i am a law student in a prominent (public) Nigerian unversity. I have always wondered what sort of question lawyers are asked when they go for job interviews. The knowledge of these question can help a law student prepare for those interviews and plan for the future i.e. Learn what skills you are required to acquire and what additional knowledge (apart form legal knowlegde) you should have. So this question goes out to lawyers who are currently working or have at one time gone on job interview at a law firm. Smart comments please.

@poster, legal practice is a different ball game from office jobs per se. One can be intelligent and yet lack the skills needed for advocacy. In my experience having practiced with the secretary of a branch as well as a thriving firm owned by a lawyer and Dr. in one of the Nigerian Universities, I would say that it is your carriage and sometimes connections that gets you a job with a chambers.

Often, if the chambers is in need of a junior, they give the junior a shot. They could ask u if u know how to move motions and write briefs particularly in this era of frontloading but in most cases, they want to know if u have got what it takes to talk authoritatively in court. In effect am saying that they could ask unachievable legal question or nothing legal at all, what they really are trying to find out is if you have the requisite boldness to face the court I.e the judge and also win the confidence of your client.

Hope this helps and I have not confused u even more

lizzyslaw: @poster, legal practice is a different ball game from office jobs per se. One can be intelligent and yet lack the skills needed for advocacy. In my experience having practiced with the secretary of a branch as well as a thriving firm owned by a lawyer and Dr. in one of the Nigerian Universities, I would say that it is your carriage and sometimes connections that gets you a job with a chambers.

Often, if the chambers is in need of a junior, they give the junior a shot. They could ask u if u know how to move motions and write briefs particularly in this era of frontloading but in most cases, they want to know if u have got what it takes to talk authoritatively in court. In effect am saying that they could ask unachievable legal question or nothing legal at all, what they really are trying to find out is if you have the requisite boldness to face the court I.e the judge and also win the confidence of your client.

Hope this helps and I have not confused u even more

thanks, you have actually been very helpful.