Commercial Solicitor Interview Questions UK: 8 Real Questions and What Interviewers Want

Before your Commercial Solicitor interview, it helps to see the questions from the interviewer's side. We have picked eight from our set of 12 and added the reason each one gets asked.

Eight Commercial Solicitor interview questions, and what the interviewer is thinking

1. If a client asked you to review a supplier's standard terms before signing, which clauses would you look at first and why?

Why they ask: Contract review is the everyday core of commercial practice.

2. How does the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 apply to business-to-business contracts, and what cannot be excluded?

Why they ask: They want to see knowledge of the statutory limits on exclusion clauses.

3. What does a typical day for a commercial solicitor involve, and why do you want to work in this area?

Why they ask: They want to see realistic expectations and genuine interest in commercial work.

4. What is the rule against penalties, and how would you draft a liquidated damages clause to avoid it?

Why they ask: This tests knowledge of modern case law on remedies clauses.

5. How does English law deal with force majeure, and how would you draft or review a clause?

Why they ask: Force majeure is routinely tested in practice, especially after recent supply disruptions.

6. What would you expect to see in a software-as-a-service agreement, and what are the main points a customer should negotiate?

Why they ask: SaaS contracts are one of the most common commercial instruments in the market.

7. Your client wants to start work for a new customer before the contract is signed, relying on a letter of intent. What advice do you give?

Why they ask: Pre-contract working is a classic commercial risk scenario.

8. Tell me about a time you negotiated a complex commercial contract and how you reached agreement.

Why they ask: They want evidence of negotiation ability and commercial awareness.

A sample answer to question 1

If a client asked you to review a supplier's standard terms before signing, which clauses would you look at first and why?

I would begin by understanding the deal: what is being bought, its value, how critical it is and the client's priorities. Then I would go first to the clauses that allocate risk. Scope and specification, because vague descriptions cause disputes. Price, payment and any right to increase charges. Term and termination, including whether the supplier can terminate for convenience and what happens on exit. Liability, where I look for a cap, exclusions and whether indemnities sit outside it. Warranties and service levels, with remedies if they are missed. Intellectual property ownership and licensing, and confidentiality and data protection, including a processing agreement under UK GDPR where personal data is involved. I would also check the supplier's right to subcontract or assign, change control, force majeure and dispute resolution, and governing law. I would prepare a short issues list ranked by risk, so that the client can decide what to push on, with suggested amendments and fallback positions.

Common mistake to avoid: Reading every clause with equal weight; forgetting data protection and exit

Want the rest?

Full model answers, key points and common mistakes for all 12 questions are on the Commercial Solicitor interview questions page. The first five are free, no sign-up needed.