Questions to Ask Interviewers at the End of Your Law Firm Interview

This is an article in a series of articles called Your Ultimate Guide to Law Student Recruitment. Don’t forget to read the previous article here: Common Law Firm Interview Questions

Introduction

One of the most overlooked parts of the law firm interview process is the opportunity to ask your interviewers with your own questions. At the end of every interview, your interviewers will ask “do you have any questions for us?” This is not just a signal that the interview is over – so don’t relax just yet. You’re still in the interview process and the time to ask questions is a crucial part. Asking the right questions can leave a lasting impression on your interviewers and help you stand out from other candidates. Not only that but it’s also a way for you to find out more about the firm and the people who work there so you can decide if it’s the right fit for you. To help you, this article will discuss different types of questions to ask interviewers at the end of your law firm interview, along with questions to avoid and tips to keep in mind.

Types of Questions to Ask Interviewers

There are so many questions you can ask your interviewers but what I find helpful is if you categorize the questions into different types. For me, I like to categorize them into the following:

1. Standard Questions
2. Personal Questions
3. Practical Questions

This is by no means an official list of categories, it’s just something I came up with to help me organize my questions so feel free to use it as a guide but do what makes sense for you. Depending on how much time I have, I try to choose 1-2 questions from each category to ask my interviewers. That way, I cover my bases (I learn what I need to know) and don’t sound repetitive. Let’s go over these different types in more detail.

Standard Questions

As the name suggests, these questions are pretty standard. That means they are pretty common and expected. Obviously, you don’t use these questions to stand out. But they’re safe and professional so you usually want to start with this type of questions. The goal of these questions is to help you better understand the firm.

Examples of standard questions to ask:

1. What does a typical day look like for an articling student or junior associate here?
2. How is feedback typically delivered?
3. What are some recent files or projects that students or juniors have worked on?
4. How does the firm approach mentorship or support?

Personal Questions

These questions are tailored to the person(s) interviewing you. They show that you’ve done your research and you’re genuinely curious about the members of the firm. This type of questions lends itself well to customization, not only for the person you’re asking the question to but also for you. For example, you can customize it to the person you’re asking the question to by asking something related to what they’ve told you before or what you’ve learned through their bio during your firm research. You can also customize the question to you by asking about something that’s important to you. Doing this will help you stand out.

Examples of Personal Questions to Ask:

1. I saw that you’ve been with the firm for several years, what’s kept you here?
2. What’s your favourite firm social event?
3. What was your own articling experience like?
4. What do you enjoy most about working at this firm?
5. Why did you choose __________ to specialize in?

Practical Questions

I’ve come to learn that not a lot of students ask practical questions. During my interviews, I stumped quite a few interviewers by asking minutiae type questions. One interviewer even said, “Oh, good question, I don’t know. That’s the first time we’ve been asked that.” Think: what do I need to know if I was to start in this position tomorrow? Show your interviewers that you’re putting yourself in the shoes of someone already chosen for the job, imagining your day-to-day, and trying to picture whether this is truly the right fit.

Examples of Practical Questions to Ask:

1. Is the work primarily in-person or remote?
2. Is there any travel involved? How much?
3. What does the onboarding process and/or training look like?
4. As a student, will I get the chance to meet with clients directly?
5. As a student, am I expected to bring in clients for the firm?

Remember, these questions are example questions. Use them, but also come up with your own questions. And make sure to tailor them to you. Ask questions based on YOUR experiences. Ask questions that matter to YOU.

Questions to Avoid

Now…with that said, I would steer clear of some questions. Although you should definitely ask questions that are important to you, you need to find the right balance as some questions, while important to ask, can raise red flags. Especially because the legal profession is still pretty conservative. Here are questions I would avoid:

1. Questions related to controversial or sensitive topics – while issues like diversity, mental health, paternity leave, and salary should be fair game, the reality is that asking about them too early in the process might make you seem like a liability or overly focused on perks rather than performance. That doesn’t mean you can’t ask about them at all. You do you. Just a fair warning: you’re probably safest just avoiding questions about controversial or sensitive topics altogether.
2. Questions you should already know the answer to – if something is clearly outlined on the firm’s website like their main practice areas or the structure of their articling program, asking about it can signal that you didn’t prepare so avoid this type of questions. Before the interview, do your homework. Take note of what’s publicly available and use your questions to build on that knowledge—not to repeat it.

Tips for Asking Questions to Interviewers

Now that you know what kind of questions to ask and what to avoid, you’re all set. But I leave with you a few final tips to make sure you end your interview on a strong note:

Ask Questions

Yes, that’s the first tip. Ask questions. The worst thing you can do when asked at the end of an interview if you have questions is to say no. If you don’t ask questions, not only do you rob yourself of a great opportunity to assess the firm it can be taken in a negative light (you’re not interested in the firm, you didn’t prepare, etc.). Not to mention, very awkward. Imagine this:

Interviewer: do you have any questions for us?

You: No, I’m good.

…

Seriously…ask questions. Even if you don’t really have any questions for the interviewers, ask a simple one like “what’s your favourite thing about the firm?” Anything is better than nothing.

Ask Hard Questions

This might seem contradictory since I just told you to avoid controversial questions. But hard questions do not equal controversial. Hard questions are questions that make your interviewers think. One of the best pieces of advice I got from an articling student during the law student recruit was to ask hard questions. What are examples of hard questions, you might ask. Well, here are a few:

1. What is one thing you wish you knew before joining the firm?
2. How does the firm support students or junior lawyers who are struggling?
3. What are the biggest challenges that students tend to face here?
4. How does the firm measure success beyond billable targets?
5. What key qualities do you think are most important for an articling student?

Contextualize your questions

When I was going through the law student recruitment process, I often found it helpful not to just fire off a list of questions but give your interviewers a glimpse into why you’re asking the questions you’re asking. When you explain the thought behind your question, it makes you come across as more self-aware and intentional. It also helps the interviewer tailor their answer to your perspective.

For example, instead of simply asking: “How does the firm support students who are struggling?”

You could say: “I understand that articling can come with a steep learning curve. I really appreciate environments that offer strong support and guidance—how does the firm assist students who may be having difficulty adjusting?”

Or instead of asking: “How is feedback delivered?”

You could say: “I really thrive in environments where I get regular feedback, so I can improve as I go. How does the firm typically provide feedback to students?”

Contextualizing your questions is a great tool but be strategic about it. You don’t have to contextualize every question, just those that might seem out of place or could be misinterpreted without a bit of background.

Final Thoughts

In a law firm interview, you’re in the hot seat. But it would be a mistake to just sit there and let yourself be interrogated lol interrogate them back! Ask questions (ideally throughout your interview) and certainly at the end of your interview when you’re asked if you have any questions for your interviewers. And ask good questions that will leave a lasting impression and help you assess whether the firm is right for you. Be strategic, be thoughtful, and don’t be afraid to ask the questions that actually matter to you. Just remember to strike the right balance between curiosity and professionalism. You’ve got this!

This is an article in a series of articles called Your Ultimate Guide to Law Student Recruitment.

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