Having an attorney to represent you in a legal matter can give you peace of mind. Whether it’s a lawsuit or a complicated tax situation, having an expert on your side can make all the difference.
Many people may feel unsure or even scared when they need to hire a lawyer. But what do lawyers do?
Advocacy
Advocacy is a key part of any lawyer’s job. It allows them to represent the interests of their clients effectively, address injustices, and promote a just society. Lawyers use advocacy skills to empower individuals by providing education about legal rights and fostering civic engagement.
They also use these skills to advocate for changes in legislation that impact their clients and communities. This can include drafting proposals, participating in public hearings, and engaging in lobbying activities. They often collaborate with non-profit organizations and other stakeholders to advocate for change.
Effective advocates can present compelling arguments that resonate with the audience. They also know how to research an issue and identify potential allies and opponents. Whether it’s making the case for reasonable doubt in the OJ Simpson trial or defending civil liberties in the Scopes Monkey Trial, strong advocacy skills help lawyers achieve favorable outcomes for their clients. They’re also important for negotiating and resolving disputes outside the courtroom. This is called alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
Negotiation
Negotiation is a strategic discussion that aims to resolve an issue in a way both parties find acceptable. Lawyers must be skilled in negotiation to effectively represent their clients and protect their interests. This can involve making concessions or using other tactics to gain an advantage in a dispute.
During the negotiation process, lawyers must evaluate their client’s interests and objectives and develop strategies to achieve them. Lawyers must also communicate with their clients in a way that minimizes misunderstandings and builds trust.
While it may be tempting to use aggressive tactics to secure a settlement, many legal experts believe this is unethical and can damage client relationships. In addition, it can be counterproductive.
The most effective strategy is to focus on what’s known as a “win-win” outcome, in which both sides come away feeling they have gained something from the negotiations. This can be achieved by addressing the most contentious issues at the beginning of a negotiation and working towards them, but also by focusing on creating positive interactions during the process.
Contracts
Contracts are a fundamental component of the legal system and shape our day-to-day activities. Legal professionals create contracts to make deals official and ensure that their clients are protected from liability. Contracts are often complicated and can be difficult to understand, so lawyers must have a strong knowledge of the law to avoid misunderstandings and disputes.
Legal professionals also need to be able to quickly and accurately complete contract-related tasks. Inefficient legal contract management can lead to miscommunication, missed deadlines, and other business issues that could impact clients. In-house counsel can streamline workflows with legal contract management software like Bloomberg Law Contract Solutions that ingests all documents, automatically extracts key terms and clauses, and organizes them in a secure repository that is easy to navigate, search, and retrieve.
Historically, law firms hired contract attorneys to assist with document review and litigation support. However, as law firm billing models adapt and the business environment becomes increasingly competitive, firms have begun to consider hiring contract lawyers on larger matters such as due diligence and mergers and acquisitions.
Courtroom Skills
Courtroom skills are critical for lawyers because they are entrusted to represent clients in the most persuasive way possible. These skills can include verbal communication, strategic non-verbal communication, and compelling storytelling. They also encompass visual aids, like timelines, charts, and diagrams, which help clarify complex data and keep the jury engaged.
Courtroom presentation skills require ongoing self-improvement, including a commitment to learning new techniques and practice. Practicing in front of trusted colleagues and seeking honest feedback will enable you to eliminate hesitations and develop strong verbal delivery. Additionally, using comprehensive tools that streamline preparation and eliminate the need for distractions in court will support your efforts to perfect your argument.
Legal professionals are required to present their arguments in a logical, fact-based manner while adhering to strict ethical guidelines. Having access to clear, easily accessible evidence minimizes the temptation to omit or manipulate data and allows you to focus on delivering a powerful narrative. This is especially important during cross-examination. This course focuses on the theory, practice, and procedure of giving evidence as a professional or expert witness to enhance your confidence and credibility in this challenging environment.
Research
Research is a key component of any lawyer’s job. Attorneys must be able to search through the plethora of legal precedents to find what applies to a particular case. They also need to be able to make sense of complicated – or some may say convoluted – legal language.
Attorneys need to keep track of their legal research so that they don’t miss any important information. They can do this by using paper logs, folders on their computers, or online citation management platforms. It’s also important for attorneys to know how to distinguish between primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are authoritative and precedential, while secondary sources explain legal principles more thoroughly. Moreover, attorneys should be aware that their research must provide “good law,” which means that it has been cited positively in court cases.
Including attorneys in research projects that study the effects of law will help improve lives and better target scarce public resources. It will also ensure that the data is collected in a legally-sound manner. For example, studies of laws that affect health require researchers to collect longitudinal legal data.