"So why did you choose to go to law school?" Forum

[Gamecubesupreme]

Way too many people get tripped up by this easy question in an interview. Law students often delve into a philosophical explanation as to what they believe they're good at and why they think law school is a good choice for their personality. Too much unnecessary complications and detours for a question that is really the softest of all softball questions, hence why it is often asked first.

Employers ask this for really just one reason: to see if you really want to work in a law firm. These days, too many people don't know what to do with a liberal arts degree, so they pursue a JD degree because they've been told how versatile it is. Law firms don't want to hire people like that (unless they're from HYS and just happen to be great at legal analysis, but I digress).

What law firms want is people who truly want to become lawyer. That is really it.

So if you ever get that easy question in an interview, all you have to do is look at your interviewer in the eyes (this is actually very important) and say the following 7 words with confidence and sincerity: "Because I want to become a lawyer."

Then the interviewer will nod and move on. It is honestly that simple.

[20130312]

...Thanks.

[Jimbo_Jones]

"Because I wanted a career where I could wear a suit everyday"

[kalvano]

Because being beaten repeatedly with spiked belts had gotten old.

[dingbat]

Because it meant 3 more years before having to live in a cardboard box

[unc0mm0n1]

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[rad lulz]

MOTTLES







BAUBLES

[BlaqBella]

So if you ever get that easy question in an interview, all you have to do is look at your interviewer in the eyes (this is actually very important) and say the following 7 words with confidence and sincerity: "Because I want to become a lawyer."

Then the interviewer will nod and move on. It is honestly that simple.

...and what if your resume does the talking (ie legal experience?)

[Peg]

Because I missed high school and the college atmosphere was just too damn happy and supportive.

[jess]

.

[OneMoreLawHopeful]

Because I heard that there is a law firm out there which will remain, even after oceans rise and cities fall.

[thesealocust]

"Because I want to be a lawyer" might be a little sparse. They'll call you out for being circular. It's definitely right that sometimes a more obvious answer ("working at a law firm seemed like a terrific entry level job and fit in with my skill set, and law school seemed like an amazing experience from talking to my older friends who had been") trumps talking about your passion for jurisprudence that you learned from Sam Waterston.

The same is true for "why ____ firm" questions, for what it's worth: they're more looking for why a firm / a firm of their general kind / in that general location, not a treatise on the minute differences between Simpson Thacher and Cleary. To the extent you have info completely unique to that firm it's a plus, but "why X firm" isn't code for "why X firm instead of Y and Z nearly identical firms down the road." In fact, if you're seriously considering Y and Z firm it signals that you have some idea what you want and aren't just throwing darts at a map.

[sambeber]

"Because I want to be a lawyer" might be a little sparse. They'll call you out for being circular. It's definitely right that sometimes a more obvious answer ("working at a law firm seemed like a terrific entry level job and fit in with my skill set, and law school seemed like an amazing experience from talking to my older friends who had been") trumps talking about your passion for jurisprudence that you learned from Sam Waterston.

The same is true for "why ____ firm" questions, for what it's worth: they're more looking for why a firm / a firm of their general kind / in that general location, not a treatise on the minute differences between Simpson Thacher and Cleary. To the extent you have info completely unique to that firm it's a plus, but "why X firm" isn't code for "why X firm instead of Y and Z nearly identical firms down the road." In fact, if you're seriously considering Y and Z firm it signals that you have some idea what you want and aren't just throwing darts at a map.

Agree on all of the above. Just want to add that in my experience firms that are smaller/in smaller markets/less "prestigious" are more likely to want a more specific answer geared precisely towards their firm. I had to sell those firms much harder on my desire to be there than firms with the opposite characteristics.