Marcus Richards
For those looking to pursue a career in law, personal injury might seem like an attractive thing to specialise in. You’ll be able to get justice for people who have suffered harm, and often there’s a human aspect to your day-to-day life that can make for a satisfying career. Better yet, the demand for personal injury lawyers is substantial, which means that it can make for a lucrative career, too.
If you’re going to make a success of it in this profession, then there are a few skills you’ll need to develop. If you’ve already got them, then you might find that your progress is made much easier. Let’s assess some of those skills.
Research and writing
It should probably go without saying that lawyers should be literate. The job, when it comes down to it, centres around making arguments and interpreting the law as it’s written and practiced. Injury lawyers will need to be able to research and analyse relevant case law and compose letters and other written documents. As such, the better you are at writing, the better you’ll tend to fare in this profession.
Strong analytical skills
As a personal injury lawyer, you’ll need to be able to not only read and understand the law but apply it to the case at hand. Since a majority of personal injury lawyers proceed on a no-win, no-fee basis, your analysis of your chances of success might have a significant impact on your profitability for your firm.
Effective communication
Being able to get a message across is essential in this field. You’ll need to communicate the facts of the case to your clients, often in non-technical language that a layperson can understand. And you’ll also need to be able to make verbal arguments to other members of the profession, with reference to technical aspects of the case. Some degree of rhetorical flair, and ability to chat informally, will often be advantageous.
Investigative skills
Once you’ve formed an agreement with your client, you’ll need to look into the facts of the case. Often, once you’ve conducted the investigative work to a high standard, everything else follows logically. If you’ve neglected the investigative stuff, or performed it poorly, then you’ll face an uphill struggle.
Organisational skills
Lawyers benefit from all the same organisational skills that are so helpful in other walks of life. You’ll need to be able to meet deadlines, keep track of your paperwork, and keep your office (and your person) looking neat and presentable.
