Prepare for Tests and Interviews in the Legal Sector

People had established laws to govern societies in which they lived since times immemorial. They understood that without regulations people’s lives and rights will not be protected. Laws had been changing throughout human history; the legal professions had been evolving until they turned into a profitable industry that is such an indispensable part of our society and national economy today. In the United Kingdom, the legal sector has a total output of more than £23 billion, which is roughly equivalent to 1.6% of its gross domestic product; that is, of the market value of all final goods and services. The Legal Industry in the United Kingdom employs as many as 320,000 professionals. Because English law is popular throughout the world, the UK legal market enjoys a strong global position. It is estimated that almost 30% of legal jurisdictions in the world use English Common law: its criminal and civil laws.

Lawyers in the UK and in other countries give legal advice to victims of fraud, bad employment practices, and criminal accusations. Lawyers also assist those who open a new business, buy a property, or write a will. Lawyers are also crucial for the proper functioning of the business world. Their role is important in the local, state, and federal court systems, in governmental, public, and nonprofit organizations. The legal advice lawyers provide covers many problems and questions, ranging from civil rights to national security, bankruptcy, acquisitions, mergers, and employment, among others. The range of their responsibilities is, therefore, also wide. In addition to providing legal advice, lawyers also write contracts and wills, and numerous other legal documents, file lawsuits and plead with court. Many of them are qualified to argue cases before judges and juries. The profession of the lawyer demands a very narrow specialization. Lawyers thus usually specialize in one or several of the following areas:

• Regulatory or Administrative;
• Appellate Litigation;
• Maritime;
• Alternative Dispute Resolution;
• Bankruptcy;
• Civil Law;
• Constitutional;
• Contracts;
• Criminal;
• Privacy and Internet;
• Nonprofit;
• Education;
• Family;
• Environmental;
• Health Care;
• Insurance;
• Immigration;
• Intellectual Property;
• Employment;
• Merges and Acquisitions;
• Malpractices;
• Securities and capital markets;
• Real Estates;
• Tax.

Most employers in the Legal Industry require their applicant to have LL.M, a Master of Laws. Job candidates are also expected to specialize in one of the fields mentioned in the previous section: Civil Laws, Contracts, or Tax, among others. To become employed in the Legal Sector, job candidates may also have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in business management or finance. Paralegals are permitted to start working having only associate degree.  Being a lawyer, however, is not the only profession needed in the Legal Industry. Even if people have only high school certificate, they can work as Legal Secretaries and Office Support staff.

When employers in the Legal Sector consider candidates for an advertised job position, they take into account not only their education but also their personal traits and skills. Although the Legal Sector includes many professions, people working with laws still share common qualities. Some of them are listed below:

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Good knowledge of different laws;
• Excellent English proficiency;
• Logical and abstract thinking;
• Problem-solving abilities;
• Trustworthiness;
• Ability to work on projects alone and in teams;
• Punctuality;
• Ability to interpret complex legal documentation;
• Debating skills;
• Good public speaking skills;
• Confidence.

Almost any law firm uses some kind of aptitude test to screen its candidates. The majority of law firms and other organisations in the legal sector use the Watson Glaser, which is a critical thinking test.

It is a 40-question test that takes 30 minutes to complete and it assesses competencies that are crucial to succeed in this sector, such as drawing conclusions and evaluating arguments.

JobTestPrep offers a thorough preparation pack for the Watson Glaser, which includes practice tests with full explanations, dedicated guides, solving tips, and more. You can find it on this page.

Law firms also occasionally use the Arctic Shores game-based assessment.

The Legal Sector is not monolithic. Legal professionals provide different legal services to clients. There are, therefore, numerous career opportunities in the Legal Industry that encompass a diverse range of education and work experience. Recent developments in technology have added new job options to the list of legal professions. Some of these professions are described as follows:

This professional helps lawyers by taking over some of their tasks, thereby giving them more time to deal with the most important duties such as giving legal advice and appearing in court. Among other tasks, paralegals write pleadings, deposition notices, subpoenas, and briefs. They conduct legal research and help clients by interviewing them and witnesses. Paralegals also perform more administrative work: they file documents and exhibits. To be a paralegal, you may be required to have 2-year associate degree or 4-year bachelor’s degree and a paralegal certificate. To obtain the paralegal certification, job candidates must pass a difficult examination and have a minimum of one year of work experience in the Legal field. To succeed in this profession, paralegals must have a strong knowledge of different laws and legal terminology. They also need to know federal and state rules of legal procedure and substantive law. They should have good communication and organizational skills. Abilities to conduct research and good writing proficiency are also necessary to writing research memorandums, conducting correspondence, and drafting pleadings.

This position occupies a stage between a paralegal and a secretary in any office. Legal secretaries have more responsibilities than average administrative assistants. With experience, they may be promoted to the position of the paralegal.  Among duties of the legal secretaries are typing legal documents such as pleadings, motions, briefs, and subpoenas. They also correspond with legal organizations and clients. Legal secretaries are also expected to create spreadsheets, index pleadings, and schedule depositions, hearings, closings, and meetings. They are also asked to draft legal documents such as legal invoices. Other responsibilities include communicating with lawyers, legal experts, and other legal professionals. To succeed in their roles, legal secretaries should understand legal terminology and federal and state court filing rules. They also need to be familiar with basic legal procedures and protocols. Other skills legal secretaries should posses are good typing and punctuality. They should always remember deadlines. Possessing good computer skills is a must just as is a good knowledge of word processing and Excel.  

This professional works in a low firm, performing there an interesting role. What conflict analysts do is researching potential conflicts between the people working in their organizations and parties that are involved in a case. Conflict analysts should have excellent analytical skills and have a very sharp eye for details. Another important trait for them to possess is discreteness. Information that they glean from different sources should be kept strictly confidential.

The duty of the compliance specialist is to oversee how well companies comply with applicable laws and policies. They also often train employees to understand compliance procedures.  

To become employed in these and other roles in the Legal Industry is not an easy feat. Both tests and interviews are difficult and require strong knowledge and self-possession. You can increase your chances of becoming employed in the Legal Sector, if you avail yourself of the opportunity to study with JobTestPrep’s exclusive resources. Our high-quality materials will prepare you to your examination and interviews so well that you will easily leave your competitors behind.

The majority of the famous law firms in the UK are located in London. They are usually referred to as “City” law firms. City law firms are usually listed among 100 largest British law firms and provide services in corporate finance, mergers, and acquisitions to large corporate and financial institutions. These firms are divided into four groups:

• “Magic Circle” firms. Among them such reputable law firms as Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Linklaters, and Slaughter and May;
• “Silver Circle” firms. To this group belong such companies as Ashurst, Berwin Leighton Paisner, Herbert Smith Freehills, Hogan Lovells, among others;
• “Mid-Tier” firms. Among these firms are King & Wood Mallesons, Clayton Utz, and Minter Ellison, to name only few of them;
• American Law firms. Around 29 American Law firms are located in London. Among them are Baker & McKenzie, White & Case, Latham & Watkins, Reed Smith, Skadden, Squire Patton Boggs, and others.

There are also National Law firms, Regional Law firms, and High Street Law firms situated around the UK.

Follow the links in the table below to learn more about the application and selection process of some known law firms.

JobTestPrep does everything in its power to prepare job candidates to their pre-employment assessment. We bring together in one sophisticated PrepPack™ accurate test simulations and interview materials supplied, in addition, with score reports and step-by-step study guides. Equipped with our resources, you will be able to do well on your examination and make a lasting impression on your recruiters, securing for yourself a profitable position in the Legal Industry.