TOP 25 MOST SIGNIFICANT SKILLS AND ABILITIES OF LAWYERS

Source: National Conference of Bar Examiners (USA) 2012- A Study of New Licensed Lawyers.

The following skills and abilities are listed here below because they are deemed to be equally important for New Public Policy Advocates.

1. Written communication
2. Paying attention to details
3. Listening
4. Oral communication
5. Professionalism
6. Using office technologies (e.g. word processing, e-mail)
7. Critical reading and comprehension
8. Synthesizing facts and law
9. Legal reasoning
10. Knowing when to go back and ask questions
11. Organisational skills
12. Working within established time constraints
13. Interpersonal skills
14. Issue spotting
15. Decisiveness
16. Answering questions succintly
17. Judgement
18. Computer skills
19. Electronic researching
20. Diligence
21. Advocacy
22. Fact gathering and evaluation
23. Consciousness of personal and professional limitations
24. Planning and strategizing
25. Information integrating

What Law Firms are looking for

Very important to Critically Important Competency

1. Integrity/honesty/trustworthiness
2. Good judgement/common sense/problem solving
3. Analytical skills: identifying legal issues from facts, applying the law and draw conclusions
4. Initiative/ambition/drive/strong work ethics
5. Effective written/oral communication skills
6. Dedication to client service/responsiveness to client
7. Commitment to firm and its goals and values
8. Initiates and maintains strong work and team relationship.

Important to Very Important Competency

1. Project management, including high quality efficiency and timeliness
2. Legal competency/expertise/knowledge of the law
3. Ability to work independently
4. Commitment to professional development toward excellence
5. Strategic/creative thinking
6. Research skills
7. Inspires confidence
8. Seeks feedback/responsive to feedback
9. Stress/crisis management
10. Leadership
11. Negotiation skills