Applying to Oxbridge for Law in 2024: A Cambridge Law Graduate’s Interview Experience
An Oxbridge degree is unlike most other university experiences, so the few days at interview are a precious insight into what life would be like for you living and studying there. Stepping into an Oxbridge Law interview, you will have little knowledge of what to expect. You may have heard horror stories of burning newspapers and tutors ignoring interviewees; the whole process can be intimidating. Thankfully, this is not true for most students and we hope by detailing the experience of one of U2’s top Law mentors, we can demystify the process for you and make it seem a bit less scary! It is worth noting that there is no expectation of legal knowledge, any needed will be provided to you - they are assessing aptitude and teachability more than anything. However, there are many ways to prepare for specific formats of interview questions and develop the level of critical thinking required for success in Oxbridge Law entrance - this guide should help you understand exactly what it takes.
My Oxbridge Law Interview Experience
By U2 Law mentor & Cambridge graduate, Ben (Academic Scholar of Selwyn College & President of the Law Society)
I was interviewed (and accepted) at Selwyn College, Cambridge. The day included two interviews. The first was with two law fellows at the College, one of whom went on to be my Director of Studies. This was very much law focused and drew on the skills required to undertake the course. It challenged my ability to make logical arguments and to reason my opinions. The second interview was more general, with an admissions tutor. This focused on my reasons for applying and why I thought I was well suited to the course. It was largely centred around my personal statement.
Both were nerve-wracking but all my interviewers were friendly enough. It was quite a relaxed setting, in the fellows’ teaching rooms, sat on sofas across a coffee table, and I was able to be myself and show why I was worthy of a place.
The first, law-based interview was the more challenging, but I think I acquitted myself relatively well – though I was by no means perfect. The second, more personal interview was less intellectually challenging but still forced my to justify my thought processes.
The colleges make you feel very welcome, and everyone around the place tries to make it as easy as possible. It can be daunting but I felt well-prepared and so was confident that I could handle myself.
Looking for ideas for personal statement content/ impressive talking-points at interview?
We have built out an entire co-curricular platform, Minds Underground, for university applicants to use as evidence for their wider subject exploration. A few ideas:
Law Club: A precursor to our Summer School (which starts in June), the Law Club typically runs on Saturdays at 10-11am, hosted by a Cambridge Law graduate (Double First & current PhD researcher). Discuss legal developments & issues!
Our Law Summer School: Do we have a moral obligation to obey the law? What are the essential elements of criminal offence? Discuss & critique the answers to current legal questions in a stimulating and challenging environment. Classes are hosted by our Oxbridge-educated Law tutors, including Master’s and PhD researchers.
Research Projects: E.g. “Criminal Law Projects With A Social Justice Legal Advocate & Cambridge Law graduate” (Typically 1 month, 5 project tutorial sessions).
Questions I was asked …
Cambridge Law Interview
Before my first interview, I was asked to read extracts from two pieces of legislation/statutes. I was asked to read s.2 of the Occupiers Liability Act 1957, and s.1 of the Occupiers Liability Act 1984. I was then asked questions in relation to these extracts – I was asked to explain briefly what they both did, and how they differed.
I was then given various scenarios to apply what I had just read. The interviewer subtly changed the scenario each time, getting me to draw distinctions and consider carefully how the legislation works. It was essentially like a mock-supervision/tutorial. It didn’t matter whether I got the answer right perfectly from the start, but we worked through it together and discussed what the correct solution would be in the circumstances. I was challenged on my views and was given the opportunity to defend my reasoning, though I also accepted when I had made a mistake.
How to approach a law interview:
Practice by reading excerpts of legislation/doing mock interviews
Read ‘What About Law?’ and ‘Letters to a Law Student’
Think logically, break down the components of the legislation and try not to over-complicate
Apply the law step by step; working through the provisions in a logical order
Be prepared to explain your view
Look out for distinctions between scenarios and point them out!
The second part of my first interview considered, ultimately, an ethical/moral dilemma and was designed to test my ability to reason/argue coherently. The scenario was along the lines of:
“You are stuck in a cave up a mountain with a group of 3 others. The only way out is through a hole in the ceiling of the cave, from which there is a rope ladder hanging. One of your group starts to climb up but, halfway he freezes through fear and cannot move. Water is rising in the cave and you will die before he moves. It is impossible for any of you to get past him. Do you shake him off to allow the rest of you to escape, but killing him in the process? Or do you risk certain death for yourself and the rest of your group?”
The interviewer then changed the scenario:
“You are in a hospital for a routine procedure. Also in the hospital are three critically ill patients in need of a kidney transplant, a heart transplant, and a lung transplant. You are a perfect match for all three of them, and the doctors wish to operate. In doing so, the three patients’ lives will be saved, but you will die. Is this acceptable to you? And does this change your answer to the previous scenario?”
How to approach:
Practice critical thinking type scenarios
Again, think logically – go step by step, breaking down the problem you are faced with into its most basic parts, and then considering how to deal with them
Adopt this process for both scenarios and this will allow to you compare/contrast and to make distinctions
Don’t try to find ways around the question like ‘I would climb over the person on the ladder!’ – that’s not the point of the exercise!
Example answer: In scenario 1, I would shake the person off the ladder, as it is better that one person dies and three survive than all four die. In the second scenario, it would be unacceptable for the doctors to perform the surgery on me. In that situation three might die and one would live in a worst-case scenario – which is not as bad as in scenario 1 where all 4 die. Equally, in scenario 1, the person on the ladder is preventing the others from surviving whereas in scenario 2, I am simply lying in a hospital bed. To harvest my organs when I am not directly doing anything to stop them living is a different question, and it would be unacceptable to do so – I am not the cause of their jeopardy.
What to Expect from a Personal Law Interview
Why do you want to study law?
What is it about law that fascinates you?
Why are you well-suited to studying law?
Will you be able to deal with the pressures of studying at Cambridge?
How would you go about managing a heavy workload?
Why do you want to study at Cambridge?
We also discussed a couple of specific things I had written about on my personal statement, including one of the books had mentioned.
General Law Interview Tips
The most important thing, in my opinion, is preparation for the interview. I spent time considering the types of question I was likely to be asked and wrote out brief answers for them, so that I would (hopefully) not draw a blank when put on the spot on the day. This allowed me to be confident and much more relaxed that I would be able to deal with anything I faced.
In particular, I had prepared my answers for the classic questions like “Why law?” which you can guarantee you will be asked. You don’t want to seem like you are reading a pre-prepared script, but it is helpful to not be scraping the barrel for answers in the moment. It can allow you to seem far more assured and purposeful.
Other general tips would be:
- Smile – the interviewers are not monsters, nor robots, so like to see a smiley, engaging person across from them.
- Try to relax – preparation helps with this, as do practice interviews; it helps bring the best out of you.
- Perform – bring out the best version of yourself and leave an impression.
- Take your time – don’t rush into answering questions if you aren’t sure what you want to say; take a moment to gather your thoughts before launching in – you can even ask for a couple of moments to think if you need it (I did a couple of times!). This doesn’t make you seem ‘weak’, rather it shows that you are confident and want to take control of the interview.
- Defend your view, but not to the death – you will be pushed on your answers, so should be prepared to defend what you say; but if the interviewer’s argument is evidently correct, it is far better to admit that you are wrong than to carry on head first into the argument. This shows (a) that you have common sense and (b) that you are teachable – this is the main thing interviewers want to see: that they could teach you! Be teachable!
- Read the books you mention in your personal statement! The risk of being caught out is not worth it – you will almost certainly be asked about at least one of them!
- Don’t worry about legal jargon – don’t spend your time before the interview trying to learn as much about law as possible. This is not the point of a law interview, and the interviewer won’t be impressed! Your time would be far better spent thinking about your motivations for studying the subject and what makes you well-suited to it.
Are you interested in an Oxbridge Law tutor for further preparation?Don’t know what to expect for your Oxbridge Law interviews?
Check out our UK university law page!
Personal Statement
U2’s Oxbridge-educated mentors have a close insight into what admissions tutors like to see in a Law personal statement, and can help students to convey their skills, motivations, and long term goals, in order to stand out from other applicants. The statement should be the candidates own work, but our mentors will provide direction and guide you through the process of content building and writing. We offer offline drafting as well as tuition sessions.
Oxbridge Law Mentoring
U2 offers LNAT admissions test preparation, as well as wider Oxbridge Mentoring programmes (book a free consultation to discuss options). We have a large team of Oxbridge-educated Law mentors including 1st Class, Master’s and PhD level graduates.
The Process:
1) We suggest an Oxbridge Law graduate as a mentor and send their full CV for review. Our mentors are deeply familiar with the admissions process to study Law at the University of Oxford and Cambridge, and are well-placed to guide you through personal statement curation, the entrance exam and interview process. We may suggest a range of application tutors to choose from with slightly differing rates depending on qualifications and level of experience.
2) We typically suggest beginning with a 1.5 hour informal assessment/ taster session, where the mentor will informally assess the student’s current performance level for application, including test and interview. Following this, we issue a report with feedback, and structure a plan to best prepare.
3) U2’s approach for regular Law application sessions: The main focus of tutorial sessions will be to explore material that can be discussed in the personal statement and at interview - this may sometimes stretch from A-Level standard to First Year Undergraduate. Mentors ensure each student refines their interests within Law, and is exposed to a range of legal approaches and new concepts, guiding students in their reading and wider subject exploration. Together, we build a case for the student, solidifying the stance and direction they will take during interview and honing skills for the LNAT.
Frequency of sessions can be decided between student and mentor. Students can take either ad hoc sessions, or we structure a full programme for preparation, which may include further co-curricular opportunities such as our research projects, Law summer school and Oxbridge mock interview days. Honing the skills necessary to succeed for Oxbridge ideally requires long-term preparation and mentoring presents a wonderful opportunity to learn from some of the very best Oxbridge has produced.
Sessions from £70/h + VAT.