Securing an interview with a law firm is a significant milestone, and often an intimidating experience, for any aspiring lawyer. Here, one law student shares valuable insights to help you navigate and ace this vital step.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Protégé Podcast, Jessica Trinh, a fourth-year law and medical science student at UTS and current paralegal, shares practical strategies to help you ace your law firm interview, stand out from the competition, and secure the role you want.
In the same episode, she shared her advice for law students preparing to apply for clerkships and explained that while clerkships are a valuable entry point into the legal profession, they’re far from the only pathway to a successful legal career.
Trinh emphasised that a great first step in preparing for an interview is practising a variety of interview-style questions. This not only helps build confidence but also improves your ability to articulate your thoughts clearly and professionally.
“I would say practice any interview questions, and it’s a great way to build up your confidence and show that you can clearly communicate, you can focus on common questions that you would usually see,” she said.
“[Practise] generic questions. If they ask you about yourself, why the company resonates with you, or even how you deal with, you know, stressful or pressured environments, is also a quite common question.”
Alongside practising interview questions, she stressed the crucial importance of knowing your CV inside and out, as many interview questions are based directly on the information it contains.
“It’s really important to know your CV inside out because most of the questions that they will ask will come from your CV. So I would say that a really important way to prepare for the interview is to know your CV, know all your experiences, everything that you’ve done,” she said.
Preparation goes beyond simply rehearsing answers. Trinh also highlighted the importance of planning the logistics of the interview day to prevent any unexpected hiccups that could add unnecessary stress to an already nerve-wracking experience.
“Also planning how you’re going to get to the interview or even anything beforehand, just to make sure that your routine on the day makes you feel calm, confident and prepared,” she said.
Trinh said one of the most effective ways to build confidence before an interview is by attending networking events, which allow students to connect with professionals in a more relaxed and informal setting.
“Attend any networking events. Some of the firms that I’ve been to the programs or the networking events have mentioned that there are networking events as you progress through the interview stage. So attend those networking events, you may be able to meet your interviewer or who you’re interviewing with,” she said.
While preparing to present your best self in an interview is essential, Trinh also advised law students to conduct thorough research to ensure the firm they’re applying to aligns with their personal values and career goals.
“Do your research on the firm again so that you’re even on. I would say what the firms, the firm’s values or anything the firm’s currently involved in would also be pertinent,” she said.
“So, making sure that the firm, you know, sits with your values or resonates with your values and your passions, or even researching the different areas that they are quite prevalent in or they operate in, which may interest you. So that’s one of the things that would be a good starting point if you wanted to see what clerkship or firm you’d want to apply to.”
