Preparing for Your Business Lawyer Interview: Common Questions and How to Answer Them

Interviewing for a business lawyer role can be intimidating. You’ll need to demonstrate your legal knowledge and experience, as well as your ability to communicate complex information clearly Going in prepared with thoughtful responses to common interview questions is key to landing the job.

In this article, we’ll cover some of the most frequently asked business lawyer interview questions, along with suggestions for crafting strong, compelling answers. With practice and preparation, you’ll be ready to ace the interview and get the job offer.

Why Do You Want This Job?

This is often one of the very first questions asked in an interview. Even though you should talk about why you want the job and why you’re qualified for it, don’t just read your resume. Instead, talk about why you’re interested in business law and how this job fits into your overall career goals. Tell them why you’re interested in this firm or company and how your skills and experience can help them succeed. Convey genuine enthusiasm for the opportunity.

What Experience Do You Have With Contract Review and Negotiation?

Since contract work is central to most business lawyer positions, expect to be asked about your experience drafting, reviewing, negotiating and analyzing contracts Discuss specific examples such as non-disclosure agreements, vendor contracts, licensing deals, mergers and acquisitions, etc. Quantify your experience when possible by sharing the volume of contracts you’ve worked on, the dollar amounts involved, or the industries covered Share details about how you’ve helped clients reduce risks and liability through careful contract language. Demonstrate your ability to not just draft compliant contracts, but also understand business objectives and craft agreements that support your client’s goals.

How Do You Stay Up-to-Date on Changes in Corporate Law?

The rules and regulations are always changing, so business lawyers need to keep up with new laws that might affect their work. When asked this question, make it clear that you are committed to continuing your education and list the things you do to stay up to date. This could mean reading legal journals, taking CLE classes, going to seminars and conferences, joining industry groups and associations, and other things. Give an example of how you used what you learned in law, like how you updated contract templates or how you told clients about new rules. Your answer should make people feel like they can trust that you know what’s going on in the regulatory world.

Can You Walk Us Through Your Experience With Mergers and Acquisitions?

Since M&A transactions are a big part of many business lawyer roles, interviewers commonly ask candidates to describe their experience in this area. When responding, highlight your specific contributions to past deals. This may have involved conducting due diligence, drafting and negotiating deal documents, interfacing with clients and management teams, facilitating regulatory approvals, and more. Provide details on the types of deals you’ve worked on, such as asset sales, equity purchases, leveraged buyouts, corporate restructurings, spin-offs, etc. Quantify the size and complexity of the transactions where possible. Share lessons you’ve learned from past deals and how you apply those insights to smooth the process for clients.

How Do You Handle Workload When Deals Overlap or Deadlines Compete?

Business lawyers frequently juggle multiple complex fast-moving deals simultaneously. Share how you stay organized prioritize tasks, and ensure nothing falls through the cracks when workloads are high. Give examples of times you’ve successfully managed competing priorities and tight deadlines. Discuss any collaboration strategies, communication practices, task management systems, or other techniques you rely on to deliver excellence even during peak periods. Emphasize being proactive about anticipating workload conflicts and your commitment to responsiveness and high-quality work regardless of competing demands.

Describe a Time You Had to Quickly Get Up to Speed on an Unfamiliar Industry or Topic. How Did You Approach This?

Business lawyers regularly advise clients across diverse industries and must dexterously research unfamiliar subject matter. When responding to this question, provide a detailed example of having to rapidly build expertise in a new domain. Share how you identified trustworthy, efficient sources of information. Discuss how you discern high-priority issues to focus your learning. Explain how you apply insights from adjacent fields to get up to speed more efficiently. Most importantly, describe how your preparation enabled you to provide competent counsel despite the lack of experience in that niche. Your answer should demonstrate intellectual curiosity, rigor, and resourcefulness.

How Do You Balance Giving Clients Rigorous Legal Advice While Also Being Commercial and Practical?

This question tests your ability to align legal counsel with business objectives. Acknowledge the need to provide clients with technically sound legal guidance rooted in current regulations and precedent. However, stress the importance of also crafting pragmatic recommendations focused on advancing the client’s commercial goals. Provide examples of how you’ve weighed legal risks against strategic business priorities and tailored your counsel accordingly without compromising legal integrity. Share how you help clients understand legal implications and make informed decisions aligned with their risk tolerance and objectives.

Can You Describe a Time When You Were Faced With an Ethical Dilemma in Your Work?

Professional ethics questions are common in legal interviews, since attorneys are held to high ethical standards. When responding, briefly summarize the situation and dilemma without breaching confidences. Explain how you identified the core ethical issues and researched the applicable rules of professional conduct. Share how you weighed ethical duties against competing priorities and came to a well-reasoned resolution consistent with ethical standards. Emphasize how you sought counsel from colleagues or supervisors when unsure of the appropriate course. Above all, convey through your answer that upholding ethical principles is paramount, even at the expense of business relationships or short-term goals.

How Do You Build Strong Relationships and Rapport With Clients?

Developing trust and rapport with clients is crucial for business lawyers. When answering, share techniques you use to cultivate strong working relationships. These may include practices like actively listening and seeking to deeply understand client needs, communicating proactively and transparency, meeting commitments, tailored engagement letters, sharing industry insights and articles of interest, and more. Provide examples of how you’ve strengthened existing client relationships over time. Emphasize the importance of clear communication, responsiveness, and aligning legal work with client business objectives.

How Would You Handle a Client Request That You Believe Is Legally Risky?

Client pressure can create ethical predicaments for attorneys. When asked this question, emphasize the importance of providing objective, principled legal advice even when it challenges a client’s desires. Share techniques for persuading reluctant clients of legal risks without damaging the relationship, such as presenting case studies, quantifying potential liability, and exploring alternative approaches that mitigate risk while still achieving business aims. Ultimately, stress that you hold protecting the client’s interests above simply granting requests, and would escalate material ethical concerns if needed. Your response should demonstrate commitment to professional ethics and independent judgment.

What Is Your Approach to Developing Junior Attorneys?

If interviewing for a senior role, expect questions about mentoring more junior lawyers. Share philosophies and techniques you’ve found effective for developing associates, such as:

• Giving challenging assignments that expand skills while ensuring support
• Providing timely, constructive feedback on written work and negotiations
• Encouraging questions and being readily available to guide
• Fostering ownership and independence while still overseeing quality
• Finding opportunities for pubic speaking, client interaction, and networking
• Advising on continuing education, specialization, and career growth

Emphasize a collaborative, nurturing mentality focused on elevating others’ knowledge and abilities. Examples of helping associates succeed can powerfully demonstrate your leadership abilities.

Why Are You Looking to Leave Your Current Position?

When changing jobs, expect to explain the reasons why. Avoid criticizing your current firm or employer. Instead, focus the discussion on positive reasons that this new role appeals to you, like seeking greater challenges, skills development, leadership opportunities, or industry/practice area expertise. Keep answers brief yet compelling, and pivot the conversation to why you’re excited about this particular firm or company. With careful preparation for this common question, you can maintain a graceful, professional tone.

Do You Have Any Questions for Us?

Always close interviews by asking one or more thoughtful questions. This demonstrates engagement and interest in the firm. Inquire about challenges the team is focused on this year, new practice areas, competitive differentiators, recent successes or milestones, or the interviewer’s experience working there. Avoid questions about salary, benefits, or policies easily found online. Thoughtful queries make a lasting positive final impression.

With preparation and practice responding to these common questions, you’ll be poised to have a great interview. Keep answers smooth and compelling, focusing on the abilities, experience, and passion that make you the ideal candidate. You’ll show the interviewers why hiring you is smart decision, landing the job and accelerating your business law career.