Like any other profession, a successful legal profession also demands the right skills. After qualifying LLB and LLM, you need to be a creative and effective writer, but at other times, you need to be analytical and calm. You have to be dedicated to books, but you can’t be scared of attention and speaking in front of people. You need to be engaging with people, but you also have to be cold and clear with them at times. In short, to be a lawyer you need the skills of a scientist and an artist, a socializer and a self-observer, and you need to exceed at those skills too. After all, there are thousands of law students. So there is variety in lawyer jobs in India like Legal Assistant, Judge, Family Lawyer, Security Lawyer, Tax Lawyer, etc. In this article, we will discuss which skills are needed to be a good lawyer.
Teamwork
The ability to work in a team is a primary requirement for any job. In a team, basic skills of respect and compassion become primary and those who cannot listen and take on board the ideas of others will find themselves out of step. If people enjoy working with you, they will want to do so again and suggest you to others, undoubtedly the best way to succeed in your career. So be a participant in teams and societies at school and university is a great way to have fun and make friends and you will gain teamwork skills without even noticing it.
Initiative and Independence
While teamwork is key to success, it is also essential that you need to be quick when the situation demands it. As a trainee lawyer, you will be given responsibility and you must rise to that, come up with your solutions to problems rather than dependent on others. That does not mean that you struggle alone, taking initiative includes the capability to know when to ask questions or to ask for help. So this skill can be developed at any point – think about a time when you’ve had to make a difficult decision on your own, whether it be due to coursework or a discussion with a friend.
Written Communication Skills
A lot of your work as a lawyer will include writing, it’s unavoidable. You’ll draft documents like writing letters to clients, draw up contracts and notices among other things. Typos and Grammatical errors will ruin your work, while a fluent and understandable writing form will give clients trust in you. You will naturally develop your writing form as you write essays for school or university but if you don’t study an essay-based subject, then it may help to get some practice writing for a school or uni magazine or even running your blog! You can also write for any portal, which looks great on the resume.
Verbal Communication Skills
If you’re hoping to become a lawyer then verbal communication is the most essential element of your job. Your role is to communicate your thoughts and arguments in such a way as to convince your judge or jury for the benefits of your case. It’s also not something you can withdraw as a lawyer, client meetings, phone calls and presentations will make up your day today. Speaking in society is something that a lot of people try with but there are all sorts of ways to practice. Be a part of theatre or debating will develop skills like projection and pace while techniques such as meditation can help deal with nerves.
Research Skills/ Preparation
Nothing looks more unprofessional than a lack of preparation and it will always weaken your position in your career. Dedicate time to the preparation and use resources. If you are preparing for a face to face interview, for example, use the website of that firm, but also read news articles and press releases. Using a variety of sources will not only increase your knowledge but will also assure you have the full picture, frequently necessary in a time of ‘fake news’. Research, like anything, takes practice and the more you do, the more smooth and effective your searches will become.
Understanding People
Lawyers provide service to their clients and your practice should be provided towards their needs. This includes listening and taking time to understand their concerns about their cases. Clients will rarely have a detailed knowledge of the law, that is why they come to you, so it is also important that you’re able to explain matters in terms they understand rather than using overly professional language. The more work experience you can get facing clients and dealing with people in any range, the better you’ll be at listening and modifying your communication form to suit everyone. I hope these skills will help you to become a good lawyer in your society.
Swati Sharma writes for online publications, newspapers covering business, technology, health, career, fitness and sports. She holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from one of the reputed university. She loves to write about every aspect of technology and recent market trends.