Challenges Faced by Young Lawyers

A personal perspective

From my experience as a UK qualified solicitor, the traditional law training route of black letter law equipped me, only partially, for the job.

Regurgitating the law did not help me with what the clients needed from me. Clients expect you to be commercial savvy right from the start, and need lawyers not only to resolve legal issues but also to support their business development needs.

Better skills I wish I had when I was training

1. Technological skills

Lawyers should be encouraged to pass the basic technical skills such as Word, Excel, Adobe, track changes, merging documents, navigating the metaverse and online research tools should be made more effective.

2. The psychology of negotiation

This was not really addressed at the beginning of my career in detail, for example:

• Cultural awareness/side of change for lawyers.
• Different mindsets.
• Why people make/don’t make decisions that they do in different countries.
• Delivery of change positively within teams/organisations, and with clients.
• How to handle crisis management.

3. Better Communication skills

Better communication skills with clients and 3rd parties for more challenging concepts, and in different ways, rather than just being able to argue well on paper.

4. Project Management

Law firms need to look at all processes and prepare young lawyers for things they can’t see coming in the future. You are in a better position if you stay a step ahead! For example the use of technology for efficiency proposes, to improve the delivery of work and also to develop new delivery models. 

Ongoing changes to the industry mean more and more law firms are now likely to employ project managers to collaborate with the lawyers in delivery of legal services to push it forward, and better prepare lawyers in the industry.

There should be a better structure of how to break large projects down into smaller tasks so that the work is delivered to scope within the budget and within the required level of quality. If the project is complicated and not managed well, then junior lawyers may be put off progressing in their career in that area of law because it may seem too complex and difficult, but there is a need for encouragement and support from the top to the younger lawyers in all law firms.

5. Business Strategies

The legal function is changing and young lawyers should be encouraged to be more inclusive in streamlining the business and bring solutions to the table. They can add knowledge and value beyond their legal knowledge to the business and they should not fear stepping forward with suggestions.

There should be incentives and rewards to think differently for being more proactive, rather than just setting targets to achieve. This will help the business as a whole in the commercial market, help with new emerging trends and also help with changing client needs going forward as technology continues to develop.