Most Important Skills For an Attorney at a Small Law Firm
For a successful legal career, integrity and honesty are paramount; John, a partner at a small law firm, emphasizes "speaking truth to your client" even when delivering "bad news," building a strong reputation through consistent ethical practice rather than expensive advertising.
Integrity, Client Communication, Reputation Management, Business Acumen, Ethical Decision-Making
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
John Fricks
Partner/attorney
Small Law Firm
Cal Poly
Boston University law degree (J.D.)
Computer Science
Law
Legal
Video Highlights
1. Integrity is crucial for success as an attorney.
2. Effective communication, including delivering both positive and negative news to clients honestly, is essential.
3. Building and maintaining a strong professional reputation through high-quality work and careful client selection is vital for long-term success and attracting work.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
For an attorney, integrity is crucial. It sounds odd, but integrity really helps you shine, especially since some attorneys lack it.
Another important aspect is speaking truthfully to your client. You shouldn't just try to make them feel happy by "blowing sunshine." You have to deliver the bad news and explain the problems clearly.
For example, you need to be able to say, "Yes, this is a problem." And also, "Yes, I think we should settle this case." These are very important things.
Being a nice person and developing a good reputation are also key. My law firm spends very little on our website, just the annual fee which is under $20. We don't spend money on advertising.
Some attorneys do advertise and they likely make money from it. You see their names on bus benches. But we don't, and yet we have so much work that we're constantly turning clients away.
So, develop your reputation and guard it carefully. Be aware if people try to take advantage of it. If bad clients hire you just to leverage your reputation, you have to protect yourself.
Realize that you're being used. Therefore, you need to be selective about the clients you take on when you have that option.
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