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Skills

Law is a skills-based profession. Lawyers' value stems from their ability to interview clients effectively, identify law-related issues in the client's problems, research points of law, read legal sources, apply legal rules to a client's problem, and communicate insights to a wide variety of audiences. We call these skills (and others) thinking, acting, and speaking as a lawyer. 


The Building a Better Bar study identified ten skills to practice with minimum competence. Other studies highlight many of the same skills. They are:

Acting Professionally

Interpreting Legal Materials

Interpreting Legal Materials

New lawyers must know about the Rules of Professional Conduct, but they also need the skill of acting professionally.


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Interpreting Legal Materials

Interpreting Legal Materials

Interpreting Legal Materials

Lawyers must know how to interpret a wide range of legal materials, including contracts, statutes, rules, regulations, judicial opinions, and administrative materials.

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Interacting with Clients

Interpreting Legal Materials

Interacting with Clients

Clients are the heart of law practice, and new lawyers interact frequently with clients. That interaction requires a host of related skills.


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Identifying Legal Issues

Communicating as a Lawyer

Interacting with Clients

Client problems are multi-faceted so issue identifcation lies at the heart of good lawyering.


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Conducting Research

Communicating as a Lawyer

Communicating as a Lawyer

Lawyers are specialized researchers. They know how to find the law, as well as how to research facts and context related to client problems.

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Communicating as a Lawyer

Communicating as a Lawyer

Communicating as a Lawyer

Lawyers must communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, opposing counsel, experts in other fields, judges, and other decisionmakers.

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Understanding the Big Picture

Understanding the Big Picture

Understanding the Big Picture

To assist clients competently, lawyers must understand the "big picture" of a client's problem. That includes the client's goals, the client's context, and the steps needed to address the problem. 

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Managing Workload

Understanding the Big Picture

Understanding the Big Picture

Minimum competence requires new lawyers to manage their time effecively, organize their  work, and collaborate with others.



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Coping with Stress

Understanding the Big Picture

Pursuing Self Directed Learning

Law practice imposes unique stresses on lawyers, and new lawyers must be prepared to handle these stresses.



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Pursuing Self Directed Learning

Pursuing Self Directed Learning

Pursuing Self Directed Learning

Law is a vast field that changes constantly. To succeed in this profession, lawyers must have well developed techniques for self-directed learning.

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