Video interviews usually follow in a law firm’s application process after the initial application form and the Watson Glaser Test. Law firms vary in how they deliver these interviews, some prefer to do them ‘live’ and some ‘recorded’.

The former is over a platform such as Zoom and an interview panel asking you questions with the latter being a series of questions where you have one minute to prepare and one minute to record and answer the question. This article will focus on recorded video interviews as they are most popular amongst law firms.

Why Do Law Firms Use Video Interviews?

Video interviews provide obvious benefits to both parties. Firstly time, there is no need to travel to an office and for the interviewer, there is no need to pause their day to schedule in an interview if they can get it sent to them recorded. Costs linked with this from resources, manpower, and travelling costs are all reduced.

Our old friend lockdown of course added to the increase of video interviews used by law firms and many other businesses, where more people opt to work from home it allows professional interviews from all over the globe. One last big factor is the lower pressure environment of being in your own home, hopefully allowing a more relaxed and controlled performance from candidates.

General Format

As mentioned, the general format of these interviews will occur through an email invitation with a common time limit of 1 week to complete. The email should provide you with details of what to expect, how to access their programme, and some ways to prepare. Do note however that the questions asked will not become available until you open the platform with the time limit. This is to ensure fairness across the board and that no last-minute research is done.

Hopefully, the email states the type of interview to expect, however this is not always the case. Different formats include competency based, scenario or strengths based interview; each format will change the way you prepare. If it is competency, look at key values and attributes the firm is looking for as the questions will be based around this such as ‘show us a time where you have shown leadership’.  A scenario based interview will focus on work place scenarios such as ‘discuss a time where you disagreed with a colleague and how you came to resolve this’.

Recorded Video Interviews

It all starts with the setup!

First, control your surroundings:

    • Make sure there is adequate lighting. (A light behind the camera usually works)
    • Make sure you have a plain or neutral background
    • You are wearing the right attire, don’t get caught out in a shirt and shorts!
    • Test and retest your microphone and camera so if you run in to any issues, these are sorted before you click record
    • Make sure your laptop is charged and is still on charge as recording can drain your battery

Performance Top Tips

    • Practice- record yourself under time limits. (Usually one minute per question)
    • Keep eye/camera contact
    • Remember body posture- you are not in the room with the interviewer so this will go a long way
    • Don’t speak too fast!
    • Avoid waffle, be concise
    • Use sticky notes around laptop and desk for common questions e.g. why this law firm
    • Smile!

Common Questions During Video Interviews

    • Tell us about yourself
    • What is the firm doing to increase its diversity and inclusion?
    • Describe a recent business news story that has interested you
    • What are your strengths or weaknesses?
    • How would you handle multiple approaching deadlines?
    • Why should we hire you?
    • Why this law firm?
    • What qualities should a future solicitor have and how can you demonstrate these?
    • Why a career in commercial law?

Use these questions to aid your research and preparation. Create a sheet of likely questions to be asked and write down bullet points with what you would like to include so you can elaborate during the interview.

With scenario based questions, it is advisable to use the highly recommended STAR format. Situation, task, action, result. This format allows you to set the scene, explain issues, how you overcame them and what positive results prevailed. Always remember to back up what you are saying with positive outcomes and show how the team contributed to the final goal.

If you made it past the video interview stage, find out what assessment centres are all about.

Study Law in the UK

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.