The life of a lawyer and his practice is not what one thinks when he is a student of such a laudable profession. For many, the transition from the academic world to the practice itself is quite an ordeal, so true is that there are people who change careers or simply After many years they regret having studied it, below I chose some short tips, which may prevent you from going through such discomforts of which I can speak from my own experience Law tuition.
FIRST: Being an employee is not bad, the bad thing is that you do not keep up to date or do not educate yourself with rulings from high courts or specialized literature, which, if you last many years in the position you occupy, whether as a legal advisor, substantiator or support in a certain area of your company, when you are fired you do not have to adapt again to the legal dynamics of the moment , avoid at all costs being a “new graduate” again, study as you go, learn and stay fresh.
SECOND: In today’s world there are a lot of digital issues that accompany social dynamics that the legislator cannot follow up on, therefore identify and anticipate what the trends will be in the coming years, study them in time and become an authority. in the matter it will give you an advantage over the competition that, among other things, has not understood that the greatest challenge and dispute for the market is in the traditional .
THIRD: Understand that the majority of teachers teach with an approach just as their teachers instructed them, that is, “the old school”, as it is, we cannot sustain this paradigm in a world at the gates of the metaverse , full of Cryptocurrencies and web applications that COVID-19 enhanced, simply think about the future and digitally, I’ll tell you a secret, most of your teachers don’t know about that.
FOURTH: The secret of a good lawyer is not learning the codes by heart or who has the best relationships, the good lawyer is the one who knows best: Investigate, Interpret and Impact:
Investigate: No topic, no matter how difficult or complex, is beyond the reach of a good researcher; Interpret : It is of no use to you to obtain valuable information if you do not understand it or know how to use it in your favor; It is of no use to you to know how to investigate and interpret if you do not know how to sell it and this is where the art of Marketing or knowing how to impact prospective clients comes in.
There is plenty of information and free courses on these topics on the web, you just have to look for them, start now!
FIFTH: Do not abuse small cases. Many of us, in the desire to create clients or make money quickly, fill ourselves with small cases. These can be understood as those where little is charged because the issue appears to be simple , but in practice a simple issue can become complex or difficult to resolve. , exposing your reputation for little money.
In fact, it is a trap to take on many small cases, because they waste time excessively and their fruits are not as good or profitable, you stop paying attention to other fundamental issues necessary to grow as a professional or a case in which it is really worth the effort. worth so much work “sometimes the same work used in a small, mediocre or simple case is the same in a large or million-dollar case.”
SIXTH: Become an expert in a specific area , with this you will take over a less “disputed” segment of the market compared to working as a “complete” lawyer where you will easily lose lawsuits when faced with specialists.
You can take cases from several areas since your Professional Card allows you to litigate, the problem is that the law is so absurdly broad that you will never perfectly master all the areas in a comprehensive manner, for that same reason specializations and master’s degrees exist.
SEVENTH: To be an expert in something, a specialization is not necessary, it can be achieved with practice or self-taught reading. Many recent graduates hold back from addressing the topic they are passionate about due to lack of income to specialize. If they knew that we could even learn more on our own, there would not be so many “full” lawyers . Over time, they can invest in formal education and obtain their degree. long-awaited “Specialist Certificate”. But they can actually be experts, without a degree.
EIGHTH: Never underestimate the other party, even if when talking to them or investigating them you feel superior, remember that they also know people and perhaps someone with greater experience is guiding them.
This typical error has made many lawyers trust in important defenses , obtaining disastrous results for their client. Remember that in any case you must give your best or risk losing not only money, but reputation and prestige.
NINTH: If something characterizes recent graduates, it is that they try to make alliances or partnerships with the same university classmates, what an idea! situation that I do not advise for a simple reason, running an office is not a topic that is taken lightly, and I am in favor of allowing yourself to be absorbed for at least 1 year in a law firm to gain experience, but above all understand what the dynamics of law are. in practice.
With this you will understand the responsibilities of running a firm, the dynamics, but above all what the law is in practice accompanied by experienced people and not risk the processes of clients who trust in their abilities and have no experience.
TENTH: Before it was essential to learn “English”, however over time we understand that although it may be necessary, it is not decisive in our career, for a simple reason, the general rule is that it is litigated in our country of origin and certainly our official language is Spanish and therefore both judicial operators and administrative authorities adhere to this principle.
Far from making an effort to dedicate ourselves to learning another language as a complement, it is more fruitful to study, understand and train in marketing to promote our own services.