Jeremy Kaplan
If you are at a stage in your life where you are considering your career options, your thoughts may have turned to a career in law. The legal arena offers a stable future with rates of remuneration that will support most life plans, meaning once you’re in, you will be set up for as long as you would like to remain in the game. Careers in law are also transferable from law firm to law firm, from city to city, and from country to country. This means you will never be stuck in one geographical location, unable to move far from your place of work. In short, why wouldn’t anyone wish to be a lawyer? The answer is that things aren’t that simple – not everyone is cut out for a career in law (check out a company like personalinjury.com for research into law firms). That’s why today, we’re going to look at some of the common personality traits that are shared by lawyers, to give you an idea of the types of people who may be suited to a career in law.
Compassion, empathy, ability to listen
When you step into a career in law, you are taking on the challenge of directing other people’s affairs, often in situations that have escalated to desperation. For example, if you were to take a position in family law, you may be handling cases such as divorce and child custody, meaning you are tasked with solving other peoples’ high-tension family matters. If you do not have compassion and empathy for the issues that affect other people, and if you are not the type of person who will sit down and listen in intent to a person’s problems, you may not be suitable for the kind of client-centric role that a career in law provides.
Assertiveness when it counts
Following your announcement that you wish to pursue a career in law, you may be met with mixed responses from family and friends. While some will support your decision, you could encounter comments such as “but you’re not aggressive enough”. This is because those people have mistaken a vital characteristic of lawyers – overly aggressive people do not necessarily match up to the description of a compassionate and empathetic individual, instead, what is required is assertiveness. You will likely be negotiating the outcome of settlements with lawyers representing the other side. This means you must be assertive in fighting for the rights of your client. Which brings us to our last point… You must also have a creative streak in finding ways to represent clients to achieve the outcomes you desire.
If all of those things sound like you, you could be fit for a career in law.
