Top Legal Assistant Interview Questions with Example Answers [2022]

Question Overview: This question is designed to find out what the legal assistant knows about the position and what they are looking for in a job. It will also help you to determine if the candidate is a good fit for your agency.

Sample Answer: I like that this position will allow me to work with a variety of attorneys and legal assistants.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - The candidate’s understanding of the position
• - The candidate’s interest in the position
• - The candidate’s knowledge of your company

Question Overview: This question is aimed at finding out what motivates the candidate to work for your firm. It is important to find out if the candidate is motivated by money, prestige, a particular area of law or a specific office. You want to hire someone who is passionate about the work your firm does and who will be able to contribute to the culture of your office.

Sample Answer: I have always been interested in international law and I am excited about the prospect of working for an international firm like WHITE & CASE.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - A desire to work in a specific area of law
• - A desire to work in a specific office
• - A desire to work for a specific practice group or department
• - A desire to be part of a specific team or project

Question Overview: This question is aimed at finding out what motivates the applicant to work as a legal assistant. It will also reveal how well they understand the role of a legal assistant and whether they are a good fit for your agency.

Sample Answer: I want to be a legal assistant because I enjoy working with people and I like helping them.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - Desire to work in the legal profession
• - Interest in the specific job setting
• - Desire to work in a law office

Question Overview: This question will help you understand why the candidate is interested in the position and what they hope to gain from it. It will also reveal whether they are genuinely interested in the position or just applying for any job.

Sample Answer: I am very interested in this position because I believe that I can make a difference here.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - Evidence of genuine interest in the position
• - Desire to be part of a team
• - The desire to learn and grow professionally

Question Overview: This is a classic interview question that is designed to give you insight into the candidate’s personality. The best applicants will be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses in a way that is honest and not overly negative.

Sample Answer: My strengths are my attention to detail and my ability to stay organized. My weakness is that I can be a little too focused on the task at hand and not as aware of the bigger picture.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - Ability to be self-aware
• - Honest assessment of their own strengths and weaknesses

Question Overview: Conflict is an inevitable part of the legal profession. The best legal assistants are able to resolve conflicts in a professional manner. This question is aimed at learning how the candidate will handle conflicts on the job.

Sample Answer: I have had to deal with conflict in the past and I handled it by remaining calm and trying to understand the other person’s point of view.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - Ability to resolve conflicts diplomatically
• - Ability to remain calm under pressure
• - Ability to keep emotions out of the situation

Question Overview: This is a question that is aimed at getting a sense of what the candidate thinks is important in the job. The best applicants will be able to articulate the qualities that are most important to them and will also be able to explain why they are important. This will give you an idea of how well they know the job and how well they will fit in with your team.

Sample Answer: The most important qualities for this position are the ability to work well with others and a willingness to learn new skills.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - A desire to work in this specific job setting
• - The ability to work well with others
• - A willingness to learn new skills

Question Overview: This question is aimed at finding out if the legal assistant has done their research and is aware of the firm’s reputation and needs. It also reveals how well they can communicate their interest in the position and the firm.

Sample Answer: I have been impressed with your firm’s reputation and would like to be a part of it.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - Evidence of research into the firm
• - Evidence of a genuine interest in the position
• - Evidence of a genuine interest in the firm

Question Overview: This question is designed to see how the candidate will handle a situation where they are asked to do something outside of their job description. It will also reveal how well they are able to communicate and work with others.

Sample Answer: I would ask them if they were sure that it was my responsibility and if they were sure, I would do it.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - Ability to communicate clearly
• - Ability to work with others
• - Willingness to help others

Question Overview: The next step after a Final Office Action is a Final Rejection. This question is designed to test the applicant’s knowledge of the patent process.

Sample Answer: After a Final Office Action, the next step is a Final Rejection.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - Knowledge of the patent process
• - Familiarity with the terminology
• - Ability to follow the process

Question Overview: This question is aimed at determining how well the applicant understands the process of legal research and how they will go about performing it. You want to hire someone who is detail-oriented and able to work independently, but you also need someone who is able to work well with others.

Sample Answer: I will measure response time by the date of the request and the date of the response.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - The ability to work independently
• - The ability to work well with others
• - The ability to follow instructions and use a specific process

Question Overview: This question is aimed at finding out how well the legal assistant will work with others. It is important to find out if they are able to work well with others and if they have had any conflicts in the past. This question will help you determine if your candidate is a team player or if they are more likely to be a loner.

Sample Answer: I've never had any problems with co-workers.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - Ability to work well with others
• - Willingness to compromise
• - Ability to resolve conflicts

Question Overview: The legal profession is a mobile one, and you will want to know if your candidate is planning to relocate in the near future. If they are, you will want to know how they feel about moving and if they have any reservations about it.

Sample Answer: I would be willing to relocate if the job required it.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - The ability to relocate
• - The willingness to relocate
• - The desire to relocate

Question Overview: Legal assistants are often left to their own devices to get the work done. This question is aimed at finding out how well the candidate can work independently and if they are able to meet deadlines without close supervision.

Sample Answer: I am a self-starter and I like to be given a task and then left alone to get it done.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - Ability to work independently
• - Strong work ethic
• - Ability to meet deadlines

Question Overview: Legal assistants are often given multiple tasks to complete simultaneously. This question will help you determine how well the candidate can handle multiple tasks and how they prioritize their time.

Sample Answer: I would prioritize the tasks and work on them in order of importance. I would also make sure that I had enough time to complete each task.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - The ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks
• - The ability to work under pressure
• - The ability to meet deadlines

Question Overview: This question is aimed at finding out what attracted the candidate to this specific job. It will also give you an idea of what they are looking for in a new job and whether or not they are a good fit for your company.

Sample Answer: I was looking for a position that would allow me to use my legal assistant skills in a different setting.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - Evidence of being actively seeking a new job
• - Desire to work in this specific field
• - Desire to work for this specific company

Question Overview: This question is designed to see how the candidate reacts to stressful situations. It is important to find out how they handle adversity and whether they are able to remain calm and focused.

Sample Answer: I was working on a very important case when my computer crashed. I was able to get it back up and running quickly, but it took me longer than expected.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - Ability to remain calm and focused
• - Ability to think clearly in stressful situations
• - Ability to communicate clearly in stressful situations

Question Overview: This question is aimed at finding out if the candidate has any personal interest in the work of the ACLU. If they are not interested in the work, they may not be a good fit for the organization.

Sample Answer: I am interested in working for the ACLU because of their commitment to social justice and civil rights.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - Personal interest in the work of the ACLU
• - Desire to work for an organization with a social justice mission

Question Overview: This question is aimed at finding out what your candidate has done to prepare for this job. It is a good idea to ask this question even if you are not hiring a recent graduate.

Sample Answer: I have a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in legal studies and I’ve been working as a legal assistant for the past three years.

What the interviewer is looking for:
• - Evidence of education and training
• - Experience in the field
• - Specific skills and knowledge