How to develop the right persona of a successful lawyer?

Achieving success in the profession of law requires one to carry certain traits. The field of law is as competitive as any and there are no exceptions to it. But a lawyer does not have one area of practice to look after. He has to develop his knowledge as and when different types of cases come to him, especially at the start of his career, when he is still finding his way. However, developing a new trait takes time and practice and of course, a love for the profession of law.

Here are some of the traits that a lawyer has to acquire and nurture in order to be successful in the field of law.

1.    Hard work and determination are your best friends – On the outset, becoming successful in any field requires high level of fortitude and hard work. When starting up your career, only hard work is noticed, talent comes later.

2.    Having a flexible, innovative or creative mind – According to a lawyer, anything and everything is possible. Thinking out of the box will bring solutions to problems which at first might seem impossible to solve.

3.    Having the willpower to come back from the ashes – One thing no professional lawyer should forget is that failure will come often. You will be struck down more times than you can get up, but developing that resolve to come back with self-respect and proving your point is important.

4.    High degree of cross-cultural sensitivity and awareness – Ours is a diverse country and a balance between different cultures must be maintained. A lawyer has to handle sensitive matters and controversial issues diplomatically to avoid legal complications between parties.

5.    A passion for excellence and an eye for detail – The most admirable trait in a lawyer is perfection of his work. An eye for detail matters a lot in the legal profession because sometimes it is all about reading between the lines to predict any future disputes.

6.    Intellectual curiosity and a dedication to learning – A lawyer has to be genuinely interested in the goings on of other areas of work where their clients come from. Law is omnipresent, and so must be a lawyer’s range of knowledge. This comes only when there is an inane drive to learn new things and have a curious mind.

7.    Genuine desire to help people – A lawyer’s basic job profile is to help his clients. It is what he is best at doing. Helping people find justice or simply to get out of trouble is what a lawyer lives for!

8.    Multitasking – Even though it’s considered a women’s area of expertise, but it is something which a lawyer has to pick up. Most successful law firms in Mumbai have lawyers who are working on 20 cases at a time and remembering all the dates and client meetings along with managing files and papers requires nothing short of a miracle.

9.    Humility and not comparing yourself with others’ success – Humble attitude or modesty are always appreciated in any field of work. Only thing worse than being a loser is being a abysmal winner. Success shouldn’t get into one’s head or it will be his downfall sooner or later.