In this article
How this list is ordered
The questions follow the order of a typical interview: why you want the work, how you research and write, what you must keep confidential, how courts and chambers operate, and how you would behave as an intern. If you are new to these skills, read the legal interviews guide first, because it defines research, analysis and confidentiality. If you are applying to a company, a nonprofit or a paralegal-track role instead, use the legal internship question list. Answers cite sources read in October 2026, and rules differ by state and by court, so check the local one.
Motivation and fit
Why do you want to work in law?
Name one kind of legal work you have seen or done, say what drew you to it, and connect it to this setting. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes lawyers' work as advising and representing clients, researching and analysing legal issues and preparing legal documents (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, modified 27 August 2026), so a reason that mentions research, writing or clients sounds grounded. Avoid praise of justice with no example behind it.
Why it is asked: it separates a considered reason from a default one.
Read the full explanation: legal interviews guide.
Tell me about your favourite and least favourite law school classes.
Name a course, say what you did in it, and link it to the work in front of you. Saint Louis University's career office tells students to be ready to explain why they liked or disliked each course and how those courses led to their interest in the employer (Saint Louis University Office of Career Services, page read 24 October 2026). For the least favourite, name what you learned from it and not a complaint about a teacher.
Why it is asked: it shows what kind of legal work you enjoy and how you talk about a setback.
How would you explain your grade point average (GPA) or class rank?
Give the facts first, then the reason and the trend. Saint Louis University's list of commonly asked questions includes grade point average (GPA) or class rank and what you attribute your academic success to, and it advises being ready to discuss your transcript in detail (Saint Louis University, page read 24 October 2026). If a term was weak, say what happened in one sentence and show improvement, such as a later grade. Never contradict your transcript.
Why it is asked: interviewers have the transcript, so they are testing honesty and how you handle a weak spot.
Do you have ties to this city or region?
Answer yes or no honestly, and give the concrete reason you want to work there. Saint Louis University lists geographic commitment among the questions interviewers commonly ask (Saint Louis University, page read 24 October 2026); the page gives no script for it, so this answer is general advice and not a rule. Family, schooling, past work or a plan to practise there all count as ties. If you have none, name what you have learned about the local courts or legal community.
Why it is asked: employers want interns who may stay, and a clear tie makes that credible.
Why this firm, court or office?
Show that you studied the employer: its practice areas, recent matters and the work of the person interviewing you. Saint Louis University's career office lists the employer's website, legal directories, Lexis, Westlaw and conversations with alumni as places to learn about it (Saint Louis University Office of Career Services, page read 24 October 2026). Then give one reason that fits only this employer, such as a type of case or a docket.
Why it is asked: a specific reason shows effort and a genuine fit.
How would you walk me through your résumé?
Pick the one or two items that best show research, writing or contact with clients, and tell each as what you were asked to do, what you did and what came of it. The same Saint Louis University guidance says to expect detailed follow-up on anything in your application materials (Saint Louis University, page read 24 October 2026), so include only what you can discuss for two minutes.
Why it is asked: it tests whether your materials are accurate and whether you reflect on your own work.
Knowing it is half the job. Saying it is the other half.
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Start Free Trial →Research and writing
How would you research a legal question you have not seen before?
Start with a secondary source, then move to primary law. The Cornell Law School Library guide says many researchers begin with secondary sources because they cite the primary law, and it names legal encyclopedias, treatises and law review articles as examples (Cornell Law School Library, updated 24 February 2026). Then read the controlling statute, rule or case itself, and record your search path so a supervisor can repeat it.
Why it is asked: it shows whether you have a method or only a search habit.
How do you know a case is still good law?
Check it in a citator, which is a tool that lists later decisions that cite a case and flags negative treatment. A case is good law for an issue if its holding on that issue has not been reversed, overruled or superseded by a statute; KeyCite on Westlaw and Shepard's on Lexis are the usual citators (University of South Carolina School of Law research guide, updated 15 July 2026). Read why a flag was given instead of trusting its colour.
Why it is asked: citing overruled law is a basic error that a supervisor cannot afford.
How do you structure a legal argument in writing?
State the rule, explain it where the reader may not know it, and apply it to the facts so that the reader never has to fill a gap. Georgetown's Writing Center suggests a roadmap or point headings, then annotating your draft to find where you state rules, explain the law and apply it (Georgetown Law Writing Center, 2016). The legal interviews guide shows the Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion (IRAC) pattern worked through.
Why it is asked: it checks that you can reason in steps and not only list authorities.
Tell me about your writing sample.
Say what question the piece answers, what your argument is, how you researched it and what you changed after feedback. Georgetown's Writing Center says one of the main reasons employers ask for samples is to judge whether students can reason legally (Georgetown Law Writing Center, 2016). Re-read it before the interview, because Saint Louis University warns that interviewers follow up in detail on application materials.
Why it is asked: the sample is the best evidence of how you write, and the interviewer can test it by asking.
How do you cite cases and statutes?
Follow the citation form the office uses, which for most United States legal writing is the Bluebook. Cornell's Legal Information Institute hosts Peter W. Martin's Introduction to Basic Legal Citation, with sections on judicial opinions and on constitutions and statutes (Cornell Legal Information Institute, copyright 2026). Georgetown notes that citation errors are particularly noticeable to an employer and easy to fix, so proofread them as a separate pass.
Why it is asked: citation accuracy is a quick signal of care.
Ethics and confidentiality
Can you use work from a previous internship as a writing sample?
Only with the past employer's permission, and only after redaction. Redaction is the removal of confidential details, and Georgetown's steps are: ask permission, identify what to remove (the matter, the employer's details and anything that would let a reader identify a client), replace it with fictitious terms instead of black boxes, show the redacted copy to the past employer, and tell the new reader on the cover page that names and places were changed and that you have permission to use the document (Georgetown Law Writing Center, 2016).
Text description of the diagram
- Ask the past employer for permission first.
- Replace sensitive details with fictitious terms, show the redacted copy to the past employer, and tell the new reader that names and places were changed.
Why it is asked: it tests whether you protect other people's information even when it helps you.
What would you do if you received a document meant for someone else?
Stop, do not use it, and tell your supervising lawyer immediately. American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rule 4.4(b) says a lawyer who receives a document about a client's matter and knows or reasonably should know it was sent by mistake "shall promptly notify the sender" (Walter Haverfield article, November/December 2012). State versions of the rule can add duties, so check the local one. In litigation, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure (FRCP) 26(b)(5)(B) adds duties for privileged documents produced in discovery (FRCP 26, amended 23 April 2025). Your supervisor decides which rule applies.
Why it is asked: it shows whether you stop and escalate or rush to show initiative.
What is a conflict of interest, and what would you do if you noticed one?
A conflict of interest is a clash between an attorney's interests, another client's interests or a third party's interests and those of a current client. Cornell's Wex entry says that under American Bar Association Model Rule 1.7 the attorney may proceed only with written, informed consent from all affected clients (Cornell Wex, reviewed February 2023). An intern who knows a party or client personally tells the supervisor before touching the file.
Why it is asked: a conflict check cannot see a personal connection that only you know about.
What may you say about your work to friends or on social media?
Nothing that identifies a matter, a client or the work of a chambers. Lewis and Clark Law School's handbook for judges says externs must understand that nothing discussed in chambers ever leaves chambers, and that their briefing covers social media, ex parte contact and keeping reports free of case-identifying detail (Lewis and Clark Law School, page read 24 October 2026). A federal court posting calls interns a direct reflection of the court (U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois).
Why it is asked: one careless post can end an internship.
Courts and chambers
What does a judicial intern do?
A judicial intern researches matters, attends hearings and writes for the court. One federal district judge's posting says interns evaluate and research civil and criminal matters, attend hearings and trials, meet with the judge about pending matters and prepare written memoranda and orders; the internship is unpaid, lasts about eight to twelve weeks and asks for a cover letter, résumé, transcript, a writing sample of up to eight pages and a professor's recommendation (U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois, posting read 24 October 2026).
Why it is asked: it checks that you know what you are signing up for.
What is the difference between federal and state courts?
Federal courts hear only the cases the Constitution and Congress assign them, such as constitutional challenges, U.S. law and treaty cases, disputes between states and civil suits between citizens of different states over 75,000 dollars (28 U.S.C. 1332(a), read 24 October 2026). State courts hear most criminal, probate, contract, injury and family cases and are the final arbiters of state law (United States Courts, read 24 October 2026). The federal system has 94 district courts and 13 courts of appeals (United States Courts). Name the system the office works in.
Why it is asked: it tests basic orientation in the court system.
What is an ex parte communication, and why does it matter in chambers?
In chambers, an ex parte communication is one side talking to the judge without the other side present or told. Cornell's Wex entry says most professional-conduct rules forbid it, since it risks an appearance of bias or unfair advantage (Cornell Wex, reviewed July 2025). An intern never discusses a pending matter with one side and reports such contact to the judge or the law clerk.
Why it is asked: chambers staff are trusted precisely because they are neutral.
Working as an intern
How do you handle several assignments with competing deadlines?
List the assignments, ask the supervisor which comes first, give an honest estimate for each and report early if one is slipping. The federal posting above lists the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines and exacting attention to detail among its qualifications (U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois, posting read 24 October 2026). Offer a real example, such as a clinic and a course deadline.
Why it is asked: interns who stay silent about delays create the worst surprises.
What questions do you have for us?
Ask two or three questions about the work: what a typical assignment looks like, how feedback is given and what a strong intern does differently. Saint Louis University advises preparing a few questions, waiting for an offer before asking about pay and benefits, and avoiding questions that make the employer look bad (Saint Louis University, page read 24 October 2026). See questions to ask the interviewer for more.
Why it is asked: your questions show how you think about the job.
Follow-up questions
Should I send a thank-you note after a law internship interview?
Yes. Saint Louis University's career office advises an individual note to each interviewer, preferably within 24 hours and with something personal in it; it prefers handwritten or typed notes, and if you send an email, follow it with a handwritten note (Saint Louis University, page read 24 October 2026).
What if I receive two internship offers?
Do not accept more than one. The same guidance says that when you accept an offer you should notify your other potential employers right away, so decide before you reply to the first.
How do I prepare for a law internship interview?
Read your own materials again, research the employer, and practise your answers aloud. Saint Louis University recommends a practice round with the career office to catch habits you do not notice, and the behavioral interviews guide and the tell me about yourself page cover the story answers.
Is a legal internship at a company interviewed differently?
It can be. Company, nonprofit and paralegal-track roles differ from court and firm internships; see the legal internship question list, and the interview loops guide for how rounds are built.
- Research from a secondary source to primary law, and check a case in a citator.
- Use a past employer's work as a writing sample only with permission and after redaction.
- Stop, do not use, and tell your supervisor when you receive a document meant for someone else.
- In chambers, nothing leaves the room and no one side gets a private word with the judge.
- Prepare two or three questions about the work, and send individual thank-you notes.
Sources
- Lawyers: Occupational Outlook Handbook — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 27 Aug 2026
- Introduction to Legal Research (library guide) — Cornell University Law School Library, 24 Feb 2026
- Updating Federal Cases and Finding Other Resources Using Citators (KeyCite and Shepard's) — University of South Carolina School of Law, 15 Jul 2026
- Revising and Preparing a Writing Sample — The Writing Center, Georgetown University Law Center, 19 Jul 2016
- Interviewing (career services guidance) — Saint Louis University School of Law, Office of Career Services, 24 Oct 2026
- Introduction to Basic Legal Citation (Peter W. Martin) — Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, 24 Oct 2026
- Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26: Duty to Disclose; General Provisions Governing Discovery — Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, 1 Dec 2025
- Conflict of interest (Wex legal dictionary) — Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, 1 Feb 2023
- Ex parte (Wex legal dictionary) — Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, 1 Jul 2025
- Law Student Summer Internship Program (judge's chambers posting, Southern District of Illinois) — U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, 24 Oct 2026
- Judicial Externship Supervisor Handbook — Lewis and Clark Law School, 17 Jul 2026
- Comparing Federal & State Courts — United States Courts, 24 Oct 2026
- Ethics and Professionalism: Inadvertent Disclosure of Documents (quotes ABA Model Rule 4.4(b); first published in Commercial Law World, Nov/Dec 2012) — Walter Haverfield LLP, 1 Nov 2012
- 28 U.S. Code 1332: Diversity of citizenship; amount in controversy; costs — Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, 24 Oct 2026
- Court Role and Structure — United States Courts, 24 Oct 2026
