5 Tech-Focused Questions to Ask in Law Firm Interviews – vLex Writes in ABA Young Lawyers Division's After the Bar
14 May 2025vLex Insights
Identifying the right law firm environment is crucial for long-term career fulfillment and growth. Though many new attorneys focus on headline factors during interviews, a firm’s commitment to technological advancement may be the most reliable indicator of how your day-to-day experience and skill development will actually unfold. To figure out whether the law firm you’re interviewing with uses the kind of technology that will allow a young associate to thrive, you have to ask the right interview questions.
In a recent article published in the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division's After the Bar publication, vLex's Sierra Van Allen, former associate at Carlton Fields, explores how technology adoption at law firms directly impacts associate well-being and professional development. The article presents five strategic questions that can help candidates assess whether a firm leverages technology to create an efficient, balanced working environment.
Below is an excerpt from Sierra’s article in After the Bar:
Question 1: What Is the Firm’s Policy on Generative AI?
Follow-up Questions
- Does the firm use any specific generative AI tools?
- How is the firm staying ahead of AI technology innovations?
Why Ask This?
By asking about the firm’s generative AI policy, you’re not just inquiring about technology—you’re probing how the firm views efficiency, innovation, and associate workload. A forward-thinking firm will leverage AI to streamline routine tasks, reduce administrative burden, and allow attorneys to focus on high-value, strategic legal work.
Conversely, firms that have not embraced AI could require longer hours, assign more repetitive work, or have unrealistic expectations. A thoughtfully prepared GenAI policy suggests the firm scrutinizes their processes, not their associates.
Question 2: What Legal Research Platform Does the Firm Subscribe To?
Follow-up Questions
- How is the firm billed for research (by click, by search, etc.)?
- Does the firm use any AI-powered legal research tools?
Why Ask This?
As a new associate, you’ll likely spend significant time researching legal issues. A firm with robust research tools—especially those enhanced by AI capabilities—can dramatically reduce the time you spend searching for relevant precedents. AI-powered tools can provide valuable research leads that prevent you from “spinning your wheels” in search of direction.
Understanding the billing structure for research tools is also important. A firm that carefully monitors research costs might create pressure to limit searches, which makes the accuracy of each search more valuable.
Tech-Forward Firms: The New Competitive Edge
The right technological environment means spending less time on repetitive tasks and more time doing what you went to law school for: advising clients, appearing in court, taking depositions, and negotiating deals. A firm that leverages technology effectively can provide young associates with a more engaging and sustainable legal career by providing them with the one thing more valuable than money: time.
You can read the full article here on After the Bar.
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