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Skills of Negotiation Questions for Law Firms

"Describe a situation requiring skills of negotiation and verbal reasoning". Why is this question asked, and how come I can only remember the first two words whenever I get asked it?!
This question is asked to basically put you on the spot and see if you can remember sentences that last for longer than 3 words. I have asked this question so many times, and by the end of the answer (if indeed one is forthcoming) I have started to do the shopping for that evening or wondered why anyone would want to be a lawyer when they have to think up ridiculous answers to ridiculous questions! I have also answered it lots of times when looking many years ago for a training contract or paralegal work.
There is no right and wrong answer to it, or no interview guru advice I can give. The advice has to be to jump through the hoop and give your somewhat boring and tedious answer without making the listener go to sleep too much.
Usually we recommend thinking of a situation involving a commercial or business environment rather than "When I was in the scouts we had to redesign a woffle for our scarves and I had to tell Obi Ben Knobi to stop interrupting me". Think of something you have done during your work experience (you have got some of this haven't you - see our guide for getting some or a training contract here) and use this as the basis for the answer. Think of a couple of examples before attending the interview. Always remember to remain positive with your answer and avoid office politics answers.

Jonathan Fagan - Legal Recruitment Consultant with Ten-Percent Legal - the no.1 online legal recruitment agency for legal jobs. Read our top 100 interview questions and our guide to finding a training contract by visiting our careers centre on the www.ten-percent.co.uk website.
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