Core Skills and Values

Your degree of comfort and ease in employing skills commonly required of lawyers is a good indicator of your ability to adapt to and succeed in law school. A task force of the American Bar Association (ABA) has determined that the following are the skills most employed by all attorneys:

• Analyzing a client's problem, related legal issues, and reams of data;
• Synthesizing complex material from a variety of sources that must be considered from multiple angles. Voluminous amounts of information must be pulled together and digested in order to create a cogent argument on behalf of the client's position;
• Advocating the client's viewpoint and interests to arrive at a favorable outcome;
• Counseling clients by identifying the legal implications of a situation and suggesting an appropriate course of action;
• Negotiating to reconcile divergent interests and opinions. Lawyers are trained to consider equally all sides of an issue in order to recognize common ground, areas of conflict, and opportunities for compromise;
• Writing and speaking: Lawyers are expected to be effective communicators. The ability to write and speak with precision, clarity, and insight is highly valued.

As a college student, you're in an ideal environment to begin to cultivate these skills through careful course selection, internships and other work experiences, and extracurricular activities. Schedule an appointment with a pre-law advisor, academic advisor, faculty advisor, or career counselor to discuss your skill-building options.