I was inspired from a very early age to become a lawyer after learning about the real estate lawyer Pedro Martin Terra Group CEO and a man who spent over 25 years as a real estate lawyer, bringing about great change. At this early age, I had no idea what it would take to become a lawyer, nor how I would go about it, I just knew that it was the job for me.

When I was 15, I spent some time with a careers guidance counsellor, to talk about how I could become a lawyer, meaning what was my educational route. Instead of talking about the path to be a lawyer, we spent over 45 minutes just talking about whether or not I had the skills, something I’d never even thought about. With that in mind, I was hoping I could do the same for any budding lawyers out there, and discuss the skills that you will require, if you want this as a career.

Argumentative

The ability to formulate a strong argument is a gift which not all of us have, the ability to form a strong argument which is also persuasive, is a gift which even fewer people possess. The point of this is that being a lawyer requires you to be able to form persuasive arguments, based in fact, and with a consideration of all other angles of the argument.

Hard Working

No lawyer in the world got to where they are as a result of laziness or a lack of desire. The reason why being a lawyer is well paid and highly respected is because of the sheer hard work which one must put in, to not only achieve the status as a lawyer, but also to do the job itself. Law students must have high grades from high school level, they must ace college and then go through law school. Once law school is over, you must pass the BAR exam and it is only then that the real hard work begins.

Team Working

When you see a lawyer on the TV, nailing the opposition and convincing the jury to side with them, it is made to appear like the the lawyer did it all alone, this is not the case. In fact to be a great lawyer you must have team working skills as every case is a joint effort. On top of this, you must be able to play different roles within the team dynamic whether you are taking the lead on a case, or doing research. To be the bets lawyer you must be a great team member.

Analytical

Being analytical is a vital skill in terms of being a lawyer as you will have to process huge amounts of information on your case, and on previous cases. This information contains a lot of detail which you must sift through in order to find the key points for your case. Without the ability to be analytical, you will struggle greatly if this is the job that you are after.