A fat paycheck, a glamorous life, impeccable appearance and communication skills, and the wits to convince any jury in the world that your customer is right. If this is what you think life in the field of law looks like, you may end up being disappointed halfway through law school.
While there are lawyers who live a life of wealth and get to work on interesting cases, they didn’t get there right after graduating. It took countless hours of study, research, and preparation. Moreover, there is no guarantee that you will manage to get in a similar position even if your determination doesn’t waver down the road.
So, before you get into a school that’s difficult and expensive, have a look at the reasons and skills that drive the most successful lawyers and people who work in the field of law.
The Motivation
Why do you want to go to law school?
This is one of the most important questions in your life if you plan on choosing law as a future career. The answer will provide you with the reasons that will sit at the foundation of your motivation going forward and will keep you going even when you feel like giving up (and you will feel like that!).
Law school is difficult and it’s only the beginning. As a lawyer or someone who works in this field, you need dedication and power to grind through tons of materials, laws, rules, and other specifications in order to get the information you need. Your head will be full of various legal details and you always have to stay up to date with changes and provisions.
And then, there’s the bar exam (if you want to be a lawyer and build a practice). The preparation for this exam is extensive and requires a lot of time and mental energy, so anyone who doesn’t have the right motivation will have an incredibly tough time.
In all fairness, even with the right motivation things can get difficult. Luckily, nowadays there are lots of resources and anyone can find a prep course to their liking (check out this Bar courses comparison for more details).
The Skills
While there are some soft skills that will help you land almost any job, being a lawyer is definitely not for everyone.
This profession requires serious skills and determination. For instance, one of the main skills you need to have and continue developing is intelligence. People working in the field of law must be able to understand complex concepts quickly, analyzed the situation according to the available data, and form conclusions that will lead to a solution. Most often than not, all these need to be done under the pressure of time while carrying a huge responsibility.
Not to mention that lawyers tend to work long hours in preparation for a single event. And, to be successful and gain the recognition of your peers, you need an excellent work ethic and a strong moral compass.
Lastly, the field of law is highly competitive so you must be prepared to face plenty of unpleasant situations. The competition starts from the first day of law school and only gets fiercer as you approach graduation. Once school is done and you join the workforce, the competition will be amped, which means you’ll need a thick skin to climb the ladder to success.
Wrap Up
In summary, if you are diligent about your studies and can handle a huge workload, you might be suitable for a law career. Of course, you also need a sharp eye for details, a quick mind, and the ability to speak in public and be convincing regardless of the topic. Lastly, being a lawyer or being in the field of law means you’ll have to deal with unpleasant situations with calm and poise.
So, do you have what it takes to be a lawyer? Now that you have more information it’s time to make the right decision!
