Michael Fourte highlights four skills that anyone aspiring to be a lawyer needs to have to be successful.

1. Four Skills
Needed
to Succeed as a Lawyer
PRESENTED BY MICHAEL FOURTE

2. Pursuing a Legal Career
If you’re someone who enjoys watching legal dramas, then you may
have thought about pursuing a career as a lawyer. It’s a challenging
field and not the right fit for everyone, but if it’s something you’re
passionate about, work on developing these four skills.
MICHAEL FOURTE • PAGE 2

3. Resilience and
self-confidence
Legal careers are incredibly
competitive. Separating yourself
from the crowd takes a lot of
enthusiasm and determination. In
the process of becoming a lawyer,
it’s likely you’ll face a good amount
of rejection. You can’t let this
discourage you. You’ll need the
confidence to keep applying to
different law schools and practices.
Learn from your rejections; ask for
feedback and have the courage to
act on it. Confidence in your
abilities will help get you where
you want to be.
MICHAEL FOURTE • PAGE 3

4. Time management
Being a lawyer comes with a very
challenging workload and demanding
deadlines. To be able to manage all of
these, you’ll need to be a master at time
management. You must be able to
multi-task to tackle competing priorities.
To improve your time management
skills, start by making to-do lists and
prioritize your tasks. This helps you to
make sure you’re dealing with the most
important things first, instead of letting
them get pushed aside by minor tasks.
There are many different systems for
time management; finding the one that
works best for you will help ensure your
success.
ZIMCORE HUBS • PAGE 4

5. Attention to
detail
Having a sharp eye is crucial to
succeeding in the world of law. One
wrong word can change the meaning
of an entire contract, and a misspelling
in an email can give a client the wrong
impression, and cost your practice their
business. This attention to detail needs
to start with your own cover letters and
job applications. If there are mistakes in
your application materials, a firm is
going to be hesitant about hiring you. If
your cover letter is too long or vague, a
hiring manager may be unsure if you’re
the right person to be offering advice to
clients.
ZIMCORE HUBS • PAGE 5

6. Communication
Communication is crucial in every field, but
especially so in law. Without strong oral and written
communication skills, you may struggle to be an
effective lawyer. You also need to be a strong
listener to build strong relationships with clients. To
argue a case in court, you have to be confident
speaking in front of others. This requires the use of
persuasive and succinct language. While in
college, get involved with the debate team to
practice this skill. Because you’ll have to draft
letters and legal documents, written
communication is just as important.
MICHAEL FOURTE • PAGE 6