The career and placement departments in many law schools have linkages and connections with various law firms to help their students find careers when they graduate. Especially for top law firms, the competition for internship and employment can get quite fierce. And though these law firms are the ones doing the chasing to get knowledgeable lawyers, they too are well aware that many are clamoring to secure employment with them. This is why many law firms stand firm in their standards and requirements for hiring lawyers.
Notable academic performance
Grades and academic achievements are among the prime criteria that law firms have for selecting and hiring applicants. Because grades deal with figures and numbers, these are the easiest ways to gauge an applicant’s abilities and intellectual prowess. Some law firms explicitly state that they will only entertain applicants who are in the top percentile of their class, while some state minimum required GPA figures that applicants must meet.
If you don’t belong to the top percentile of your class and your grades aren’t that impressive, don’t worry. The selection process of most law firms look beyond grades and figures and into the skills necessary for lawyers to succeed.
Communication and negotiation skills
Lawyers are notorious for their impeccable elocution and persuasive arguments. Needless to say, lawyers are expected to have excellent communication and negotiation skills because bulk of their work often revolve around litigation and negotiation. Written communication skills are also essential because lawyers are also often tasked with preparing memos, briefs, contracts, and other legal documents.
Strength of character and staying power
The dog-eat-dog world of law and legal procedures require someone who has strength of character to stay in the firm. While a sense of humanity and client sensitivity are admirable traits, lawyers have to constantly keep their personal emotions at bay to be able to deal with cases objectively and logically.
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