Why Leadership Skills Are Important for Aspiring Lawyers

As an aspiring lawyer, you need to develop new key skills in order to succeed. Legal expertise may have helped you achieve professional success and social prominence so far, but leadership skills will elevate you to the next level. Your legal background has already taught you to inspire trust, motivate those around you and communicate clearly and effectively. These skills are fundamental for aspiring lawyers, but in fact, it’s argued that many leadership skills aren’t learned – but innate personality traits. So, why are such skills so important for aspiring lawyers?

What is a Leader?

It may seem trivial, but many don’t truly understand the meaning of what a leader really is. First and foremost, it’s important to distinguish between management and leadership. Management is about organisation, delegation and strategic thinking while leadership is all of this and more. Leadership also involves creating thinking, motivation and the ability to inspire others.

A leader can command authority without being forceful, motivating employees to think creatively in order to get the best results for the company. A manager is in charge of employees, giving them specific orders to make sure that the job is done well. Ask any employee which they would prefer, and they will likely all say, leader. Granted, not every aspiring lawyer will be on to hold a ministerial post or run the country, but leadership skills can certainly assist in advancing their career.

Driving Change and Innovation

As an aspiring lawyer, you need to be at the forefront of change and innovation within the industry. Curiosity about the future and a desire to disrupt are key characteristics of a real leader. Many firms are even appointing specialist consultants who monitor trends and implement new processes or products within the firm.

A leader must have the confidence and strength to make a decision, even if it means taking a risk. This is the only way that change and innovation can truly be realised. If you can persuade those around you to trust your ideas and your way of thinking, you’ll have greater control.

Building Strong Relationships

All leaders are naturally good communicators. They understand how to get their point across in an effective manner, perfectly articulating their thoughts to colleagues. This will enable you to build strong relationships with whomever you may have to deal with during your career as a lawyer. Law firms don’t make tangible products that can be sold or rented, their employees are at the core of the company – setting the standard for what the firm can achieve. For example, you may be working with residential conveyancing solicitors on a particular matter, you’ll need to build strong relationships with everyone involved, to ensure the job runs smoothly. If you’ve mastered the art of building strong close relationships where it’s important, you’ll become an invaluable member of the team.

Commanding Respect

This is a skill that few can truly grasp, commanding respect without coming across intimidating or forceful. It’s important that when a leader has a vision that they want to share with their partners, they get it across in a clear yet friendly way. This can motivate employees for the better, especially if they are given special separate tasks. When an employee understands just how much their job impacts the success of the business, they are more likely to want to achieve the goals. Instilling this information is part of a leader’s responsibility, commanding respect from all colleagues. As an aspiring lawyer, commanding respect is crucial and is something that is earned over time.

Succeeding Under Pressure

A leader will know better than anyone else how to succeed under pressure and maintain their cool. Lawyers are often presented with pressing situations that need to be handled quickly and effectively, right down to the deadline. Employers want to see that you can handle increasing amounts of workload with confidence and ease, not letting the pressure obstruct the task in hand. Mounting workloads will also mean that problem-solving skills are required, something which a leader should possess. The best law firms are able to solve problems for their clients without them even knowing there was an issue to begin with. In the end, it can benefit both the business and the client. Taking stress away from them and further cementing their confidence in you.

Prioritising Wellbeing

Over the past few years, concerns surrounding the health and well-being of attorneys have come into much sharper focus. As growing evidence of how lawyer distress and dysfunction have collided with client work, it’s important to aspiring lawyers to acknowledge that one big part of being a leader is prioritising your wellbeing. Lawyer wellbeing is about creating an overall healthy and positive quality of life that sees you making responsible choices for yourself and your clients.

Crucially, wellbeing is not defined solely by physical health; it largely includes a positive mental state. This topic has gained traction in law firms and in-house legal departments. Recently, the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates adopted a resolution urging legal employers to increase efforts to address wellbeing related topics.

Unrivalled Confidence

Confidence can be one of the most important qualities that propels a person into becoming the lawyer they aspire to be. It inspires trust and helps leaders to present themselves and their company in the best way that they can. Leaders need to be confident enough to make decisions and stick to them, as changing their mind can often be detrimental to the business. The ability to make choices on behalf of the company without having to consult your superior shows great initiative.

Leading By Example

When it comes to company culture, leaders need to lead by example. As a leader, if your actions are not consistent with your words, then you’ll quickly lose credibility and make it difficult to establish your desired culture. Even if you’re not in charge of a team, your employer will begin to notice the way in which you lead projects and your clients, which creates a good example for your colleagues. Create a culture that promotes the behaviours and attracts the right people you need to achieve your goals.