Yale Law School Career Development Office - Interview Questions Guide

Vocabulary flashcards detailing key interview question categories, legal practice topics, and firm policies from the Yale Law School Career Development Office guide.

Getting to Know You Questions

An employer interview category focusing on an applicant's background beyond the resume, greatest challenges, strengths and weaknesses, reasons for attending law school, and five-year career objectives.

SAW/Substantial Paper

An academic writing requirement at Yale Law School about which employers ask candidates during interviews regarding law school experiences.

Behavioral Questions

Interview questions asking candidates to recount specific past experiences, such as handling criticism, working under pressure, convincing others, making unpopular decisions, and resolving team conflicts.

Litigator vs. Transactional Lawyer

Two distinct areas of practice that employers ask candidates to choose between when determining their specific career and practice interests.

Firm Structure and Organization Inquiries

Questions asked by applicants to private firms regarding departmental revenue reliance, client concentration, 15-year partner/associate hiring trends, office independence, and associate turnover.

Billable Hours

A private law firm requirement concerning the average number of hours expected from attorneys, including policies on whether pro bono work and other required activities count toward the total.

Pro Bono Program

Legal work undertaken for the public good, examined during interviews for its activity level, types of cases handled, and treatment in workload assignments, billable hours, and evaluations.

Summer Associate Life Inquiries

Questions asked by candidates about typical summer projects, practice group lunches, evaluation criteria, mentor programs, and minimum/maximum required work weeks at a private firm.

Associate Life Inquiries

Questions directed to private firms covering rotational versus departmental assignments, timeline to specialization, direct client contact, training programs, and business development mentorship.

Partnership Inquiries

Private firm questions concerning the structure of partnership, criteria and qualities considered for election, recent numbers of elected partners, and the partnership compensation system.

PTO (Paid Time Off)

Firm leave policy addressed by asking interviewers how much time off they take in a typical year and whether they have taken leave during the current year.

Public Interest Employer Structure Inquiries

Questions covering typical case types, two-year funding security, fundraising restrictions, attorney advancement, and time allocation between litigation, lobbying, and advocacy.

Government Agency Administration Change Inquiries

Specific questions for public sector employers concerning how priorities, leadership, and day-to-day legal work shift following changes in political administration.

Public Interest Summer Intern Life Inquiries

Questions directed to public interest organizations regarding intern responsibility levels, daily assignments, supervision, training, and the rate of hiring interns into permanent positions.