From the time they enter law school to the time of legal practice, lawyers gain exceptional amounts of knowledge on the judiciary system and intricacies of Constitutional rights and procedures. This legal expertise and knowledge is one of the main reasons why lawyers can make good public servants if they ever decide to venture into politics.
Policy-making
Because lawyers are equipped with the technical and theoretical knowledge on legal matters, they are potential societal models when it comes to adhering to the laws. By having spent a significant amount of years studying the Constitution and the country’s legal history, lawyers can greatly contribute to processes of policy-making. They have the potential of ensuring that the laws formulated and passed are representative of the rights and limitations stated in the Constitution.
Another essential skill that politicians and policy-makers should have is the ability to read and absorb information in large amounts. Reading through bills and amendments and understanding the information therein is one of the tasks required of politicians. In this aspect, lawyers make ideal politicians because they’ve had years of experience going through volumes and volumes of written text. Their keenness and attention to detail is also a valuable trait to become effective politicians.
Being a politician also requires the ability to make logical arguments and discuss the pressing issues and matters that the country faces. Lawyers’ experience and knowledge on litigation and political debate make them ideal candidates for public office. For politicians to become effective representative of their constituents, they must be able to clearly express and discuss the pertinent issues in their jurisdiction.
Good governance
The ability to govern and lead people is not acquired by default in law school. But lawyers’ assumed adeptness at communication and interaction in socio-political settings is highly important to exhibit good governance. Being able to talk with, and relate to, fellow legislators, big audiences, and their constituents is necessary for good governance. In this sense, the political arena can even be seen as a larger courtroom for lawyers, where they are given the chance to represent the public and bring to the surface the pressing issues that proliferate at the different strata of society.
Photo Credit : Mike Licht
