How to Evaluate a Legal Job Candidate’s Integrity
/Hiring lawyers who lack integrity is a risky investment, so it’s important to identify and weed them out during the interview process.
Beyond a law degree and bar license, integrity is a crucial component of being a good lawyer. But how do you gauge a candidate’s integrity during a job interview? We’re not going to sugar coat it; it can be a challenge.
According to the Philadelphia Bar Association’s standards for evaluating candidates, “a candidate’s personal and professional actions should demonstrate consistent adherence to high ethical standards. A candidate should be of undisputed integrity.”
Why? Because a lawyer’s level of integrity is what allows them to make decisions based on the facts guided by the law, regardless of personal biases or outside influences. It is also essential to the fundamentals of the profession, including but not limited to client-attorney privilege and meeting various ethical obligations.
Now, let’s be clear—having aced an ethics class in law school or being able to recite the ABA Rules in an interview does not necessarily mean that you have an ethical candidate sitting in front of you. Lawyers with strong moral fiber understand and comply with ethics as they relate to the law, yes. But beyond that, they also do not systematically look for loopholes within that code of ethics to help them make personally beneficial decisions.
Ethical lawyers are honest and hold themselves and those around them to the highest standards. Their integrity cannot be voluntarily switched off when it is convenient.
Therefore, as the interviewer, it is up to you to distinguish between those who are authentic and those who have memorized and recited what they think you want to hear. To help you do that, try asking a series of questions that will help get to the bottom of your candidate’s core ethical traits, like their:
Character: what are the candidate’s intrinsic motivators?
Perspective: what is the candidate’s overall style or approach in particular situations?
Relationship style: what and who is most important to them?
You can reveal these traits by asking interview questions that expose how your candidate acted in a specific situation, why he or she chose to act in that way, what the outcome was, and how he or she felt about it after the fact. Some effective behavioral interview questions include:
Tell me about a time when you were faced with a moral dilemma and had to choose between what was right and what was in the company’s best interest. How did you handle that, and what was the outcome?
Have you ever felt uneasy about receiving accolades for work that was mostly accomplished by others? If so, can you talk about that and describe what you did in that situation?
Can you talk about a time that you experienced backlash for doing what was right? How did you react to that feedback, and how did you manage the situation?
Have you ever been in a situation where you felt that honesty was not the right solution? If so, what did you do?
Can you talk about a time that you conformed to a directive or policy that tested your personal or professional code of ethics? What drove your decision, and what was the outcome?
Pay close attention to how your candidates answer your interview questions and take note of clues that indicate discomfort or dishonesty. Be aware of vague answers, nervous habits, or variations in tone of voice. Your candidates should talk openly about their experiences and relay a sense of commitment, pride, accuracy, and/or enthusiasm while detailing these scenarios.
Remember, attorneys who lack integrity may score themselves some quick wins in certain situations, but truly ethical lawyers will always be worth more. So, when considering legal candidates to join your team, make sure you remember what questions to ask to help you gauge their personal code of ethics. And listen carefully to how your questions are answered.
Carrington Legal Search is an executive legal search consultancy that can help you devise the right interview questions to help you identify strong, ethical candidates. To make our nationwide network work for you, get in touch at 512-627-7467 or email carrie@carringtonlegal.com.