People often ask Wayne Cohen what it takes to become an effective personal injury trial lawyer – so in this blog entry we take a quick look at some key traits of those who are successful personal injury lawyers.
As with any field, becoming the best at what you do takes a lot of study, hard work, and practice.
Let’s start with the 7 years of higher education needed just to test to become licensed. That’s four years of college, after which Juris Doctorate hopefuls must earn high scores on the LSAT to enter law school.
Three years later, they graduate and become eligible to take their state’s Bar examination. The bar is a notoriously difficult test, and most candidates will study for months on end to prepare. Each state has its own exam, which must be passed in order to become licensed in that state. The DC Bar is spread across two days and includes multiple choice and essay portions. In 2013, only 46% of test-takers passed.
Once the bar is passed, the real work begins. Most trial lawyers agree that experience is key to becoming a skilled injury trial lawyer. As a new attorney, it is crucial to work alongside more experienced attorneys as much as possible. Taking any opportunity to be hands-on is the fastest road to honing basic skills. Things like written discovery, compiling interrogatories, and document production are the foundation of an effective attorney. The next step is to train with more senior attorneys at depositions and other court appearances. Many attorneys admit that getting over stage fright is the hardest part of becoming a successful advocate for their clients in court and at depositions. Assisting at depositions and in court is a good way to get used to such appearances, while learning the kind of skills that won’t be found in books. Written work is invaluable, but the best trial attorneys are the ones who can think on their feet. Every attorney must start at the bottom, taking small cases and gradually moving up to more difficult work.
All the experience and practice in the world can’t bring the most important quality for a successful injury trial attorney: passion. Injury attorneys provide a voice for victims, and must advocate ardently for their rights. Another crucial quality that can’t be taught? According to Mr. Wayne Cohen, it’s the art of storytelling - the simplest way to show the jury where the victim is coming from. Becoming an attorney is difficult, and becoming a successful injury trial attorney is even more challenging - it takes the right combination of education, experience, fearlessness, passionate advocacy, and eloquence. Anyone with enough drive to get there, however, has the drive to win.
Once the bar is passed, the real work begins. Most trial lawyers agree that experience is key to becoming a skilled injury trial lawyer. As a new attorney, it is crucial to work alongside more experienced attorneys as much as possible. Taking any opportunity to be hands-on is the fastest road to honing basic skills. Things like written discovery, compiling interrogatories, and document production are the foundation of an effective attorney. The next step is to train with more senior attorneys at depositions and other court appearances. Many attorneys admit that getting over stage fright is the hardest part of becoming a successful advocate for their clients in court and at depositions. Assisting at depositions and in court is a good way to get used to such appearances, while learning the kind of skills that won’t be found in books. Written work is invaluable, but the best trial attorneys are the ones who can think on their feet. Every attorney must start at the bottom, taking small cases and gradually moving up to more difficult work.
All the experience and practice in the world can’t bring the most important quality for a successful injury trial attorney: passion. Injury attorneys provide a voice for victims, and must advocate ardently for their rights. Another crucial quality that can’t be taught? According to Mr. Wayne Cohen, it’s the art of storytelling - the simplest way to show the jury where the victim is coming from. Becoming an attorney is difficult, and becoming a successful injury trial attorney is even more challenging - it takes the right combination of education, experience, fearlessness, passionate advocacy, and eloquence. Anyone with enough drive to get there, however, has the drive to win.
