Every year thousands of students appear for law entrance exams to secure their seats at some of the best law colleges of the country. Out of these thousands of students, few hundreds successfully crack the exams and get into renowned institutes. But only a few students manage to make it big in their careers as a lawyer. So how do they ensure that their career is on the right track and contrive in their legal journey? They do so by acquiring the right skill sets and stepping on the best opportunities required to weave a fruitful career story.
Developing the right set of skills can result in a career of abundance and great success. So, what are the habits that can lead to an inevitable and an inexorable career growth in lawyers? Listed below is a list of skills that you should acquire in order to become a better lawyer-
Industrial awareness–
The topmost skill that an aspiring lawyer should acquire, according to best legal recruiters, is to have an in-depth knowledge about the industry. This means possessing an understanding of recent developments in local, national, and international business. As a lawyer, you will be expected to fully understand how businesses are run and identify social, political, and economic issues that may affect it in the long-run. To gain an extensive understanding of the industry, you can join legal committees, prepare case studies, and read the news regularly. This will empower you to provide pragmatic and business-minded legal advice to clients.
People skills-
In the legal profession, you may often find yourself to be working alongside a variety of people, and winning a case will solely rely on the collective team efforts. You will be expected to collaborate with clients, partners, and the team effectively. Lawyers need to foster a close working relationship with everyone involved in the case. The ability to work in a team and manage people is, therefore, essential to make each case a success story. You should acquire skills to deal with people from all levels of the legal hierarchy. Also, you should be able to maintain a healthy rapport with your clients by remaining personable, polite, and persuasive. This plays a vital role as the clients should be able to trust their representatives and provide the necessary information.
Strong communication skills–
Sharp oral and written communication skills are essential, and without them, you will grapple with executing your duties as a lawyer efficiently. Along with written and verbal communication, you should also possess excellent listening abilities as it helps in building relationships. The right amount of confidence and persuasive language are the key to win any case. While presenting your case in front of the judiciary or settling negotiations and explaining intricate details to clients, it is essential to use clear and succinct language. The same goes for preparing legal drafts as it, too, involves excellent writing abilities and comprehensive knowledge of legal terms. To hone this skill, you can participate in moot courts and group discussions.
Attention to detail–
To win any case or give your clients any legal advice, it is imperative to have a sharp eye for accuracy. A single word or phrase out of place can alter the meaning of a contract, while any misspelled words or grammatical errors can create a poor impression on clients. The same goes while getting information from the client and preparing legal drafts on the same. If you do not pay heed to what the client is saying, you might lose out on critical information that might help build your case. Also, while applying for jobs, it is important to bear in mind that recruiters check for spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and grammatical blunders. While at college, you can volunteer in peer proofreading to improve your detailing abilities.
These are some of the essential skills that you must acquire if you wish to touch the heights of success in the legal industry. However, there are some other abilities that you must possess along with the skills mentioned above that will help smoothen out your time in the lawyering profession.
To conclude, a career in law is not only exciting and lucrative but also challenging. Being successful in this competitive environment requires aspiring lawyers to master specific skills apart from gaining a solid understanding of the laws. To ensure that you lead a successful professional life as a lawyer, you should enhance your soft skills. Equipping yourself with these skills may seem like a challenging task, but you will eventually find that proficiency in one area tends to lead to prowess in another.
Author Dr Bishwa Kallyan Dash