Have you ever considered a career in law? Being a lawyer is more than just being able to recall facts and legislations at the drop of a hat. To be a lawyer you need to have a specific set of core skills, some of which come naturally while others require months or even years of perseverance to build on.  

Whether you want to be a personal injury lawyer like the ones on this site, or someone who works in family or criminal law, a strong set of varied skills is not only beneficial for your working day, but for your clients too. Here we’ll examine the skills that a lawyer should have. 

Skill 1: The ability to work in a team

Unless you're a business owner or a CEO, it's unlikely you'll experience working with a team of lawyers. However, in the legal world being able to work as a team is imperative, not just for the success of your law firm as a whole, but also in terms of being able to work with your client. The ability to listen to others' ideas, respecting opinions and being able to hand over some of the control to others is a crucial skill any lawyer should have. 

Skill 2: Problem-solving

Lawyers solve problems every single day. Problem-solving is at the heart of everything they do. As a lawyer, you'll need to take on as much information as possible and use it to solve the problem in front of you - this could be how to prove innocence or how to prove that the other party were at fault. Finding new ideas, experimenting with new legal arguments and thinking critically are all elements you’ll need to work on.

Skill 3: Working independently 

As a lawyer working by yourself is often what an average day would entail. You'll need to be able to handle your time effectively and work through your caseload. If you come across problems, it's important to be able to solve these independently. However, it's also crucial to understand that working independently doesn't mean struggling, you should also be able to recognise when you need assistance. That's another skill a lawyer would possess - people do not work to the best of their ability when they’re juggling too much at once. 

Skill 4: Communication skills

Not everyone is a confident speaker, however, if you want to become a lawyer it's something you need to work on. Whether you're arguing your case in court in front of a jury, you're present at a family court hearing or you're speaking with your client who's stressed and struggling to understand the severity of their situation. Being able to communicate effectively is crucial if you want to be a lawyer. 

Final thoughts…

Do you think you have what it takes to become a lawyer? What skills do you have that would benefit you in a law career?