6 Skills The Best Law Firms Always Look For In New Starters

Many people training for legal careers believe that once they’ve got their qualifications, getting into the job market is a piece of cake. But law firms know this isn’t true. To become a successful attorney, you need more than just knowledge. You have to have skills, too. 

In this post, we take a look at some of the qualities your law office should look for in new recruits. Check them out below: 

The Ability To Work In A Team

Legal work requires the ability to work in a team. Lawyers rarely work alone, particularly on complex cases. Instead, they have to consult with a variety of experts, not to mention clients. 

Technical Skills

While legal work mainly involves language, competent lawyers also require technical skills. Being able to use the latest software is enormously helpful and prevents your firm from having to train them when they arrive. 

The best candidates fresh from college are those who have already experimented with these programs because they are keen to use them as part of their careers. As an employer, you might want to test them to see whether they already know how to use them. 

Business Knowledge

Legal students live in a bit of a bubble while they are in college. Faculty protects them from the realities of the business world (or outright ignores them). As such, a large chunk of students really don’t understand the market system or how it works. 

As a company, that’s a problem. You want people who know how both law and business work. Otherwise, you may attract colleagues who don’t make good decisions for your firm. 

Recruiters, such as Origin Legal, see finding well-rounded candidates as a priority. They want to fill roles with people who have an appreciation for how the real world works. 

Customer Service Skills

While legal professionals might like to think that they are different from their competitors, the reality isn’t quite as cushy. If clients don’t like your firm’s services, they can easily go to another. 

That’s why law firms are now looking for graduates with good customer service skills. Many are looking for candidates who worked in retail or hospitality during training because they may have a more positive telephone manner. 

Don’t overlook this fact while recruiting. Try to find individuals who love meeting clients’ needs. It’ll improve your firm’s reputation considerably. 

Research Your Hires

Don’t hire someone based on their CV alone. Instead, go online or use legal portals to find out more about them. Check their case history, firms they worked for in the past, and legal record. If you are struggling to do this, you can approach agencies to do it for you. 

Ability To Analyse

Lastly, you need to choose legal hires who have the ability to assemble, synthesize and analyze vast tracts of data. While software to do this is improving, it is still labor-intensive. Look for workers who show a track record of quickly seeing patterns in cases and making good use of their findings.