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Litigation Paralegal interview questions, and how to answer them

Litigation interviews test one thing above everything else: can the attorney trust you with a deadline they'll never check twice. Expect questions about calendaring, discovery, and the night a filing went sideways, and expect the attorney to push for specifics. Here's what they ask and what a good answer sounds like.

11 questions7 minute read

Part 1

1.Walk me through how you calendar a deadline when a new document is served.

Why they ask

Missed deadlines are the biggest risk a litigation team carries. They want to hear a system, not a promise to be careful.

How to answer

  • Name the rule you start from: the court's rules, the local rules, and any case-specific scheduling order
  • Explain how you count, including the method of service, weekends and court holidays
  • Describe entering it in the calendaring system with reminders and a second person checking it
  • Say how you tell the attorney: a short email with the date and the rule it came from

2.Tell me about a time you caught a deadline or filing problem before it became a real problem.

Why they ask

They want proof you look ahead, and they want to see whether you tell the attorney early or quietly try to fix it alone.

How to answer

  • Set up the case and the deadline in a sentence
  • Say exactly what you noticed and how
  • Explain who you told and how quickly
  • End with the outcome and what you changed in your process afterward

3.How do you handle an incoming document production?

Why they ask

Productions are where evidence gets lost and deficiencies get missed. This tests whether you know a review platform and what to check.

How to answer

  • Log the production: date received, producing party, Bates range, and format
  • Load it into the review platform you know, such as Relativity or Everlaw, and check the load file
  • Look for gaps: missing attachments, skipped Bates numbers, unreadable files, missing metadata
  • Summarize problems for the attorney so a deficiency letter can go out promptly
4.What goes into a privilege log, and how do you write a description?

Why they ask

A sloppy privilege log can waive privilege or invite a motion to compel. They want to know you understand the balance.

How to answer

  • List the standard fields: date, author, recipients, document type, privilege asserted
  • Explain that the description must justify the privilege without revealing the content of the advice
  • Mention checking for third parties on an email, which can break privilege
  • Say you flag close calls for the attorney rather than deciding them yourself
5.How do you prepare for a deposition your attorney is taking?

Why they ask

Depo prep is a big chunk of the week. They're checking whether you can build the materials without step-by-step direction.

How to answer

  • Pull every document mentioning the witness and put them in a chronology
  • Build and pre-mark an exhibit set, with copies for everyone in the room
  • Handle the notice, the court reporter, the videographer if needed, and the room or remote link
  • Afterward, order the transcript and prepare a summary with page and line cites

Part 2

6.Which e-filing systems have you used, and what can go wrong with a filing?

Why they ask

Filing is often the paralegal's job alone, sometimes late at night. They want to know you've done it and know the traps.

How to answer

  • Name the systems you've filed through: the federal courts' CM/ECF and any state court portals
  • Mention file size limits, text-searchable PDF requirements, and choosing the right event type
  • Talk about redacting personal identifiers before filing
  • Say you save the confirmation and update the docket right after
7.The attorney hands you final exhibits two hours before a filing deadline and they don't match the brief. What do you do?

Why they ask

This happens. They want to see triage, not panic.

How to answer

  • Tell the attorney immediately and agree on which version controls
  • Re-letter or renumber the exhibits and update the citations in the brief
  • Rebuild the tables and do a final cite check on the exhibit references
  • File with margin, then confirm service and docket the filing
8.How do you keep track of exhibits during trial?

Why they ask

At trial you're the one who knows where everything is. It tests whether you've been there or can picture it clearly.

How to answer

  • Keep a running exhibit list marking which are offered, admitted, or excluded
  • Have hard copies and a trial presentation tool ready, such as TrialDirector
  • Coordinate witness order and make sure each witness's binder is ready the night before
  • Stay quiet and pass notes rather than interrupting counsel
9.How many cases have you carried at once, and how did you stay on top of them?

Why they ask

Litigation caseloads can be heavy, especially in insurance defense. They want to know how you prioritize.

How to answer

  • Describe the kind of cases and the rough size of your caseload in words, not a vague claim
  • Explain your tools: the case management system, a weekly deadline report, task lists
  • Say how you decide what comes first when two attorneys want something today
  • Mention how you track billable time as you go, if the firm bills
10.What would you do if you disagreed with how an attorney wanted to handle something?

Why they ask

They want a paralegal who raises concerns but respects that the attorney makes the legal call.

How to answer

  • Raise it privately and early, with the rule or fact behind your concern
  • Accept that the attorney decides, since they hold the license
  • Document the instruction if it touches a deadline or a filing
  • Escalate to a supervising partner only if an ethics issue is involved

Part 3

11.Why litigation instead of corporate or another practice area?

Why they ask

Litigation burns people out. They want to know you chose it and understand the hours.

How to answer

  • Name what you like about it specifically, such as building a case from records
  • Acknowledge the late nights around filings and trial
  • Give an example of a trial or motion you worked on and what you enjoyed

Questions to ask them

Ask at least two. It shows you're picking them too.

  • What kind of cases does the group handle, and how many does a paralegal typically carry?
  • Who owns the docket here: paralegals, a docketing department, or the attorneys?
  • How often do cases here actually go to trial, and do paralegals attend?
  • Which review platform and case management system does the team use?
  • What does a paralegal who's doing really well here do that others don't?

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