The profession of law is highly regarded anywhere in the world. This is because, in any legal system, lawyers are responsible for the fate of their clients. Successful lawyers are always in high demand. As a result, they charge hefty fees. But clients are ready to pay exorbitant amounts because they know that these lawyers would more often than not win them the case.
So, if you can establish yourself as a successful lawyer, you can make a killing. The reputation of successful lawyers precedes them. People usually get to know who they are. That brings me to the question, ‘What makes successful lawyers? In this article, I will try to identify the 10 traits of successful lawyers. If law aspirants can cultivate these traits in themselves, then there is a good chance that they will become successful lawyers in the future. So, without further ado, let’s start.
1. Great Communication Skills
Communication is the crux of legal practice. Successful lawyers have great communication skills, both written and oral. Oratory skills are essential to argue with persuasiveness before the Honourable Judge(s). Also, good interpersonal skills are required to close deals with clients.
Communication skills come naturally to some people while others like us need to cultivate them. Speaking effectively and fluently is a skill that can be developed while one is studying in a law college by participating in Moot courts, Youth Parliaments, etc. Written communication skills can be developed by regularly practising writing and taking extensive notes. To be a successful lawyer, tremendous writing skills are needed which proves useful while preparing case arguments, briefs, etc.
2. Great Listening Ability
For a lawyer, it is very important to have great listening skills too. Listening is intricately associated with the profession of law. Successful lawyers are patient while listening to their clients. They take in every bit of information like a duck takes to water. You never know what information can come in handy.
If a lawyer lacks listening skills he/she may miss pertinent information about a case. Also, clients may feel that the particular lawyer is not paying enough attention to their case and is money minded. When you listen well, you can make yourself heard and understood better. As a lawyer, you have to listen to your client, the witness, the counsel, the judge, and of course, your team. Only then can you affect a rebuttal successfully or negotiate well. It is the inability to listen properly that causes lawyers to lose the strongest of cases. By listening well, successful lawyers are able to read others, like say they can tell if the witness is lying.
3. Good Research Capabilities
For a lawyer to present and win a case he/she needs to do a lot of research regarding the case. Research constitutes an important part of a lawyer’s argument. A lawyer may have great communication skills and he/she may be a good listener but without good research skills, the lawyer may find it difficult to win cases.
Legal research includes citations by the authorities, referral to precedents, application of legislation to the issue at hand and so on. Good research skills are particularly necessary as it is humanely not possible to remember every law of the land but when the time comes, successful lawyers can always find what they are looking for by doing extensive research. Without research, it will not be possible for you to prepare for the case. Legal research is what allows successful lawyers to validate and support their arguments in a court of law.
4. Good Negotiation Skills
It is not possible even for the most successful of lawyers to win all their cases. There will be times when a lawyer will have to sit at the negotiating table with his/her opposing counsel. At times like these, a lawyer’s negotiation skills will be put to the test. I cannot comprehend a successful lawyer who is not a good negotiator.
A lawyer will be successful at negotiating when he is able to make the other party believe that they have got themselves a good deal while at the same time protecting his/her client’s interests. This means that you have got a fair outcome, one that was feasible under the circumstances. Every lawyer loves to run through his/her opponent but when that is not possible, your negotiation skills may save the day. To be good at negotiating, you need to practise good judgement and be a good decision-maker.
5. Decent Logical and Analytical Rationale
Reviewing legal documents, identifying pain points, decoding complexities, drawing inferences, preparing a solid defence, arguing the case in the court of law, etc require a logical and analytical mindset. A decent logical and analytical rationale is required to reach effective and sensible conclusions about a case.
The world moves on logic, even more so the Judiciary. A successful lawyer uses logic to connect the dots in a case and construct arguments in favour of his/her client. Logical and analytical reasoning is so important that there is a section on it in popular law entrance exams like the CLAT, AILET, LSAT, SET, etc. Logical and analytical thinking helps successful lawyers understand the nature of the problem at hand and also helps them look for plausible solutions. Based on logic, most successful lawyers decide to accept or refuse a case.
6. Good Reading Habit
Successful lawyers are good readers. They read through pages and pages of the case file and can quickly understand the crux of the matter. Successful lawyers also showcase a great deal of knowledge about acts and laws, legal proceedings and legal verbiage. This becomes possible through a regular habit of reading.
Lawyers just don’t read law books. They are avid readers of newspapers as well and keep themselves updated on current affairs. This helps them connect their cases with what is happening around the country and also helps them to draw inferences. So, to be a successful lawyer, you must develop the habit of reading regularly. Reading must be primarily related to law but can also include culture, science, history, politics, etc. In fact, law aspirants develop the habit of reading from the time they prepare for law entrance exams.
7. Good Emotional Balance
Sometimes, as a lawyer, you may have to defend the guilty. In such cases, it is important to not let your emotions play spoilsport. Successful lawyers know how to keep their emotions in check. If you don’t have emotional balance, you will lose perspective and objectivity. This can act as a hindrance. At the end of the day, you must remember that you’re just doing your job.
Successful lawyers have a professional attitude. Neither do they get too involved with their clients nor are they too distant. They understand that their clients are dependent on them and they as lawyers have a responsibility towards them. Then there are lawyers who use their emotions to their advantage. However, sometimes in trying to prove that they are right, some lawyers become too aggressive. This should be avoided at any cost. Being too aggressive can have a negative impact on the judge(s).
8. A Good Deal of Perseverance
Just not good lawyers but anybody associated with the legal profession needs to have a good deal of perseverance. Lawsuits continue for months if not years and lawyers along with their clients need to keep at it. Sometimes a case may go in the wrong direction or witnesses may turn hostile. At such times it is important to be patient and persevere.
Cases often need many hours of work and perseverance comes to the aid at such times. Especially when you are early in your career, you may have to put in long working hours. You may get tired to the ‘T’ but to make it big, you will have to show a lot of perseverance. You will have to prove that you deserve better instead of just desiring better. In so many ways, a lawyer is like an investigator. He has to keep asking the right questions to arrive at the truth. In the case of a successful lawyer, his perseverance often gets him through.
9. Good Time Management Skills
I believe that time is more costly than money. Though difficult, still it is possible to get back the money that you have lost but you can’t get back the time that you have spent. Not unless you have discovered a time machine or can travel in the fourth dimension. For successful lawyers, time is money. They have little time to waste.
Lawyers are multi-taskers. They take on many cases at the same time. And it is important for them to divide their time according to the requirement of the cases. So, they need to exhibit good time management skills. Also, successful lawyers earn by the hour so for them it is mighty important to segregate their time well. Things that will help you manage time well are keeping track of the time spent in each activity, prioritizing well, avoiding switching tasks, preparing to be ahead of time, etc.
10. Being Empathetic and Compassionate
Many people will not relate the profession of law with empathy and compassion, including some lawyers. This is because lawyers are supposed to be hardened souls. But to be a successful lawyer, I think it is important to be empathetic and compassionate. Only if you’re empathetic towards your client will you be able to put yourself in his/her shoes.
If you’re compassionate, people will consider you more approachable. It’s true that the opposing counsel is fighting a case against you and you need to defeat him/her but that shouldn’t stop you from being compassionate if you win. Cultivating this trait will only make you more popular among your peers. If as a lawyer you can’t empathize with the plight of your clients, you will have a hard time becoming a successful lawyer. Without empathy and compassion, the judiciary will be reduced solely to a money-making platform.
Conclusion
If you have met a successful lawyer, you will find many of the traits and qualities mentioned in this article in that person. But also remember that to consider yourself as a successful lawyer, you must stick to ethical means. This is of utmost importance.
The path to be a successful lawyer is not an easy one. To start, you have to crack prestigious law entrance exams to seek admission in top law schools. But don’t worry, there are many law coaching centres that can help you realize your dream. One among them is Manu Law Classes. This online law coaching centre has come up leaps and bounds in the last few years with a history of successful candidates who have cracked prestigious law entrance exams and taken admission in some of the top law schools in the country.
Whether you take the help of a law coaching centre or self-study, it is your choice. But one thing is certain-the country needs good lawyers. Do you have what it takes?
Only time will tell.
