The interviewer may be trying to determine if you are using this position as a stepping stone or if you are looking to develop a paralegal career. There is no wrong answer, but it will help the interviewer know how to best support your career goals.

You can provide insight into how you came across the paralegal profession. If it is a deviation from your past positions, highlight why you wanted to change and how you plan to transfer your skills to a new career.

Are you interested in attending law school in the future?

"I have thought about attending law school, but I am not sure if that is the right option for me. I am focused on paralegal positions because I believe it may provide me the experience I need to help decide if I want to make the investment in law school or if I will be happy working in the legal industry in this capacity."

It is common for people to pursue paralegal positions with future goals of attending law school. Knowing your future goals can help the interviewer plan your growth path at the company.

Whether the answer is yes or no, provide further context of where you hope to see your career grow. This can help determine if you are a good fit for the position they have in mind.

What area of law appeals to you?

"I am interested in litigation. It seems like a fast-paced environment where you can learn a lot and provide critical support to attorneys that practice in this area. I am very organized and can implement systems that I believe would be beneficial to litigation attorneys."

Presumably, you are applying to a firm that works in the area of law that you enjoy. The interviewer is looking for additional insights into your values and what strengths you believe can support their area of law.

In your response, include how you believe you can further contribute and strengthen the area of law that interests you the most. This will help establish that you have long-term goals for the position and career development.

Why are you interested in a position in the legal industry?

"I have always respected the work that attorneys do to help their clients. I am looking to learn more and feel that I have the best opportunity to do so as a paralegal. The industry is built around helping others, which I want to further support and be a part of."

This question can provide insight into your personal goals for your career. This question can highlight a candidate's values and help determine if they are a good fit for the company.

Explain your motivation for pursuing a position in the legal industry. Perhaps it is a stepping stone where you are interested in law school but want to explore the work environment first. Or maybe you want to work supporting an area of law that you feel particularly passionate about.

What college courses did you like the most?

"I loved my art history classes. Many of my classmates thought they were too slow-paced, but I appreciated the time to study and look at the details of different pieces. Those classes also taught me how to write essays more logically. They were classes that taught me skills that I have repeatedly been able to apply elsewhere."

This is an opportunity for the interviewer to get to know you better personally. It can provide insight into your interests, as well as help determine if there are specific tasks that may fit your strengths.

Remember to include insight into WHY you liked certain courses. And answer truthfully--don't try to anticipate what will sound best to an interviewer. For example, it's fine if you really liked chemistry. Just be sure to explain the specific things you liked about it so it's clear that you are not going to be unhappy having non-chemistry-related tasks assigned to you.

How do you maintain your attention to detail when completing repetitive tasks?

"There are a lot of tasks that need to get done to successfully complete a job. I understand that as a paralegal I will be handling many administrative tasks that may get repetitive or tedious at times. I implement different systems for such tasks to ensure that I am consistent with the work. If there is downtime, I will conduct spot checks on past work to ensure that I am double checking accuracy and ensuring that tasks are done accurately."

As a paralegal, you will be assigned primarily administrative tasks. While critically important, these tasks are not always the most exciting. The interviewer wants to know that you will take care to perform all tasks accurately and to the best of your ability.

Provide examples of how you have trained yourself to stay focused on the task at hand. You could share how others trust you after you have shown how accurate you can be while maintaining efficiency.

What are some systems or techniques you use to stay organized at work?

"I like to keep things simple, by relying on my Outlook to-do list and calendar. In a previous position, we used project management software, but I found that team members often overlooked updating their tasks so it was never completely accurate. I make sure to look at my calendar every morning for what is coming up in the next couple of weeks to ensure those tasks get done."

A paralegal is not only expected to keep themselves organized but also needs to assist attorneys in monitoring deadlines and client expectations. Having experience in balancing and organizing multiple items will be helpful in the role.

If you use specific systems, such as project management software, include examples of how you have found those to be more efficient than other ways you have tried. Conversely, if you rely on written to-do lists, explain how that does not hinder your efficiency.

How do you carry out your day-to-day activities?

"I rely on my Outlook calendar and to-do task list. Each morning, I review my calendar on a daily basis to ensure I have all the projects in order. I also make sure to meet with any attorneys who have deadlines in the next couple of days to ensure nothing has changed. After that, I tackle the assignments according to priority. If I have downtime, I take the opportunity to catch up on industry news and look for ways to expand my knowledge in our field."

The interviewer may be asking about time management skills and how you deal with competing priorities. They are also interested in any specific systems you use and how it contributes to your efficiency.

Provide insight into your daily routine at work. If this is your first position, remember that you can talk about how you managed school assignments with work or family.

How would you handle a colleague who wasn't doing their fair share of the work?

"When working as part of the team, the ultimate goal is a successful outcome for the client. Sometimes that means taking on more work to ensure it gets completed. Colleagues are humans and things come up that can affect work. I believe it's important to have clear communication with each other so we can understand how workload is being distributed amongst the team."

A paralegal is a member of an entire legal team. Being able to work as a team and help drive efficiency is very important. The interviewer wants to know that you can work in a team environment and resolve conflict where needed.

You may need to rephrase this question as you provide an answer because it can be difficult to determine what a colleague's fair share of work is. Unless you are their manager, you may not understand their work responsibilities or arrangements. Provide an answer that generally explains what you expect from working as a team and how you would address conflict amongst team members.

How would you handle an angry client?

"I understand that people can have a variety of emotions during a case. Ideally, the attorney can provide advanced notice if they expect the client will be calling or coming in who may be upset. It is always easier to prepare for the interaction if you are expecting it. Otherwise, if I am talking with an angry client, I do my best to mitigate the situation and show compassion. It is only when they move past the emotion that they will better understand the issue or outcome at hand. Those situations are never fun but so far I have been able to handle upset clients without incident."

The paralegal is the front-line communication with clients. When it comes to legal issues, clients can get quite emotional and you will be the first to encounter those emotions. The interviewer wants to know if you have previous experience with this or if you have a plan of how you would react.

In your answer, emphasize that you understand that being professional is key in such situations but there are also safety and common courtesy issues at play too. You can still be professional without agreeing to be someone's verbal punching bag.

If a lawyer gives you an assignment at 4:50 p.m. and needs it by tomorrow morning but that it's not overtime billable, how do you handle the situation?

"I understand that in a law firm, urgent tasks come up that need attention outside of typical work hours. If working past my normal hours for the day is not overtime billable, perhaps you could clarify the firm's policy on flexing hours. I would expect that in lieu of overtime, I would be able to come in later or leave early on another day during that pay period."

Tasks in the legal industry are not always limited to 8-5 working days. The interviewer wants to gauge your comfort level of working evenings and weekends.

This is an opportunity to highlight your time management and communication skills. You may also want to clarify if it is an option to leave the office and work on the task at home later in the evening or if the attorney would expect you to stay at the office.

Are you firm with people? This job requires it. Give me a professional example of a situation where you stood your ground.

"Yes, I am able to be firm with people. In a previous position, we had a client who was repeatedly calling for an update on their case. I was able to do a lot of the initial status reports for them, but the attorney needed to provide details. For whatever reason, the attorney was not getting back to the client. It was straining my communication with the client because he was losing trust that I was passing messages along. I had to have a direct conversation with the attorney and explain why she needed to call the client back. It was eventually resolved but it reminded me of the importance of clear communication on all ends while working a case."

As stated in the question, providing support in the legal industry is going to require you to stand your ground - sometimes with clients, sometimes with other staff. There is a fine line between professionally standing your ground and causing conflict.

Include specifics in your answer so the interviewer better understands the context for your actions. You can also talk if being firm with people is something that comes naturally to you, or if you have to consciously make an effort to do so at work.

Have you needed to resolve a disagreement that you had with an associate or a partner?

"I understand that the attorneys I work with have the training, license, and experience. The times that I have disagreed with an attorney have been more around communication style. For example, a client was calling often and not feeling they were keeping updated enough with the case. While I tried to assist the client, the attorney really needed to provide more insight into the case. I provided more context to the attorney to provide insight into why that client needed more attention at that time. It helped the attorney to see a different perspective and they adjusted their communication accordingly."

Inevitably, there will be disagreements amongst co-workers on various issues. The interviewer wants to know how you have addressed and learned from such interactions in past environments.

Your answer does not have to include a dramatic conflict you had with past co-workers. It may have been a small issue or even a misunderstanding. Simply focus your answer on what you learned from the experience.

Paralegal Interview Questions

Go Back

1. Do you take criticism well?
2. Tell me a little bit more about your work at your last position. How did you handle assignments, schedules, various tasks, etc.?
3. How would you describe your work ethic?
4. What motivates you to take initiative at work?
5. What do you foresee as the toughest challenges you will face if hired?
6. Paralegals are essential to the legal team working on a trial or transaction. How do you see your role working on a team?
7. What are some of your strengths?
8. Do you have experience filing documents with the courts (for litigation) or secretaries of states (for transactions)?
9. What experience do you have as a paralegal?
10. Tell me about your legal experience.
11. What hours do you expect to work as a paralegal?
12. What are your long-term goals as a paralegal?
13. What was your most challenging assignment at your last position?
14. What are you looking for in a company?
15. How do you manage your time?
16. What do you consider to be the most important qualities or skills that a good paralegal must possess?
17. What experiences do you have that are related to being a paralegal?
18. Why are you interested in being a paralegal?
19. Are you interested in attending law school in the future?
20. What area of law appeals to you?
21. Why are you interested in a position in the legal industry?
22. What college courses did you like the most?
23. How do you maintain your attention to detail when completing repetitive tasks?
24. What are some systems or techniques you use to stay organized at work?
25. How do you carry out your day-to-day activities?
26. How would you handle a colleague who wasn't doing their fair share of the work?
27. How would you handle an angry client?
28. If a lawyer gives you an assignment at 4:50 p.m. and needs it by tomorrow morning but that it's not overtime billable, how do you handle the situation?
29. Are you firm with people? This job requires it. Give me a professional example of a situation where you stood your ground.
30. Have you needed to resolve a disagreement that you had with an associate or a partner?

Paralegal Interview Questions

1. Do you take criticism well?

2. Tell me a little bit more about your work at your last position. How did you handle assignments, schedules, various tasks, etc.?

3. How would you describe your work ethic?

4. What motivates you to take initiative at work?

5. What do you foresee as the toughest challenges you will face if hired?

6. Paralegals are essential to the legal team working on a trial or transaction. How do you see your role working on a team?

7. What are some of your strengths?

8. Do you have experience filing documents with the courts (for litigation) or secretaries of states (for transactions)?

9. What experience do you have as a paralegal?

10. Tell me about your legal experience.

11. What hours do you expect to work as a paralegal?

12. What are your long-term goals as a paralegal?

13. What was your most challenging assignment at your last position?

14. What are you looking for in a company?

15. How do you manage your time?

16. What do you consider to be the most important qualities or skills that a good paralegal must possess?

17. What experiences do you have that are related to being a paralegal?

18. Why are you interested in being a paralegal?

19. Are you interested in attending law school in the future?

20. What area of law appeals to you?

21. Why are you interested in a position in the legal industry?

22. What college courses did you like the most?

23. How do you maintain your attention to detail when completing repetitive tasks?

24. What are some systems or techniques you use to stay organized at work?

25. How do you carry out your day-to-day activities?

26. How would you handle a colleague who wasn't doing their fair share of the work?

27. How would you handle an angry client?

28. If a lawyer gives you an assignment at 4:50 p.m. and needs it by tomorrow morning but that it's not overtime billable, how do you handle the situation?

29. Are you firm with people? This job requires it. Give me a professional example of a situation where you stood your ground.

30. Have you needed to resolve a disagreement that you had with an associate or a partner?