In today's complex business environment, effective legal counsel is essential for navigating regulatory frameworks, mitigating risks, and enabling strategic growth. The best legal counsels don't just provide legal advice—they serve as strategic partners who help businesses achieve objectives while managing legal exposure. According to the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium, organizations with strong in-house legal teams reduce external legal spending by 15-30% while simultaneously improving business outcomes and compliance posture.

Legal counsel professionals play multiple crucial roles within organizations—from drafting and reviewing contracts and managing litigation to advising on regulatory compliance and protecting intellectual property. They must translate complex legal concepts into actionable business advice, balancing risk management with operational needs. The most effective legal counsels combine technical legal expertise with business acumen, communication skills, and sound judgment. They anticipate issues before they arise, provide proactive guidance, and help the organization navigate increasingly complex legal landscapes while supporting business objectives.

When evaluating candidates for Legal Counsel positions, behavioral questions allow interviewers to assess how candidates have handled real-world legal challenges. By focusing on specific examples from candidates' past experiences, you can better evaluate their judgment, analytical thinking, communication abilities, and how they've balanced legal risk with business needs. The most revealing responses often come from follow-up questions that explore the reasoning behind decisions and the lessons learned from both successes and challenges.

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you had to explain a complex legal concept or requirement to business stakeholders who didn't have legal backgrounds.

Areas to Cover:

• The specific legal concept and why it was challenging to explain
• How the candidate assessed the audience's existing knowledge and needs
• Strategies used to simplify complex information
• How the candidate confirmed understanding
• Whether the stakeholders were able to apply the information
• The overall outcome of the communication
• Lessons learned about communicating legal concepts to non-lawyers

Follow-Up Questions:

• What was most challenging about communicating this particular legal concept?
• How did you tailor your communication approach based on the specific audience?
• How did you confirm that the stakeholders truly understood what you were explaining?
• Have you refined your approach to explaining legal concepts over time? If so, how?

Describe a situation where you identified a significant legal risk that others in the organization had overlooked.

Areas to Cover:

• How the candidate identified the risk
• The potential impact of the risk on the organization
• How the candidate researched and analyzed the issue
• The approach taken to communicate the risk to decision-makers
• Any resistance encountered and how it was handled
• The ultimate resolution and outcome
• Preventative measures implemented as a result

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific indicators or red flags prompted you to investigate this issue?
• How did you determine the level of risk to the organization?
• How did you prioritize this risk against other legal matters you were handling?
• What would you do differently if faced with a similar situation in the future?

Tell me about a time when you had to negotiate a complex contract or settlement under significant time pressure.

Areas to Cover:

• The nature of the contract/settlement and what made it complex
• The time constraints and why they existed
• The candidate's approach to prioritizing key issues
• Methods used to accelerate the negotiation process
• How the candidate maintained attention to detail despite time pressure
• The outcome of the negotiation
• Lessons learned about negotiating under pressure

Follow-Up Questions:

• What were your non-negotiable points, and how did you decide on them?
• How did you balance thoroughness with speed?
• How did you manage the expectations of internal stakeholders during the process?
• What specific techniques did you use to keep negotiations moving forward?

Describe a situation where you had to push back against a business initiative because of legal concerns.

Areas to Cover:

• The nature of the business initiative and the legal concerns it raised
• How the candidate identified and evaluated the legal risks
• The approach taken to communicate concerns to business leaders
• How the candidate balanced legal caution with business objectives
• Any creative solutions or alternatives proposed
• The ultimate decision and outcome
• Relationship management during and after the situation

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you frame your concerns to maximize receptiveness?
• What resistance did you encounter, and how did you address it?
• Were you able to help find an alternative approach that addressed both legal and business needs?
• How did this experience affect your relationship with the business team?

Tell me about a time when you had to interpret or apply a new regulation or legal development that impacted your organization.

Areas to Cover:

• The specific regulation or legal development
• How the candidate learned about and researched the new development
• The process used to analyze its impact on the organization
• Steps taken to develop implementation strategy or compliance approach
• How the candidate communicated necessary changes to the organization
• Challenges encountered during implementation
• Outcomes and effectiveness of the response

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you stay informed about this emerging legal development?
• What resources did you use to interpret how it would apply to your organization?
• How did you handle any ambiguities or gray areas in the new regulation?
• How did you prioritize this work alongside your existing responsibilities?

Describe a challenging ethical dilemma you faced in your legal career and how you handled it.

Areas to Cover:

• The nature of the ethical dilemma
• The competing interests or values at stake
• How the candidate analyzed the situation
• Resources or guidance the candidate sought out
• The decision-making process used
• The ultimate resolution and its consequences
• Personal reflections and professional growth from the experience

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you identify that this was an ethical issue rather than just a difficult decision?
• Were there any professional rules of conduct that guided your approach?
• What factors did you consider most important in making your decision?
• How has this experience influenced how you approach ethical questions now?

Tell me about a time when you had to manage multiple high-priority legal matters simultaneously.

Areas to Cover:

• The nature and variety of the legal matters
• How the candidate assessed priorities
• Systems or processes used to stay organized
• How the candidate managed resources (personal time, team members, external counsel)
• Communication with stakeholders about timelines and expectations
• The ultimate outcome across the various matters
• Lessons learned about managing competing priorities

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific criteria did you use to prioritize these matters?
• How did you adjust when new urgent matters arose during this period?
• What tools or systems did you use to track deadlines and deliverables?
• How did you maintain quality and attention to detail across multiple matters?

Describe a situation where you had to work with outside counsel on a significant legal matter.

Areas to Cover:

• The nature of the legal matter and why outside counsel was engaged
• How the candidate selected or managed the relationship with outside counsel
• The division of responsibilities between in-house and outside counsel
• How the candidate ensured quality and cost-effectiveness
• Communication approaches used to stay aligned
• Challenges in the working relationship and how they were addressed
• Results achieved through the collaboration

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you determine which work to handle internally versus externally?
• What specific steps did you take to manage legal costs while ensuring quality?
• How did you evaluate the performance of outside counsel?
• What would you do differently in managing outside counsel for a similar matter in the future?

Tell me about a time when your legal advice wasn't followed, and the outcome was negative.

Areas to Cover:

• The context and nature of the legal advice provided
• How thoroughly the candidate communicated risks and consequences
• The reasons why the advice wasn't followed
• The candidate's response when learning the advice wouldn't be followed
• The negative outcomes that resulted
• How the candidate managed the aftermath
• Lessons learned about influence and communication

Follow-Up Questions:

• Looking back, how could you have communicated more effectively?
• What indicators suggested your advice might not be followed?
• How did you handle the situation after the negative outcome materialized?
• How has this experience changed your approach to providing legal advice?

Describe a situation where you identified an opportunity to improve a legal process or policy in your organization.

Areas to Cover:

• How the candidate identified the need for improvement
• The problems with the existing process or policy
• The candidate's approach to analyzing and developing the improvement
• How the candidate built support for the change
• Implementation challenges and how they were addressed
• Metrics or feedback used to evaluate success
• The ultimate impact of the improvement

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specifically prompted you to focus on improving this particular process?
• How did you build buy-in from stakeholders who would be affected by the change?
• What resistance did you encounter, and how did you address it?
• What did you learn from the implementation process that you've applied to other initiatives?

Tell me about a time when you had to quickly become knowledgeable about an unfamiliar area of law.

Areas to Cover:

• The context and why this legal area was suddenly relevant
• How the candidate assessed what they needed to learn
• Resources and methods used to gain knowledge
• How the candidate verified their understanding was correct
• Application of the newly acquired knowledge
• Time constraints and how they were managed
• The outcome and any continued development in this area

Follow-Up Questions:

• What was most challenging about getting up to speed in this area?
• How did you ensure your understanding was sufficiently thorough despite the time pressure?
• What resources did you find most valuable in building your knowledge?
• How has this experience affected your approach to learning new legal areas?

Describe a time when you successfully helped resolve a dispute or conflict within your organization.

Areas to Cover:

• The nature of the dispute and the parties involved
• The candidate's role in the resolution process
• How the candidate gathered information about the situation
• Approaches or techniques used to facilitate resolution
• How legal principles or requirements factored into the resolution
• The ultimate outcome and stakeholder satisfaction
• Preventative measures implemented as a result

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific skills or approaches did you use to help the parties find common ground?
• How did you balance legal considerations with practical business needs?
• What was the most challenging aspect of resolving this dispute?
• How did you maintain neutrality while still providing legal guidance?

Tell me about a significant project or transaction where you played a key legal role.

Areas to Cover:

• The nature and scope of the project/transaction
• The candidate's specific responsibilities
• Key legal issues identified and addressed
• How the candidate collaborated with other functional areas
• Challenges encountered and how they were overcome
• The impact of the candidate's contributions on the outcome
• Lessons learned from the experience

Follow-Up Questions:

• What unique legal challenges did this project present?
• How did you balance legal protection with business objectives?
• How did you manage communication with various stakeholders during the project?
• What would you do differently if you were involved in a similar project today?

Describe a situation where you had to adapt to a significant change in law or regulations that affected your work.

Areas to Cover:

• The specific change and its potential impact
• How the candidate became aware of and monitored the change
• The approach to analyzing implications for the organization
• Steps taken to implement necessary changes
• How the candidate communicated with and educated stakeholders
• Challenges encountered during the adaptation process
• The ultimate outcome and organizational readiness

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you stay informed about this evolving legal development?
• What systems did you put in place to ensure ongoing compliance?
• How did you prioritize which aspects of the change to address first?
• What was the most difficult part of managing this transition?

Tell me about a time when you identified a potential legal issue early and took proactive steps to prevent it from becoming a problem.

Areas to Cover:

• How the candidate identified the potential issue
• The analysis used to evaluate risks and consequences
• The preventive approach developed
• How the candidate gained support for preventive action
• Resources or expertise leveraged
• The implementation of preventive measures
• Evidence of success in avoiding the potential problem

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific early warning signs caught your attention?
• How did you evaluate whether this issue warranted proactive attention?
• How did you convince others to allocate resources to something that hadn't yet become a problem?
• How has this experience shaped your approach to risk identification?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are behavioral questions better than hypothetical questions when interviewing legal counsel candidates?

Behavioral questions based on past experiences provide concrete evidence of how a candidate has actually performed in real-world legal situations. Unlike hypothetical questions, which often elicit idealized responses about what someone might do, behavioral questions reveal proven skills, judgment, and thought processes. For legal counsel roles, where judgment and practical application of legal knowledge are critical, understanding how candidates have previously navigated complex legal challenges offers much stronger predictive value for future performance.

How many behavioral questions should I include in a Legal Counsel interview?

Rather than covering many topics superficially, focus on 3-5 behavioral questions during a one-hour interview. This allows time for thorough responses and meaningful follow-up questions that reveal deeper insights into the candidate's experience and thought process. For comprehensive evaluations, consider dividing key competencies among your interview team members, with each focusing on different aspects of the role. Using a structured interview approach with consistent questions for all candidates enables better comparisons.

How should I evaluate responses to behavioral questions for Legal Counsel candidates?

Evaluate responses against both technical legal competence and underlying traits such as judgment, communication skills, and business acumen. Look for candidates who provide specific examples rather than generalizations, clearly articulate their reasoning process, demonstrate learning from experiences, and show how they've balanced legal risks with business objectives. The most promising candidates typically share both successes and challenges transparently, explain their thought processes clearly, and connect their actions to measurable outcomes. Consider using an interview scorecard to objectively evaluate responses against predetermined criteria.

How do I adapt these questions for candidates transitioning from law firms to in-house legal counsel roles?

For candidates transitioning from law firms to in-house roles, focus on questions that explore their client service orientation, business understanding, and ability to provide practical (not just technically correct) advice. Ask about experiences working closely with business clients, managing competing priorities, translating legal concepts for non-lawyers, and balancing risk management with business objectives. While their examples might come from an external counsel context, listen for transferable skills like stakeholder management, pragmatic problem-solving, and the ability to understand business contexts when providing legal guidance.

What if a candidate doesn't have specific experience in our industry's legal landscape?

Focus on transferable legal skills and learning agility rather than specific industry knowledge, which can be acquired. Ask questions about how they've quickly learned new legal areas, adapted to regulatory changes, or transferred legal principles across different contexts. Look for candidates who demonstrate thorough research approaches, strategic thinking about legal issues, and the ability to identify core principles that apply across different domains. Their process for approaching unfamiliar legal territory often reveals more about their potential success than existing industry-specific knowledge.

Interested in a full interview guide for a Legal Counsel role? Sign up for Yardstick and build it for free.