Trial Lawyers Must Have Exceptional Organizational Skills
Whether you are thinking about going to law school, are currently enrolled, or are a practicing attorney, you have probably heard that the job of being a lawyer isn’t nearly as glamorous as it is cracked up to be—and that a legal career can be very boring. This can vary depending on the person; for example, you may have a passion for corporate law or intellectual property—or even tax law. No matter what type of practice you choose to specialize in—or if you hang out your shingle and practice a variety of different types of law—your focus in life as an attorney is going to be reading/reviewing documents or creating documents.
There are more exciting areas of law though, and many students set their sights where they think the action is, eschewing corporate law for litigation. Trial lawyers, notably, go to court. They have busy schedules, and while some of that time is embroiled in high legal drama, they also spend inordinate amounts of time poring over cases and legal documents, as well as doing extensive research. Preparation for a trial really begins on the day you take on that client—and while you may have a short amount of time in the limelight in the courtroom, many hours are typically spent in the office building the case.
While many cases do settle, it is the role of the trial lawyer to assume they will be going to trial and prepare accordingly. This means understanding everything about the case, planning, and setting up a detailed file. Any assistants or paralegals working on the case should understand how the trial attorney wants to move forward with the case, along with parts they will handling as witnesses should be contacted, evidence examined, and discovery completed on time and correctly so. A winning case likely will not occur without meticulous organization, along with review of as much relevant case law as possible. Conferences and court dates must be scheduled, and the trial lawyer’s goal should be to understand the case more thoroughly than the opposing side, so they can answer any questions the judge may have quickly and confidently—ruling the courtroom!
Are you interested in becoming a trial lawyer through distance learning? Our mission at CDTA College of Law is to educate, train, and develop extraordinary legal advocates. Your legal education will be comprised of bar-tested academic subjects, skills training, and values reinforcement. Upon completion of your 4-year course of study you will be fully qualified to take and pass the California Bar examination. Call us today at (760) 342-0900 or find out more online here.