If the last time you had a formal interview was for your training contract, you're not alone—and it’s likely been a while. Those assessment-day-style interviews are worlds apart from what you’ll face when applying for a qualified role.

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Interviews now are more personal, more nuanced, and often more unpredictable. Whether you're meeting a partner for a coffee-style chat or preparing for a competency-based panel, it's important to know what to expect - and how to prepare.

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Know the Format Before You Go

Interview formats vary, and preparing properly means understanding what kind you’re walking into. Is it structured and competency-based? Or is it an informal, unstructured chat?

Your recruiter should be able to tell you. If you've applied directly, ask your contact in the firm’s resourcing team. Either way - don’t go in blind.

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Unstructured Interviews: Think: informal, conversational, often led by partners or senior lawyers.

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These are the most common format for fee earner roles. While they can feel more relaxed, they require just as much prep - if not more - because they’re less predictable.

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How to Prepare for an Unstructured Interview:

1. Do Your Homework - know the firm. Know the people. Understand their values, culture, and recent news. 

2. Know Your Story - be ready to talk about your career in a clear, compelling way. What’s your journey? What motivates you? What are your proudest moments?

3. Expect Open-Ended Questions - be ready for broad prompts like, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Answer in a way that reveals your personality, goals, and value.

4. Be Prepared to Steer the Conversation - these interviews often follow your lead. Know your strengths, come armed with great questions, and use the discussion to highlight what makes you a standout candidate. (Check out our Interview Questions section for ideas on questions to ask in this kind of interview).

5. Show Emotional Intelligence - active listening, thoughtful responses, and building rapport are key. Remember: they’re evaluating how you'd fit with their team.

6. Have 3–5 Key Points You Want to Make - unstructured interviews can meander—don’t leave without making your strongest points clear.

7. Ask Smart Questions - show genuine curiosity about the team, the role, and what success looks like in their eyes.

 

Structured Interviews: Think: set questions, usually competency-based, designed to assess how you respond to specific scenarios.

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If you’ve done a vacation scheme or training contract interview, this will feel familiar. These are more formal and require targeted, structured answers.

 

How to Prepare for a Structured Interview:

1. Understand the Format - expect a consistent set of questions across all candidates, often covering core competencies like teamwork, leadership, and resilience.

2. Identify the Key Competencies - review the job spec carefully. What skills and traits is the firm really looking for?

3. Use the STAR Method - structure your answers using this framework:

• Situation – What was going on?

• Task – What were you responsible for?

• Action – What did you do?

• Result – What happened? Quantify it if you can.

4. Practice Being Clear and Concise - answer the question, stay on point, and avoid the waffle. Practice helps.

5. Expect Follow-Ups - even in a structured format, interviewers may dig deeper. Be ready to expand on your answers or explain your thinking.

6. Stay Professional and Engaged - make eye contact, show enthusiasm, and don’t let the format dull your personality.

7. Ask Questions at the End - even in structured interviews, you’ll usually get a moment to ask questions. Use it to learn more about the role, team dynamic, or progression opportunities.

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Final Thoughts: Prepare Smart, Interview Strong

Unstructured interviews may feel like a chat, while structured ones can feel a little rigid—but both need careful prep. A good recruiter will guide you, share what to expect, and can even help you practise with a mock interview.

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Need more help? If you’ve applied directly and want to sharpen your interview skills why not book a bespoke session with our legal market expert. Having worked in the legal market for  over 25 years as a lawyer, recruiter and head of resourcing at a top 20 international firm he has years of experience preparing lawyers for interviews as well as carrying them out for law firms.