Law – Cambridge Interview Questions
“How can I prepare when the interviewer could ask me absolutely anything about Law?”
By understanding how the interview works and, crucially, what it is that the interviewer is looking for. The interviewer is not looking to catch you out, but rather for you to demonstrate your curiosity, knowledge and passion for Law.
“How am I able to do that?”
Demonstrate your enthusiasm and personality
Show that you enjoy studying Law independently
The easiest way to demonstrate your enthusiasm for Law is to show that you are self-motivated and have studied the subject in your free-time for enjoyment – for example through online lectures and independent reading. If you don’t know where to start, review our suggested reading list below.
Demonstrate your subject knowledge about and passion for Law
The key to answering these questions is to always demonstrate your thought process aloud. The interviewer does not expect you to be able to answer every question immediately, but rather wants to determine that you are able to think about and work on unknown topics with confidence, intelligence and clarity – and they won’t be able to do that if you sit in silence! Use the list of questions below to prepare. Perhaps you can have a friend or relative ask you these questions so that you can develop your skills of thinking under time pressure and speaking out loud.
Subject Interview Guide – Law
Our Subject Interview Guides help you to prepare and go into your interview with confidence.
Each guide discusses ten Cambridge Interview Questions in depth with answers and approaches – along with possible points of discussion to further demonstrate your knowledge. They have been specially edited for applicants for each subject by a team of Oxford and Cambridge graduates.
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Law Suggested Reading
Legal Skills
Law Topics and Themes
Law Interview Questions
Can you imagine a world without laws?
What are the for and against arguments for bicycle helmets?
What does it mean for someone to ‘take’ another’s car?
If a wife had expressed distaste for it previously, would her husband’s habit of putting marmalade in his egg at breakfast be grounds for divorce?
If my friend locks me in a room, and says I am free to come out whenever I like as long as I pay £5, is this a deprivation of liberty?
Describe ‘respect for the freedom of conscience.’
Can a computer have a conscience?
Should judges have a legislative role?
What do you think the uses of traffic lights are?
Smith sees Jones walking towards the edge of a cliff. Smith knows Jones is blind, but doesn’t like him, so allows him to walk off the edge. Is this murder?
If A gave B £100 thinking it was a loan and B accepted the money thinking it was a gift, should he give it back?
Do you think that anyone should be able to serve on a jury?
What is reasonable belief?
Where do you see International Law in fifty years’ time?
Is wearing school uniform a breach of human rights?
Is someone guilty of an offence if they did not set out to commit a crime but ended up in doing so?
Would you trade your scarf for my bike, even if you have no idea what state it’s in or if I even have one?
If you could go back in time to any period of time when it would be and why?
What effect on the whole of society does someone crashing into a lamppost have?
Should anyone be able to serve on a jury?
Compare these bottles of Tesco and Timotei shampoo.
Where does the state have the right to violate privacy?
What effect on the whole of society does someone crashing into a lamppost have? Does a girl scout have a political agenda?
Should the use of mobile phones be banned on public transport?
Where does honesty fit into Law?
Define ‘at fault’.
How do you think the House of Lords should be reformed?
What have you read in the papers recently that relates to international law?
What is the difference between intention and foresight?
What is best: a written or non-written constitution?
Explain Naomi Campbell’s life.
Should people have the right to die?
Should the law exist to protect us from ourselves?
Should the law restrict our freedom of speech?
Should the media be more regulated by the state?
Should those who make the laws (i.e. politicians) and those who enforce the laws (i.e. judges) be kept separate?
A doctor is asked by a patient’s family member to kill the patient as they are in a lot of pain. Would this be murder?
A man is sentenced to seven years in prison after falsely being convicted of murder. It later transpires that the victim is still alive. Can the convict be sentenced again if he kills the `victim’ after he is released from prison?
A Company puts an advert in a local newspaper: “Buy our brilliant guide to getting into university and we guarantee you will be offered a place at your first choice or your money back and £1000”. James buys the guide, follows its advice but is rejected from everywhere he applies. The Company refuses to give him his money back. Can he sue for breach of contract?
A cyclist is injured following a road traffic accident in the day. He was cycling in a car lane rather than the cycle lane. Who is liable- the cyclist or the motorist? How about if the accident occurred at night and the cyclist had no lights?
A father promises to give his daughter £100 a week during her time at university. After the first term, he decides she needs to be more self-reliant and stops paying her. Can she sue him for breach of contract?
A Field Marshall orders a soldier to kill his squad mate. Would this be murder?
A man holds a gun up to your head and says “shoot your father or I’ll kill you both”. You then shoot. Are you guilty of murder?What about if he had said “shoot your father or I’ll kill you”.Finally, what about it he had said “shoot your father or I’ll kill him”.
A manufacturing defect stops a parachute from deploying in a charity skydive leading to two people dying. Is this manslaughter or murder?
A parent slaps their child because they behaved badly. Is that abuse? What about if they caused a bruise?
Are babies born with a moral code or is it learned?
Are school uniforms a contravention of human rights?
Define a miracle.
Describe ‘respect for the freedom of conscience.’
Do we have an obligation to obey the law?
Does a girl scout have a political agenda?
How do you know what you don’t know?
I’m having trouble with the meaning of three words: Lie, Deceive, Mislead. They seem to mean something a bit similar, but not exactly the same. Help me to sort them out from each other.
If a baby in shopping centre was strapped with a bomb, would you shoot the baby to save 1 person? 100 people?
If your neighbour fixed your collapsing roof while you were away on holiday, should you pay him for this?
If A gave B £100 thinking it was a loan and B accepted the money thinking it was a gift, should he have to give it back?
If a law limits or restricts our freedom to do something, is that an unjust law with regards to autonomy?
If the penalty for parking on a double yellow were death, and therefore nobody did it, would that be a just and effective law?
If we lived in a world of angels would there be any need to have the law?
If you could change three laws which ones would they be?
If you have got a client who refuses to go to court despite being summoned for multiple charges. What advice would you give him?
If you were the prime minister, which laws would you change?
In France, if a person sees somebody drowning, they have a legal obligation to help them. Should this be the case in the UK?
Is someone guilty if they did not set out to commit a crime up they ended up doing so?
Is it fair to impose a height restriction on those wanting to become fire fighters?
It’s raining and have forgotten your umbrella, so you shelter in an unlocked car. Are you guilty of the offence of allowing yourself to be carried in a conveyance without the owner’s consent?
Lots of legislation includes phrases like “beyond reasonable doubt”- what does this actually mean?
Rowan offers to sell Graham his car for £500. They shake on it and Graham gives him the money in cash. En route to delivering it, Rowan crashes and the car is written-off. He refuses to give Graham his money back. What can Graham do next?
Should airlines be allowed to charge people for using the toilet on a plane?
Should fat people have to pay extra on planes if they need to take two seats
Should judges have a legislative role?
Should the law be based on morality?
Should the law be black and white, or should it be flexible enough to look at each case on an individual basis?
Should the state have the right to violate our privacy?
Should we make stalking illegal?
Smith sees Jones walking towards the edge of a cliff. Smith knows Jones is blind, but doesn’t like him, so allows him to walk off the edge. Is this murder?
The Supreme Court has taken over the judicial functions of the House of Lords. What impact do you think this will have?
To what extent did the NSA revelations impact on the British public?
To what extent should our data be available to the government? What about the data of foreign citizens?
What are the fundamental differences between US and British Law? What are the implications of this?
What are the pros & cons about juries?
What do you think the uses of traffic lights are?
What do you understand by the rule of law?
What does it mean to ‘take’ another’s car?
What have you read in the papers recently that relates to international law?
What is a country?
What is a Queen’s Counsel and how does one become one?
What is the point of having a judge when decisions are made by the jury?
What is the difference between a barrister and a solicitor?
What is the difference between intention and foresight?
What is the difference between manslaughter and murder? What is its significance?
What is the difference between the House of Lord and House of Commons? Which has more power?
What is the hierarchy of courts in the UK?
What is the point of a judge when laws are made by the jury?
What law is broken every day by most people?
What stops countries from invading each other on a daily basis?
What were the consequences of 9/11 on law?
What would it be like to live in a country with no laws?
What would the English courts make of Antonio and Shylock’s bargain from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice today? Would they enforce it?Why is the rule of law important?
What’s the difference between a civil and criminal case?
When does the state have the right to violate privacy?
Where does honesty fit into law?
Which law is broken most frequently?
Which laws could we introduce to curb the obesity epidemic?
Who has the power to write and change laws?
Why are some professions exempt from Jury duty?
Why did you choose to study law?
Why do we bother with environmental protection?
Why is Roman law relevant to our modem study of law?
Why is there no United States of Europe but there is a United States of America?
Would it be a good idea for there to be a minimum IQ for jurors in a trial?
Would it be wrong for judges to be elected?