While talking to experienced graduate recruitment managers attached to top law firms, regarding the qualities they would be looking for in the prospective candidates, you would find that certain attributes are highlighted time and again. Law firms and clients would be putting in an incredible amount of time and energy in identifying the lawyers who possess the desired qualities that differentiate them from the average guys in the legal business today. Everyone would be hiring the very best professionals in the field.
Attorneys are supposed to tackle a wide variety of legal responsibilities and tasks on behalf of their clients. They would be required to represent their clients, who may be accused of some grievous crime, or a corporate involved in a civil lawsuit or preparing wills for newly married couples. Some attorneys specialize in a specific area like bankruptcy or tax law. However, successful attorneys possess certain skills that make them the very best in the business. Here are some of the attributes of a good lawyer.
Exceptional Communication Skills
Attorneys need to be orally articulate, and should possess fantastic command over written communication. Moreover, they need to be excellent listeners. They require exceptional public speaking skills so that they are able to impress and convince the judges and juries in the courtroom. Attorneys should have the capability of writing persuasively, clearly and concisely, while producing various legal documents. Additionally, they should be good listeners. Only then, they could analyze what their clients are telling them or understand a complicated testimony.
High Degree of Responsiveness
All good lawyers should be able to respond promptly and positively to their clients, secretaries, law partners and everyone involved in the legal case in question. It is not professional if a lawyer is not readily available when some sort of assistance is sought by his clients. Moreover, if he puts off a conversation, it does not send out a good message to his clients. Lack of prompt response may cost a lawyer his case as the client could want to provide some information that could be critical for the case’s outcome.
Investigation and Research Skills
A good lawyer should possess research, as well as, investigation skills so that he is able to gather facts and information easily to back his case. He should be able to automatically find relevant information by browsing the Internet or by looking up relevant books. An attorney’s opinion is of no value unless it is backed by solid facts. That’s exactly where the investigation and research skills would come into use. All lawyers should be efficient enough to work with investigators. They should be able to research regulations, laws and judicial opinions to support their case. They should be referring to online resources too. He should be capable of doing effective and fast research in order to understand his clients’ requirements and to prepare legal agreements and strategies. You should get in touch with a good lawyer for preparing your loan agreements.
Superb Analytical skills
The study, as well as, the practice of law is known to involve huge amounts of information that require perfect analysis to make it logical and manageable. Most competent attorneys intuitively learn to transform huge amounts of structured and even unstructured information into precise, clear-cut and decisive action. An attorney must possess fabulous analytical and evaluative skills.
All the above-mentioned skills are essential in a good lawyer but there is something which would make him a complete package and that is sheer self-confidence. Confident trial lawyers could stand out from the rest. You could see his confidence in the way he talks or walks and in his every gesture and movement. Lawyers brimming with confidence are known to be radiating positive energy that puts them in a commanding position and puts all his clients at ease. Experts often believe that confidence is supposed to be a successful lawyer’s a key asset.
Isabella Rossellini is a writer and writes her own blogs. She wrote many articles on fashion, beauty, food, technology, education etc.
