Law 101: The Foundation of Practicing Law

Theodore Roosevelt once said, ‘No man is above the law and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man’s permission when we ask him to obey it. Obedience to the law is demanded as a right; not asked as a favour.’ Absolute obedience to law may sound harsh but it is necessary for the welfare of the country. We formulate a system of rules, regulations, directions & guidelines and name it as ‘Law’ which is enforced on the society to bring in discipline, transformation, standards and governance. Law forges the rights and duties every individual has to each other. The sovereign state has a responsibility to protect the society and ensure justice. In India, our constitution & legislative system make laws, law-enforcing bodies ensure that they are being followed and judiciary system imparts justice and binds all the parties. Law has given rise to the profession of lawyers and has opened the door of opportunities to them to serve both themselves as well as society as a whole. The role of the lawyer is multi-faceted as he acts as a representative, advisor, agent, defender, counsellor as well as a legal expert.  Obtaining a degree in LLB is not sufficient to be victorious. A single argument or an impenetrable defence can make or break a case and a lawyer who is well-versed in legal theories, precedents and judgements can win a case in the court. The objective of this blog is to decide what it takes to practice law effectively and triumphantly.

Qualities that a good advocate must possess Any law student has a dream to advance as an independent and famous lawyer once he attains his degree and registers himself as a lawyer with the Bar Council. But to climb the ladder of success, he must have certain qualities and quirks. A lawyer must have the following traits to excel in this field:-

1. Communication skills that demand attention:  A good lawyer must make the best out of even a weak argument and convince the court by his outstanding communication skills.
2. Evaluative approach: A lawyer must be able to pick the slightest hint of discrepancies in an incident through his unequivocal analytical skills. It is the evaluative approach & skills that help him to grasp complicated laws and thereby, make the apt argument or present facts that suit his cases.
3. Potential to make the suitable judgment: A lawyer must have the potential to spot weaknesses, make reasonable conclusions, make decisive calls, identify the veracity of the case and much more.
4. Strategic skills: The cumbersome legal books are scary for a common man but are the indispensable part of a lawyer’s profession. A lawyer must be able to swiftly effectively use them to make appropriate legal strategy
5. Counselling skills:  It is not only and always about reading legal books rather it is the practice that makes a difference in this profession. A lawyer must be able to deal with his clients by tactically using his counselling skills to persuade and negotiate with them and to prepare them for thoroughly for the hearings.
6. Problem-solving skills: A lawyer must be proactive and must be able to seek ways to solve problems that can suddenly arise in a case.
7. Assiduity in work: The profession demands devotion, precision and caution and in order to reach success, a lawyer must be able to meet all three demands.

In addition to these qualities, a good lawyer must keep up with the pace of changing technology and have a complete know-how regarding what clients demand. Law firms are hiring lawyers who are not only tech-savvy but who also understand technology and assimilate it in their work to increase productivity and reduce the time spent in performing mundane legal tasks. With the advent of technology like Artificial Intelligence, Automated Contracts and case management tools in the legal profession, a good lawyer must maintain a balance between law and technology. 

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