Tell me about a time when you had to negotiate a settlement or agreement
Theme: Experience, Negotiation Role: Lawyer Function: Legal
Interview Question for Lawyer: See sample answers, motivations & red flags for this common interview question. About Lawyer: Represents clients in legal proceedings and provides legal advice. This role falls within the Legal function of a firm. See other interview questions & further information for this role here
Sample Answer
Example response for question delving into Experience, Negotiation with the key points that need to be covered in an effective response. Customize this to your own experience with concrete examples and evidence
- Background & Context: Provide a brief overview of the situation and the parties involved in the negotiation or settlement
- Objective: Clearly state the goal or objective you were trying to achieve through the negotiation or settlement
- Preparation: Explain the steps you took to prepare for the negotiation or settlement, including gathering relevant information and understanding the legal aspects
- Communication & Relationship Building: Describe how you established effective communication with the other party and built a rapport to facilitate the negotiation process
- Identifying Interests & Priorities: Explain how you identified the interests and priorities of both parties to find common ground and potential areas for compromise
- Negotiation Strategy: Outline the specific negotiation strategy you employed, such as using principled negotiation or adopting a collaborative approach
- Compromise & Agreement: Detail the compromises or concessions made by both parties and how you facilitated the agreement
- Documentation & Legal Compliance: Discuss the steps you took to ensure that the settlement or agreement was properly documented and complied with all legal requirements
- Outcome & Impact: Summarize the final outcome of the negotiation or settlement and the impact it had on the parties involved
- Reflection & Lessons Learned: Reflect on the experience and highlight any lessons learned or improvements you would make in future negotiations or settlements
Underlying Motivations
What the Interviewer is trying to find out about you and your experiences through this question
- Negotiation skills: Assessing my ability to negotiate and reach mutually beneficial settlements or agreements
- Problem-solving skills: Evaluating my approach to resolving conflicts and finding creative solutions
- Communication skills: Understanding how effectively I can articulate my position and persuade others during negotiations
- Legal knowledge: Determining my understanding of relevant laws and regulations in negotiating settlements or agreements
- Experience & expertise: Assessing my past experiences and expertise in negotiating settlements or agreements
Potential Minefields
How to avoid some common minefields when answering this question in order to not raise any red flags
- Lack of preparation: Not being able to provide specific details or examples of a negotiation or settlement you have been involved in
- Inability to work collaboratively: Not demonstrating the ability to work with others to reach a mutually beneficial agreement
- Lack of problem-solving skills: Failing to showcase your ability to identify and address issues during the negotiation process
- Poor communication skills: Struggling to articulate your thoughts clearly and concisely, or not actively listening to the other party's concerns
- Unethical behavior: Mentioning any unethical tactics or strategies used during a negotiation or settlement