There are a couple of scenarios where you might wonder what it takes to be a good lawyer. One instance could be if you’re considering a career in law. Do you have what’s needed to be successful? There’s a lot more to being a great lawyer than going to school and passing the bar. There are certain personality traits, for example, that are essential.
You might also be wondering the traits of a good lawyer if you’re comparing professionals in your area to hire someone to represent you.
Again, it goes beyond what’s on paper. An attorney could look great credential-wise, but they might not be the person you’re looking for.
Below are some of the features and characteristics it tends to take to be a good attorney.
Communication Skills
Undoubtedly, the most important set of skills any attorney can have relate to communication. Attorneys are constantly communicating, and their ability to do so effectively is a key part of their job. This means that not only can an attorney communicate well in the courtroom but also to co-workers, opposing counsel and clients.
A good attorney needs to be able to effectively answer any questions their client might have in a clear and concise way.
They also need to set reasonable expectations and timelines and not over-promise.
As far as communicating with colleagues, attorneys shouldn’t be afraid to ask direct questions.
Enthusiasm
Having enthusiasm for what you do is one of the keys to success in any job, and law is no exception.
If you’re hiring an attorney, you want to look for someone who seems to genuinely enjoy what they do, rather than looking at it as just a job. You want someone who seems to feel passionate about helping you prepare for and win your case.
If you’re thinking about a law career, you have to prepare yourself for the fact that it’s not always a glamorous job, but you still have to maintain your sense of enthusiasm no matter what.
One of the biggest things that derails young attorneys’ careers is burnout. With that in mind, an attorney needs to have a good sense of work-life balance to truly maintain enthusiasm with each of their clients.
Hard Skills
Soft skills are things like communication, and then there are hard skills an attorney needs to have.
One of the big ones is analytical skills. An attorney has to be able to absorb and assess large amounts of information and do so relatively quickly and easily. They need to be able to come to reasonable conclusions and solve potential problems based on their assessment of information.
The ability to do in-depth research is another hard skill that’s important. That research and everything that an attorney takes in has to be broken down into something usable and understandable by the client.
Emotional Control
Being an attorney can be a very emotionally charged career in so many different ways. You may be faced with difficult clients who test your patience, or perhaps you may feel a sense of significant defeat every time you lose. You may also want to help people who need it, yet you won’t always be able to.
Even with the emotional roller coaster that comes with being an attorney, it’s important to maintain control of your emotions.
If you’re searching for an attorney, you want someone who is empathetic and has a human element in how they approach things, but not someone who’s overly emotional.
Integrity
Sometimes legal professionals get a bad reputation, and they’re seen as dishonest or lacking in integrity. This is the exception rather than the rule, and you should look for an attorney who is honest with you and who follows the ethical duties and guidelines of their profession.
If you’re considering a legal career, you have to remember your character and integrity are two things that are always going to set you apart.
Organized
Finally, while many attorneys may have assistants who can help them stay on track as far as organization, they still need to be organized on their own as well.
A lot of what an attorney does is help you understand and meet deadlines. They need to make sure the details of every bit of paperwork are taken care of, and everything needs to be done on time.
If you’re thinking about hiring an attorney who struggles with deadlines, it’s probably best to find someone else because one missed filing date can derail an entire case.
