Are you a young, ambitious person considering studying law at university? Or are you a graduate looking for your first job? Perhaps you already have some experience under your belt and are keen to find out how best to boost your career going forward? Either way, below are a few of the most commonly shared character traits of the world’s most successful lawyers.
Superior communication skills
If nothing else, great lawyers are articulate, and all have incredible public speaking skills. They can get an idea across quickly and succinctly in both verbal and written communication. In many instances, what makes them excellent communicators is not only their ability to argue a point but also their ability to listen to their clients and others speaking within the courtroom.
Good judgement
Lawyers should have the ability to draw logical conclusions from various pieces of information. In many cases, this information or evidence may be limited, but the lawyer will need to make a convincing case in favour of his or her client regardless.
Above average people skills
While academics and research are a big part of becoming a successful lawyer, none of this matters much if the lawyer is unable to work well with other people. Not only do lawyers work with other people, but they also work on behalf of them, and are involved in moulding the decisions that will end up shaping the rest of their lives. This means that they will require a warm and open disposition, the ability to be convincing when necessary, along with the ability to ‘read’ other people based on subtle body language and verbal signs.
Dedication
Any company specialising in recruiting in-house legal jobs will remind you that nothing about becoming a lawyer, or a lawyer’s job, is easy. It takes many years to qualify, and many cases will require weeks and months of research and strategizing – hence the reason why anyone successful in this profession is extremely dedicated and determined to reach the top.
Problem-solving
There will be a wide array of challenges on the way to winning a case, so a lawyer will need to have great problem-solving abilities. He or she will often need to get creative and think of solutions that are not always the most obvious in order to out-perform his or her opponent in the courtroom.
Compassion
There is a general belief that anybody who practices law needs to be cold and unfeeling. Lawyers need to believe in their clients’ innocence if they are going to get them the best possible outcome in court. Many may think that in order to do this, emotion must be taken out of the equation completely. Quite the opposite is true, in fact. Successful lawyers are inherently compassionate – this character trait is a must for great people skills, after all. At the end of the day, a good lawyer will care about how others feel and is accepting of their perspective, whether or not he or she agrees with it.
Take all of these personality traits and throw in plenty of hard work, and you will no doubt have a recipe for someone who is destined to impress within the industry.
