Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

George Bernard Shaw

So, this post comes a week and two days late. I’m sorry, but I had some private matters to deal with. On this note I wanna talk about character, character of a lawyer. From perspective of everyday folks. How does image of successful lawyer look to someone who haven’t used any kind of legal services? What is image of ideal lawyer in minds of potential clients?

We as humans tend to have certain types of images of all kind of stuff. That’s why stereotypes exist, that’s why we think that all politicians are corrupt or that you can achieve success without connections. Of course, sometimes we are imagining truth, but sometimes (and I would say most of the time) product of our imagination is just that – false image. 

While I was thinking of studying either law or business management, I often heard from my family members that I’m not aggressive enough, I’m not loud enough and so on, to study any of these things. They mostly worried about my career prospects, we don’t have connections, we don’t have money, I’m introvert of introverts, how could a person like that find job after graduating. But here I am, graduated, with job in my chosen field, how could I do that if I’m not that charismatic lawyer, everyone think of when they hear a word – lawyer?

Answer to that is very simple, it was never me. It was false image in my mom’s mind about what she thinks is an successful lawyer. And most people, friends of family, who have expressed their concerns have also said that I do not look like lawyer. Because to them, ideal lawyer is someone who is charismatic, extroverted, outspoken, is not afraid to speak their mind. Sometimes, that is how lawyer should be, but I think, that people often confuse charisma with knowledge. Because, if someone speaks with so much confidence, they can say almost everything, it doesn’t matter whether it’s true or not. People register the way something is said, not what is said. 

I would advise people, to  re-imagine their ideal lawyers as not some Harvey Specter look alikes, oozing with confidence and charisma (which are good traits to have, don’t get me wrong), but as people who they can trust, they can confide in. Re-imagine them as lawyers who are knowledgeable in their practise areas, someone who is not afraid to show weaknesses, someone who is gonna do their best to help them. That would be my ideal lawyer, someone who is just like me – a person.

/M.P./