Cambridge Law Test (CLT); 1x interview.
Asked to analyse two extracts from legislation.
Conduct a mock interview with a teacher, friend, or family member.
Practice using sample test papers.
Don't give rushed responses in your interview; take time to think!
Remember this advice isn't official. There is no guarantee it will reflect your experience because university applications can change between years. Check the official Cambridge and Oxford websites for more accurate information on this year's application format and the required tests.
Also, someone else's experience may not reflect your own. Most interviews are more like conversations than tests and like, any conversation, they are quite interactive.
Test taken: Cambridge Law Test (CLT)
Number of interviews: 1
Time between interviews: A couple of hours.
Length of interviews: 40 minutes
Online interview: No
I was given 2 extracts from legislation to analyse, one concerning human rights law and the other concerning tort law. I was asked by the interviewers to explain them and apply them to a set of factual situations.
Unlike other subjects, you are not expected to have any law-specific knowledge for the interview. What the interview is really testing is your ability to digest new information in a high-pressure situation and to critically engage with follow-up questions. This makes it quite difficult to prepare for law interviews. I would suggest trying to find a teacher, friend, or family member to conduct a mock interview with -- it doesn't really matter what the topic is, the main thing to focus on is answering questions in a high-pressure situation. I would also prepare answers to typical questions, such as why you applied for Law.
In the written part of the Cambridge Law Test I had to read and critique a legal judgment. There are a couple of sample test papers available online which you could use for practice.
Do not be afraid of silence, it can be your friend! It is much better to reflect for a few moments than give a rushed response. The interviewers are assessing the way you think, so make sure you explain to your interviewers your thought process when you answer any questions. The interviewers are unlikely to ask questions requiring legal knowledge, so as long as you back up your answers with sound reasoning you are unlikely to go wrong. The interviewer will try to challenge you on your opinions, a balance needs to be struck between defending your view and yielding when your view is untenable. If you've taken time to think of your answer then you will be much better placed to do this.