Paralegal Interview Prep Forum
- gatesome
- Posts: 412
- Joined: Wed May 02, 2012 7:43 pm
Paralegal Interview Prep
Any advice or suggestions?
- 4LTsPointingNorth
- Posts: 253
- Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2014 9:17 am
Re: Paralegal Interview Prep
What type of law firm?
- gatesome
- Posts: 412
- Joined: Wed May 02, 2012 7:43 pm
Re: Paralegal Interview Prep
business litigation4LTsPointingNorth wrote:What type of law firm?
a branch of law i have very little familiarity with

- 4LTsPointingNorth
- Posts: 253
- Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2014 9:17 am
Re: Paralegal Interview Prep
Prepare some anecdotes about how organized you are and how you enjoy working toward tight deadlines. Bonus points if you already color code binder tabs for fun; if not, you soon will.gatesome wrote:business litigation4LTsPointingNorth wrote:What type of law firm?
a branch of law i have very little familiarity with
-
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 11:31 pm
Re: Paralegal Interview Prep
Working as a paralegal, I have tabbed hundreds of binders over the last year and a half, but I never have actually used color coded binder tabs. I guess I have been lucky.4LTsPointingNorth wrote:Prepare some anecdotes about how organized you are and how you enjoy working toward tight deadlines. Bonus points if you already color code binder tabs for fun; if not, you soon will.gatesome wrote:business litigation4LTsPointingNorth wrote:What type of law firm?
a branch of law i have very little familiarity with
OP, I participated in the interview process at my firm last spring. I have the following suggestions:
1) If, like my firm, the firm you are interviewing at would like a two year commitment, emphasize your desire to fulfill that commitment.
2) Stress your willingness to work long hours and to work weekends. If you have examples of when you have worked long hours in the past, other than just at school, that is a plus. FYI--you most likely will work really long hours.
3) Demonstrate an interest in law. As I mentioned above, my firm is very interested in having paralegals stay on for at least two years. A genuine interest in law makes it more likely that an individual will do so.
4) Demonstrate a knowledge of how civil litigation actually goes down. I think this is a better way of showing interest in the job than having superficial knowledge regarding the law firm you are interviewing at (though that might be worth having as well).
5) Stress attention to detail, organization, time management, and any computer skills you may have.
6) It may be too late for this one, but make sure your resume is formatted perfectly and is internally consistent. My manager sees an inconsistently formatted resume as being evidence of a lack of attention to detail.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Want to continue reading?
Register now to search topics and post comments!
Absolutely FREE!
Already a member? Login
- kalvano
- Posts: 11951
- Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 2:24 am
Re: Paralegal Interview Prep
When I interviewed my paralegal at my old firm, she didn't have any experience in transactional work. The two biggest things I was looking for were attention to detail and a willingness to learn something new. I also wanted to know why the switch to a new area of law. I would have a good explanation for that.
- cookiejar1
- Posts: 867
- Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 2:07 am
Re: Paralegal Interview Prep
Showcase your attention to detail and your ability to follow asinine directions to a tee.
- scrowell
- Posts: 411
- Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:04 pm
Re: Paralegal Interview Prep
Dazzle them with your fabulous personality.
-
- Posts: 175
- Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:40 pm
Re: Paralegal Interview Prep
Is this really true?hill1334 wrote: 2) Stress your willingness to work long hours and to work weekends. If you have examples of when you have worked long hours in the past, other than just at school, that is a plus. FYI--you most likely will work really long hours.
IME at multiple firms staff hours have been cut to avoid paying overtime and less benefits. Much cheaper to have two paras working at 30 hours than 1 para working 60
- 4LTsPointingNorth
- Posts: 253
- Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2014 9:17 am
Re: Paralegal Interview Prep
If you're working as a Big Law paralegal/legal assistant it's true. Much easier for associates to work with one para through the life of a deal/case and not have to re-explain everything, plus the Firm usually bills the para's time to the client at more than 5x the para's overtime rate anywayGOATlawman wrote:Is this really true?hill1334 wrote: 2) Stress your willingness to work long hours and to work weekends. If you have examples of when you have worked long hours in the past, other than just at school, that is a plus. FYI--you most likely will work really long hours.
IME at multiple firms staff hours have been cut to avoid paying overtime and less benefits. Much cheaper to have two paras working at 30 hours than 1 para working 60
-
- Posts: 175
- Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:40 pm
Re: Paralegal Interview Prep
That's funny because I was referring to biglaw firms I've worked at, OL4LTsPointingNorth wrote:If you're working as a Big Law paralegal/legal assistant it's true. Much easier for associates to work with one para through the life of a deal/case and not have to re-explain everything, plus the Firm usually bills the para's time to the client at more than 5x the para's overtime rate anywayGOATlawman wrote:Is this really true?hill1334 wrote: 2) Stress your willingness to work long hours and to work weekends. If you have examples of when you have worked long hours in the past, other than just at school, that is a plus. FYI--you most likely will work really long hours.
IME at multiple firms staff hours have been cut to avoid paying overtime and less benefits. Much cheaper to have two paras working at 30 hours than 1 para working 60
Apparently some, but it is certainly fewer firms these days than in the past.
Just because a para is working less hours doesn't mean you need more paras per case, it means that para won't be on as many matters
- gatesome
- Posts: 412
- Joined: Wed May 02, 2012 7:43 pm
Re: Paralegal Interview Prep
Interview is tomorrow ... any last tips?
Thanks everyone
Thanks everyone
- cookiejar1
- Posts: 867
- Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 2:07 am
Re: Paralegal Interview Prep
Are you interviewing with a biglaw firm? If so, read a little bit about them if they're listed here: http://www.chambers-associate.com/Search/FirmList
-
- Posts: 1504
- Joined: Sun Sep 21, 2014 9:32 pm
Re: Paralegal Interview Prep
I would imagine that for this position, fit is even more important than it is for SA's.
Register now!
Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.
It's still FREE!
Already a member? Login