If you’re looking for a solicitor you probably don’t really know what you’re looking for in regards to skill set, personality and experience. Afterall, if a solicitor is fighting your cause, do you really want them to be super friendly and personable? Is someone with people skills better than someone with extensive experience in the area you need help in?
Here are 10 key skills your solicitor should possess:
People person in all ways
A people person is not necessarily someone who enjoys being around people or someone who everyone loves. A real people person is someone who takes great interest in people and has the ability to get inside their head with skill and expertise. Your solicitor should take a real interest in you and your thinking as well as the people you are claiming against. It not only makes for a personable solicitor, but an intelligent one who thinks about the real people involved not just the paper facts.
Lack of ego
Your solicitor should not possess an overwhelming ego. Although someone who speaks in court should have a little bit of showmanship about him or her, they should not have an ego so large that it clouds judgement and performance. You should look for a person with strong confidence over ego to arm yourself with a well rounded solicitor. Someone who obsesses only over the end goal will not listen, and may not act in your best interests. They have to understand that it is not about them, it is about you, the client.
Local
If you can meet your solicitor you will feel much more comfortable working with them, especially if the case will take a long time. For example if you live in Birmingham, ideally you will be able to find a well matched solicitor in Birmingham who can help you. Working with someone local is ideal, however if you do struggle to find the right fit, remember they will get to know your case closely anyway so it isn’t always essential in order to make a connection.
Recognising that knowledge is something, but not everything
You’d be right in thinking a solicitor who specializes in the area of law your case relates to would be best equipped to deal with your situation, however, knowledge is not everything.
Your solicitor could be the most educated person in the world with years of experience dealing with a particular specialist area, but how many cases has he/she won? Do they pay attention to detail? Expertise and education in the area of law your case relates to is important, but not as important as the skill set of the solicitor dealing with your case. A person can have all the knowledge in the world without a clue how to use it properly.
Honesty
You want your solicitor to skillfully use the case information, legally manipulating details within the law in order to win. It is imperative that this manipulation and applied expertise only applies to the case and not to you as a person.You need complete honesty from your solicitor so you know how long things are likely to take and how likely you are to win. The solicitor should be open and honest with you from the outset.