You have worked hard to create an outstanding resume and cover letter, and your efforts have paid off: You have been called for an interview. If you really want the job, you need to continue to put the same level of effort into preparing for your interview. One of the best ways to make sure that you are not fazed by common case manager interview questions is to review frequently asked questions and sample answers.
While part of your preparation should be devoted to thinking of answers to general questions about your strengths and weaknesses, legal employers will also want to know what you bring to this specific case manager position and will target their queries accordingly. Thinking through possible responses in advance will help you answer case manager interview questions in a comprehensive and clear manner that truly conveys your qualifications. Get started with the sample questions and answers below.
4 Case Manager Interview Questions & Answers
1. What do you feel is the most important contribution you have made in a previous case manager position?
At one position in my past, the law firm I joined did not have a system in place to ensure that everyone was properly aware of relevant deadlines and court schedules. As a result, there had been some instances of double booking and even a missed court date. In the legal context, these are extremely serious issues that can result in the derailment of a client’s entire case. Therefore, I made it my immediate priority to upgrade the firm’s case management software and ensure that all personnel were trained in its use. This ensured that everyone who needed access to a case’s schedule had it and would be able to avoid scheduling conflicts. The system also created advance reminders that enabled timely meeting of deadlines for document submissions. As a result, the number of scheduling errors decreased substantially, as did the amount of related stress and wasted productivity.
2. How do you deal with working with clients who may have committed criminal or unethical acts?
As a case manager at a criminal defense firm, I have been the first point of contact for many types of clients, including those accused of heinous crimes. However, no matter what insights my knowledge of the case gives me as to the potential truth of those accusations, my job is to help these people get the best possible access to the representation provided to them by law. Doing the best possible job means establishing good rapport with the client, with tact and sensitivity.
3. Did you ever have a conflict with a supervisor? Please tell me how you handled it and what the resolution was?
At my previous job, I had a difficult situation when one of the attorneys instructed me to include an argument in a pleading I was drafting under her supervision. It was my belief that this argument dangerously skirted the edge of what was ethically permissible and would be generally detrimental to the client’s cause by making an unfavorable impression on the judge. When I raised this point as a consideration, the attorney was dismissive of my concerns. As I was still concerned, I researched the issue further and learned that an attorney had been censured by the state bar for very similar conduct. When I tactfully brought this to my supervisor’s attention, she agreed that the problematic argument should be omitted.
4. What steps do you take to ensure that client confidentiality is properly safeguarded?
As a case manager, I am highly aware of my role in maintaining and controlling the information for a given case. This means that access to case information is only given to authorized persons at the law firm. I am also careful never to discuss clients and their circumstances outside the purview of what is necessary in the course of providing legal services, even with my coworkers at the firm. In addition, I keep my personal social life, including social media, completely separate from my professional activities. I do not discuss clients with my friends and family at all. Even disguised or vaguely stated descriptions can be unethical, as they violate the expectation the client has of complete confidentiality in what are often highly sensitive matters.