Law school interviews can be nerve-wracking, but they’re a great way to showcase yourself and your skills to the law schools you’re interested in.
If you’ve got an interview coming up, don’t worry. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about law school interviews, including how to practice and common law school interview questions.
What Is a Law School Interview?
A law school interview is an interview between an admissions officer and a law school applicant.
The admissions officer will ask questions about the applicant’s experience, qualifications, and background to determine whether or not the applicant is a good fit.
Does Everyone Get a Law School Interview?
Not everyone gets a law school interview. In fact, nowadays interviews aren’t as commonplace. So, it’s not abnormal for law schools to not offer interviews.
However, if a law school admissions officer invites you to interview, definitely accept. These interviews are a great opportunity to showcase your qualifications and stand out from the crowd.
Law School Interview Practice
To have the best chance of acing it, you need law school interview practice. Admissions officers want to get to know you to see if you’re a good fit, so you want to be as prepared as possible. Luckily, practicing doesn’t have to be difficult.
Topics that could be covered in your upcoming interview include:
- Personal information
- Your resume
- Your university transcript
- The law school you’re interviewing with
- Legal reasoning skills
- Current events (like news, especially legal news)
One of the best ways to practice is through recorded videos, so you can play back the recording and analyze your speech patterns and answers to practice questions (we’ll go over the most common questions later).
For the best results, try using a speech coach like Yoodli. Yoodli is a free, AI-powered tool that lets users analyze their speech patterns, body language, word choice, and pacing, among other critical insights.
To do so, follow these three easy steps:
- Visit Yoodli.
- Upload an existing recording of you practicing for your interview (or record your practice directly on the Yoodli site).
- Once you’re finished, review the personalized insights Yoodli provides and tailor your speech to improve on any weak areas.
If you’re ready to start practicing for your interview, check out the questions below to include in your practice.
Law School Interview Questions
Law school interview questions usually revolve around you and what your qualifications are. If you don’t already have an elevator pitch ready to go, make one. Elevator pitches are perfect for interviews, since they give a brief overview of who you are and what you do (or want to do).
You should also be prepared to answer the prompt “Tell me about yourself.” For pointers on how to craft a great response, check out the expert tips below:
Aside from introductory info, you should also be prepared to answer some of the most common interview questions. Some examples include:
- Why do you want to study law?
- What skills, experience, or knowledge will you bring to our school?
- What is your proudest accomplishment?
- What’s your leadership style like?
- If you could have dinner with a well-known lawyer, who would you choose, and why?
- What are you currently reading?
- How do you handle telling someone bad news, or difficult or complicated information?
- What do you like to do when you’re not practicing or studying law?
- What type of law do you aim to practice?
- What qualities do you think will make you a good lawyer?
Columbia Law School Questions
If you’re invited to interview with Columbia Law School, there are some university-specific questions you might face.
Columbia law school questions you should be prepared to answer include:
- What would you say your greatest strengths and weaknesses are?
- What’s something that’s not on your resume?
- Five years from now, what do you see yourself doing?
- What are/were your favorite law school courses? Least favorite? Why?
- Tell me a time you had to overcome a hurdle — how did you handle it?
Harvard Law School Questions
Similar to Columbia, there are also some Harvard Law School questions you should be prepared to answer.
Those include:
- What is the latest non-legal book you’ve read?
- Why did you choose law?
- What is a legal skill you struggle with?
- What is your advocacy style?
- What’s the biggest mistake you’ve ever made?
Questions to Ask the Interviewer
It’s also a good idea to ask the interviewer a few questions. This shows that you’re interested, engaged, and invested in law school.
Some potential questions to ask the interviewer include:
- Can you tell me a little more about the current areas of specialization offered?
- What types of issues or cases are you involved in?
- What are the biggest challenges you anticipate for the coming year?
- How do you enjoy your work overall?
- What measures have been taken to support diversity, equity, and inclusion?
Why Are Law School Interviews Important?
Law school interviews are important because they’re an opportunity to stand out from the crowd.
Lots of people apply to law school. Over 400,000 applications were submitted for the 2022 school year, according to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).
Because law schools receive so many applications, it’s critical to do everything in your power to show schools that you’re the best choice as an applicant. Personal interviews with admissions officers are one of the best ways to do this.
The Bottom Line
Preparing and practicing for law school interviews is essential for a successful interview. These interviews aren’t something you’d want to just “wing.”
Practicing with a speech coach like Yoodli and responding to potential interview questions in your practice is a surefire way to prepare yourself for the upcoming meeting with an admissions officer.
Just remember to be yourself and focus on the goal: showcasing your best skills and qualifications.