To get ahead in the legal profession takes a specific set of skills that you must master. Some are ones that naturally come to mind while others need some thought about in order to fully realize their necessity. This is not a complete list because depending on the exact area of law you seek to enter, there are specifics for that area of the profession. But it contains the most important ones, and mastering them can help you excel in the profession or even to find a legal job. Here they are:
Savvy
Those in the legal profession must possess a deep understanding of the law and how to apply it today. They must have clear knowledge about current and recent past cases that are pertinent to their own and to the way judgments have been going. This includes a constant checking of the public moods and feeling about issues that fit under the germane types of law and an intimate knowledge of factors that may sway public opinion. Further, the legal professional must have clear ideas about how to manipulate these factors to the advantage of a client.
Analytical
The law profession demands that you are able to ingest lots of information, decide clearly what is pertinent or not, and come up with sound conclusions and options based upon the relevant data. This requires a mind capable of sifting through tons of sometimes small and large conflicting details that collectively tell a story or point in a direction. The right agenda is not only to find answers but to also understand to what degree those answers can be utilized effectively. This ability to analyse thoroughly, positions one to make an accurate summation and then take a course of action that will lead to results. The best legal minds excel at this and it is a highly desired quality in the profession because it ensures the client is getting an intimate look at the issues related to his or her case and a full understanding of the options.
Excel at Time Management
Like with most professionals, legal professionals get paid for their productive hours. So they need to excel at time management. The more one can succeed at this, the more cases one can take on and the more revenue can be generated. Time management requires an ability to quickly review a client, the merits of a case, the likely hours required and the resources needed to get the job done. In cases where payment is based on a successful outcome, each of these elements become even more critical. Legal professionals also must be accurate and ethical about the time they spend on client’s cases so they maintain the trust needed to do a great job. For this reason billing must be done regularly and with backup information readily available to be reviewed by the client.
Effective Communicator
Good communication sits at the heart of any profession and this is particularly true for the legal profession. Legal cases are based on facts and details that must be communicated fully and effectively in order for others involved to both understand correctly and act on properly. So a legal professional must master the art of good communication. Good communication does not only mean delivering the facts it also entails that you understand where the listener is at when you deliver your communication and where that person is leaning. Your communication must “speak into the listener’s listening” and be able to provide what the listener considers a supported perspective. This type of communication is important when interacting with clients, juries and other legal professionals.
Mastering these skills will help you to get into the legal profession, become more successful within it, and land yourself more individual or corporate clients.