OK I went through a list of “best job interview answers” collected by BuzzFeed, and I would only go with half of them.

1. “When the interviewer asks me if I have any questions, I always ask, ‘What’s the biggest pain point in the company/office/on your team, and what could I do to address it if I started tomorrow?”
No. As a lawyer, you should already know the biggest pain point going in. But I would work in the interview how you have solved relevant pain points.

2. “Whenever you’re asked, ‘What is your management (or whatever) style?’ always answer with: ‘Flexible, depending on the person and the situation.’ Then, give a concrete example. It lets them know you are able to read situations and respond in the best way possible, and you aren’t locked in to one way of responding.”
This could work if it’s true for you. Lawyers have to avoid being the department of no and instead should read the room to present options in a way the client understands.

3. “If asked to describe yourself in X amount of words, just use the descriptive words from your Hogwarts House. For example: If I’m a Ravenclaw, I’m smart, intuitive, and curious, etc.”
No. Wow. I never thought of doing this.

4. “Whenever there is a ‘negative’ question, make sure to include something positive in the answer.” Example: ‘What is one thing that you struggle with in the workplace?’ ‘Sometimes, I take on too much responsibility, which ends up being frustrating for me and my coworkers. As a solution, I focus on time-management and make sure to engage the rest of my team, when needed.'”
Yes, always show you have taken steps to correct a weakness, though the example given is a doozy for lawyers, so I would pick something else you’ve addressed.

5. “I’ve always asked at the end of the interview, ‘If you chose not to hire me, what would be the reason?’”
No. Too aggressive for a legal in-house interview in the Bay Area. Plus, no lawyer would answer that question.

6. “When they ask if you have any questions, ask what current/past employees in this role find the most rewarding and challenging about the position. If there are red flags, you’ll get them here. It’s basically asking the interviewer what the job’s strengths and weaknesses are but more effective.”
Yes, this works.

7. “If they ask for your weakness, don’t say it’s a weakness. Say, ‘My development area is…’ or ‘I’m working on…'”
Yes, same as #4 above.

8. “When they ask if you have any questions: ‘What are your 30/60/90 day goals for the role?'”
No, I find this too abrupt and awkward. Ask better questions showing you researched the company and role.

9. “The one ‘easy’ question that everyone almost always fails? ‘Where do you see yourself in five years?’ The answer is, ‘Here at *company name.*’ Even if it’s not true. Out of the hundred or so interviews I’ve done, less than 10 answered correctly. We don’t want to know if you plan to move to Oregon to study volcanoes; we want to know if it’s worth investing our time in training you for the role.”
Yes. You could also say “at a place LIKE company name and here’s why.”

10. “Corporate trainer here. I’ve discovered the best answer to the ‘what is your weakness’ type question. I tell them I tend to ‘over research’ anything I’m working on, then I give an example, like, ‘The last project I worked on was about Topic A, and I read six books and then got in touch with one of the authors to ask questions.’”
No. Over research is actually a problem for lawyers.

11. “When asked about your weakness or areas of development, don’t say nothing or hide behind ‘being a perfectionist’ or ‘working too hard.’ You are human! We all have areas we can do better. It’s okay to say where you can improve and show how you accomplish that. It’s about growth, and as a recruiter, I want to see that you are capable of change.”
Yes, same as #4.

12. “For salary expectations: ‘It’s hard to understand the full scope of the role at this point, so it would be helpful for me to know what your budget is.'”
Maybe. In California employers are required to post the range. And you have tons of online resources to suss out what the job should pay, so it’s better to give a broad/vague range, especially if you are very interested in the job and don’t get screened out. But it is also fair for you to ask them first.

13. “Alternate salary answer: I make X at my current position, so I would be looking for a minimum of a 15-20% increase to make a change. (You can fudge what X is to make sure it’s in-line/at the high end of the average for your position and industry).”
No, you don’t have to volunteer your salary. And never lie.

14. “If you have a gap in your resume that you don’t want to have to explain (maybe you were in a depression or needed a break), say you took time off to care for an ill family member. It’s you. You’re the ill family member. It’s not a lie, but also not forcing you to say, ‘I had a breakdown and needed to deal.'”
Yes, though I would say you were taking care of personal issues that have been dealt with and that you are now refreshed/ready for opportunity X [segue to why it’s such a great opportunity].

15. “Here’s one of the questions at the end that the employer wants you to ask: ‘What is the best part about working here?’ It’s a fun question (that they rarely get asked), and it gives me an idea of company morale, work environment, and if they have difficulty answering the question, maybe I don’t want to work there.”
Maybe. I agree with softball questions where the interviewer gets to talk about something enjoyable. I recommend trying to figure this out during the interview and not saving it until the end.

16. “This tip was given to me by a friend, and is such a simple but ballsy move that I hesitated to use at first, but I can really vouch for it. Take a notebook and pen with you into the interview, and ask if it’s okay that you take some notes (I usually do this after the interviewer says that they’ll be jotting down notes, scores, etc.). You don’t even have to write anything, but it highlights that you’re equally working out whether this position is right for you, and aren’t desperate, giving you a big air of confidence.”
Maybe? It’s not ballsy. Lawyers love taking notes, and it’s good to show you are paying attention. Don’t take notes on things that seem sensitive like org chart, though.

17. “Make sure you search the job title on Indeed, Glassdoor, etc., and get a good idea of the pay range. When asked about what your pay expectations are, say: ‘I’ve done some research on average compensation for this role, and it looks like the range is ____ to _____. With my experience, I believe I should fall somewhere between the mid-max range.’ It doesn’t make you look ‘greedy’ (eye roll), but also shows you know what the work is worth and won’t take their minimum.”
Yes, do your research and explain your value. You don’t have to pick the mid range.

18. “At the end, when they ask, ‘Do you have any questions for us?’ My go to is always, ‘How do you define success in this position?’ It helps you know what the expectations are, and it also gives you another chance to show your confidence in the job.”
No. You should be able to figure out expectations during the interview process, and you can definitely ask about it when you have leverage (offer in hand).

(article written with 100% natural intelligence, no AI)