Paralegal & Legal Assistant Interview Questions & Answers

Paralegals and legal assistants perform a variety of tasks to support lawyers.

Interviewers look for candidates that demonstrate excellent skills such as:

• Communication skills
• Organizational skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Research kills
• Computer skills

In this blog, we discuss commonly asked interview questions during job interviews for Paralegal & Legal Assistant positions. We also discuss the qualities that interviewers look for in successful candidates. In other words, we’re here to help you out!

Also, read more about frequently asked job interview questions here and check our job interview preparation checklist.

Skills Interviewers Look For In Successful Candidates

Below we discuss the skills you can highlight in your answers to demonstrate that you’re qualified for the job.

Communication skills

Why interviewers are interested in your communication skills:

Paralegals must be able to document and present their research and related information to their supervising attorney.

Learn more about communication interview questions and how to answer them!

Computer skills

Why interviewers are interested in your computer skills:

Paralegals need to be familiar with using computers for legal research and litigation support. They also use computer programs for organizing and maintaining important documents.

Interpersonal skills

Why interviewers are interested in your interpersonal skills:

Paralegals spend most of their time working with clients and other professionals and must be able to develop good relationships. They must make clients feel comfortable sharing personal information related to their cases.

Related: What Does a Notary Public Do?

Organizational skills

Why interviewers are interested in your organizational skills:

Paralegals may be responsible for many cases at one time. They must adapt quickly to changing deadlines.

Related: Law Clerk vs. Paralegal – What’s The Difference?

Research skills

Why interviewers are interested in your research skills:

Paralegals gather facts of the case and research information on relevant laws and regulations to prepare drafts of legal documents for attorneys and help them prepare for a case.

Related: What Does a Legal Intern Do?

(source: bls.gov)

Paralegal & Legal Assistant Job Interview Questions & Answers

During a job interview, the hiring manager wants to discuss several things. Think of your:

• Employment history
• Skills and abilities
• Accomplishments
• Job qualifications
• Educational background
• Career goals
• Personality

Below you find a list of commonly asked interview questions.

Examples Of General Paralegal & Legal Assistant Interview Questions

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. How would you describe yourself?
3. Why do you want to work here?
4. What interests you about this position?
5. Walk me through your resume.
6. What motivates you?
7. Why are you leaving your current job?
8. Describe your work ethic.
9. What is your greatest strength?
10. How does your experience qualify you for this job?
11. What is your greatest weakness?
12. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
13. Tell me about a challenging work situation and how you overcame it.
14. What are your expectations for this position?
15. What are your career goals?
16. Why should we hire you?
17. What did you like most about your last position?
18. What did you like least about your last position?
19. How do you handle stress?
20. What is your greatest accomplishment?

Learn how to answer these common job interview questions!

Examples Of Specific Paralegal & Legal Assistant Behavioral Interview Questions

Learn more about answering behavioral interview questions by using the STAR interview technique.

1. Give me an example of how you plan, organize, and prioritize your workdays.
2. Give me an example of a time you had to deal with a difficult client. What happened? What did you learn from that situation?
3. Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a colleague. How did you deal with the situation?
4. What is your approach to ensure that you successfully manage workloads and meet deadlines?
5. Give me an example of how you keep up with market knowledge and legal developments.
6. What is your strategy to efficiently organize and review legal files?
7. Have you developed a system to minimize the risk of errors in your work?
8. Tell me about a time you failed. What happened? What did you learn from that situation?
9. How would you rate your stress management skills? Can you give me an example?
10. What skills do you feel are most important for a paralegal (or legal assistant) to succeed? Can you give me an example of a time you successfully used those skills?

Learn more about questions to ask the interviewer during your job interview