The one thing I struggle most with is trying to please everyone. "Can't we all just get along!" is my mantra. If peace can be had wherever I'm at, I'm all for it. If someone voices dissatisfaction in something I've done, I can condemn myself to the point where it really starts depressing me.
I know looking forward into my future that this tendency to please people will come to a head. Legal issues are commonly messy, often solved with a fair dose of compromise. Not everyone gets what they want. Will I be able to accept a client's criticism of an outcome if things don't go as planned?
One thing that's helped prepare me for this is observing my father and how he conducts his practice. He tells stories, I ask questions. I'm fascinated by how he handles sensitive situations while maintaining integrity and the favor of his clients.
Law school instructs you in what the law is and how to advocate, but "people skills" is a more valuable asset developed by time and experience.
I am ineffective if I cannot clearly communicate to my future clients and work with them towards a favorable result.
One day I was browsing through my father's legal materials while I came across a recent copy of the Tennessee Bar Journal. The first few pages were dedicated to listings of practicing attorneys who had been suspended or disbarred because of unethical/stupid behavior in handling their clients' legal matters.
I sat in disbelief as I read how some of these attorneys got into trouble. One attorney failed to notify his client of the result of his case that went on appeal. Another signed agreements with indigent female clients for sex in exchange for his legal services.
Honestly, law school can't change your behavior, morality, character, and overall how you conduct yourself in front of others. It simply provides you with some knowledge and a little bit of know-how. The rest is up to you...
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