How do you answer: 'Why do you want to be a solicitor?'

Apr 05, 2022

Written By Francesca Evans

“Why do you want to be a solicitor?” A question so frequently asked during interviews and application processes, yet one that often feels so overwhelmingly broad to answer. Here, we take a look at how to tackle it.

Even as someone who has always wanted to become a lawyer, it can be difficult to answer the question of ‘why’. Sometimes there is no precise reason, but simply that your career path led to it.

Here, we shall explore the different approaches you can take to answer this question and help navigate you through these sorts of challenging questions.

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Why law?

In some respects, the question is asking why a solicitor and not something else? Why do you want to be a solicitor rather than a doctor, teacher, or vet, for example?

If you have considered other career paths at one point, this could be your chance to explain why in the end you opted for law. Address what it is about the profession that attracted you to becoming a solicitor and what potentially drew you away from the alternatives.

What experience?

Consider what made you want to become a solicitor, what the deciding factor or moment was that made you think: "Yes, this is for me." Was it a specific work experience, insight day, or even personal life experience that steered you into choosing law?

Think about what it was about that experience that sparked or enhanced your interest in law.

What skills?

Think about what skills you possess that make you a great candidate to be a solicitor. Consider what makes a great solicitor and explain how you resonate with this.

For example, solicitors require strong communication and teamwork skills, working alongside other legal professionals such as paralegals, secretaries, legal executives and court clerks. Explaining how you believe you too have these skills, providing clear examples of each or how you have developed these skills, will show employers that you also possess the skill set necessary to make you a strong solicitor.

Try to describe how your skills, values, and mindset are well aligned with becoming a solicitor.

Keep it relevant

Ensure your answers are relevant to the question. Allow yourself to expand on your skills and personality while always ensuring you don’t veer too far from the question.

Remember to also make it relevant to who is asking. If you are being interviewed by a law firm for a training contract, don’t just simply say why you want to be a solicitor in general, but also why you want to be a solicitor at this firm.

Ensure you are well-researched into the firm and address what it is specifically about being a solicitor for them that attracted you to applying.

There is no point explaining your passion for human rights or achieving social justice if you are being asked this question by a commercially-centred firm, for example. Instead, address the specific interests or skills you possess that make you want to be a solicitor in this firm or area of the law.

A great example would be explaining your commercial awareness, through reading relevant legal articles or newsletters that have geared you up to a career within commercial law.

The end goal

Another potentially useful aspect to discuss is your end career goal, and how being a solicitor fits into this.

Is being a solicitor the end goal for you, or do you aspire to grow within the firm and eventually become a partner?

Explaining how being a solicitor is a stepping stone to your end goal can be a great way to show a law firm that you are hoping to remain and grow within their firm. It shows that you are not just there for the sake of securing a training contract, but because you see a long term future with the firm, and being a solicitor there is the perfect gateway to doing so.

Be unique, not generic

The reason you want to be a solicitor will be different for everyone. The key to answering interview questions is making it personal to you.

Don’t just simply provide generic answers: link everything to your own experience, your own feelings, your own views, skills, outlook on life, and your future career path.

Remember, they will be asking everybody this question, so try and think of something unique to you that makes you want to be a solicitor.

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