Being a lawyer takes many different skills. Of course, you will have to have adequate knowledge of law and debate. However, there are many other aspects of being a lawyer that are not always taught in school. People skills are essential, and so is communication. Below, we will discuss the different vital skills that lawyers should have and how they can develop them, as featured in an article on The Lawyer Portal.
Teamwork Throughout whatever type of career path you choose, being able to work cohesively in a team is vital to success. When working in a team, it is important that everyone has the basic skills of empathy and respect for every member they are working with. If someone on the team is unwilling to listen and value the opinions of others, this can cause great strain for the entire team and the project they are working on together. When someone excels at working in a group, and others enjoy working with them, they are likely to be recommended to others in the future and even work with those same people again on further projects. The best way to develop this skill is by starting early. Get involved with different activities and clubs in school to practice working with others and accomplishing shared goals. These can include sports, theatre, and various other societies.
Independence and Initiative Although teamwork is essential to success, so is the ability to be independent when it is necessary. You must be able to be decisive and confident in your decisions without the help of other people. As a trainee lawyer, you will start to be given different challenges and situations where you can only rely on yourself. However, initiative comes into play when you step up and realize what you may not know, and start to ask helpful questions if needed. You can develop this skill by making difficult decisions on your own, from small things like doing homework and big decisions like solving a conflict with a friend.
Innovative Problem Solving For those who think being a lawyer is all mundane and uncreative work they are very wrong. There will likely be times when you are working on a case that requires a very creative solution in order to win. Clients sometimes need you to think out of the box for arguments, ideas, and avenues to get the job done. You can develop this skill by always coming up with at least three solutions to any problem in your personal and work life instead of immediately going with your first choice.