Is a career in law right for me?

Careers are the million dollar question. We all grow up thinking we’re going to be rich and famous, living lavish lifestyles in the foothills of the Italian lakes, calling round on movie-stars and ex-presidents to borrow a cup of famous sugar. But the reality of life is that unless you are born into a handful of families that can make that happen for you, you’re going to have to work your socks off to be able to afford a single weekend in 2-star half-board Italian shoebox, let alone a summer house on the water with monogrammed leather seats on a bunch of shiny family jet skis.

And so, the mind starts to rifle through the options. If hard work is the path to living the high life, the earlier we start to make it all happen the faster we can start completing the papers planning permission on our mansions, built in the shape of Pac-man for the fun of it. But where to begin? Well, research is key. You can go online to find out more about a career in law. You can contact people who you might think can give you an idea of how to get ahead. You can call the strong arm. Whatever you do, any foot forwards is preferable to no feet in any direction. Doing nothing is the fastest way to achieve nothing. 

All of this brings us down to one very introspective question “is a career in law right for me?”. Yes, the rewards can be huge for the right people, but how do you know that you are one of those so-called “right people”? We’re going to look at a couple of winning personality traits (angled towards law) that all lawyers should strive to maintain and build on. Because if you’re not at least as worthy as the competition, you’re already fighting a losing battle in career longevity and enjoyment. 

Compassion 

Compassion can be looked at in one of two ways. First, you might be a nosey character who wants to help. That’s fine. Lawyers who like to dig for facts are lawyers who get results. But if you’re not the prying type, you could also succeed as a lawyer if your compassion comes from wanting to defend those who cannot defend themselves. 

Sheer will and determination 

Let’s face it, if you’re the kind of person that has spent your life settling for second best, your career in law will probably be far from exemplary. But if you have a knack for getting on and overcoming obstacles, often just because you can’t leave things alone once you’ve started them, your career in law may just be long and prosperous. 

Think about it.