All the Right Stuff
Do you have what it takes to be a success?
By Diane Petropulos
May/June 1999 IssueThe paralegal profession is, at best, challenging. Personalities, time
management justification, demanding clients, deadlines, did I mention personalities?;
they’re all pieces of the puzzle that make up our careers. Some pieces fit better
than others, but in order to be successful, we need to work well with them all. So why
become a paralegal? Because it is challenging. Most of us wouldn’t be paralegals if
the challenges and rewards weren’t there.
It’s stimulating, intellectually challenging and
fulfilling to work in the law. Unlike so many professions, you’re not watching the
clock out of boredom (tracking your billable hours perhaps, but never watching the clock).
And we work primarily on behalf of others. Therein lies the challenge!
Most of us find ourselves taking on high levels of
responsibility, both in law firms and in business. Ultimately, the attorney or attorneys
you work for take responsibility for your work. Hence, the bar is raised. Your work is not
your own. It belongs to those attorneys handling the cases. They determine how high to
place the bar. That puts pressure on you to meet an exacting standard. Some might find
that daunting. Others recognize the opportunity for personal growth and success. We call
the latter a paralegal.
With raising the bar, personal growth, challenge and
other buzzwords, we must also recognize the pitfalls of the profession, not the least of
which is stress.
Where there are deadlines there is stress. Litigation is
acknowledged as the most stressful practice area, but working in the law demands high
professional standards, regardless of the specialty, which in turn engenders tension and
stress. In your own fast-paced firms, you no doubt find that your very best is demanded at
every turn. Nothing less will do. And then there are the professional egos. Whether you
work for Mr. Magoo, Leona Helmsley, Pope John Paul II or Saddam Hussein, each of us must
deal with one (or more) of any number of professional egos.
This requires a paralegal’s best workplace skill:
tact. Supervising attorneys may forget to credit you for your contribution. They may
under-credit you. Or, in the heat of the moment, they very well may forget basic decorum
and restraint. Attorneys, by their very nature, can be pressured and harried. Our job is
to be sure that we are not. When attorneys all around us are in the process of nuclear
meltdowns, we have to maintain our cool and handle constructive (and sometimes
destructive) criticism with good humor and tact.
So what does all this mean? It means that to function
effectively and grow our careers, we have to emphasize all the right stuff. We need to be
sure that beyond building a name for ourselves, we are sure to build that name on a solid
foundation. “How?” you ask. (Thank you for asking questions in all the right
places.) A good way to start is to polish those skills that, beyond your training and
experience, will help you stand out from the crowd.
Read and Think Critically
Do you read quickly and critically? You should be able to comprehend readily and
pick out the potential areas of usefulness, either because they support your side or
because they present a challenge to be overcome on behalf of your client.
Write Well
You must be able to organize and phrase your thoughts in a logical, clear and
concise manner. You need to have an above-average vocabulary and use a dictionary and
thesaurus consistently. Although spell-checking programs are widely available, they
certainly can’t help you with syntax and grammar mistakes. Do not undervalue the
power of a well-written, plucky sentence.
Express Yourself
Presentation and a strong grasp of the essentials are key. Do your homework
before offering any information on a case. Make sure you are familiar with the clients,
witnesses and experts. Synthesize your thoughts and findings into a brief synopsis when
your attorney asks for a quick assessment on a file. Don’t be overly verbose, while
at the same time don’t oversimplify. It’s a fine line, so be careful.
The Devil Is in the Detail
As we all know, the smallest detail can make a critical difference in a case.
Take copious notes. Take the time to organize those notes and file them away carefully.
The vital importance of proper organization skills cannot be understated. Most
importantly, have critical information available at a moment’s notice.
Be a Problem Solver
Get the word out that you are a key resource. Attorneys, and especially clients,
should look to you to be a vital tool in the legal process. Be as “can do” as
you can. Your goal should be to become (or grow as) a creative problem solver. Contrary to
public opinion, the law is not black and white. The most exhilarating part for many of us
is when there is no right answer; there may be no precedent whatsoever. It is up to us to
come up with new approaches to the issue at hand.
Study Quick
With a premium on intellectual and analytical skills in the legal field, you will
need to refine and sharpen your ability to make subtle, conceptual distinctions, master
unfamiliar concepts and terminology and then apply this knowledge to a set of facts
presented in each case.
Multitask
While multitasking is a mere buzzword to some, it reaches beyond that limited
scope in practicality and importance. How well do you handle dropping one project to pick
up another equally important task? The answer may be vital to you and your career. You
need to be able (or at least appear to be able) to adapt to changing circumstances, fluid
situations, and new facts that may require rethinking your strategy and changing your
course.
Interpersonally Speaking
Schmoozing. It’s an art. More importantly, it is an art that you must
master. Your ability to establish rapport and interact with a motley crew of personalities
increases your marketability in your job search and your value with your current employer.
Your understanding of the best way to communicate with others (especially clients),
regardless of their status, will enable you to successfully act as a liaison for your
attorney.
Go to School
How will you develop these skills and attributes? I suggest a paralegal education
program or school that offers a combination of practical instruction in legal knowledge
and professional skills. Your homework assignments should mirror the workplace duties of
paralegals. Attorneys and paralegals currently in practice are especially good
instructors. And on-the-job training is by far the best way to enhance your real-world
savvy. |
