Listening and the Law

Lawyers Who Launch

This week we dive into a critical (but not often discussed) skill for all attorneys - listening. Being a good listener is not something that initially pops into the heads of most people when they think of lawyers. When you conjure the image of a lawyer in your mind you might think of litigators battling it out in a courtroom or lawyers trying to our maneuver each other in a large glass conference room overlooking a city scape.

As you imagine these lawyers you think about the words they choose and they way they present themselves. This presentation is critical in my areas of law. You likely are not thinking about how those lawyers are listening. But if they are truly great you can be sure that they know how to listen.

We both shared stories of how solid listening is valuable in our specific practices. Haley uses listening in her initial meetings with clients not only to gain information but also as a means to gain trust and to build a relationship with her new client. Being on the receiving end of a lawsuit can be scary and overwhelming. Yes, the information about the case that the client has is important, but what is also important is beginning to build a relationship with that new client where they feel as though their attorney is listening to them - the value of this cannot be overlooked.

Amy also talked about how she handles initial meetings with clients. She not only listens to what is being said, but also what is not being said. This allows her to ask those deep questions that get to the heart of issues that will need to be addressed in the estate plan that will eventually be drafted. She also utilizes her initial questionaaire before the meeting to get a lot of information so that the meeting can be used for discovering the issues and items that will make this plan unique to her clients.
Here are five strategies for improving listening skills.

1. Repeat back what has been said.
2. Listen to what is not being said.
3. Ask good clarifying questions.
4. Take notes.
5. Eliminate distractions.

This is an important skill to develop not just in your professional practice, but in your personal life as well. Be fully present when someone else is speaking. Give them your full attention and really listen to what they are saying.

Be sure to let us know how you like these strategies and if you have any that you would like to share with us! You can find us on Instagram @lawyerswholaunch and via email [e-mail].

Have a great day!
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Nothing contained within this podcast is intended or should be construed to be legal advice and does not create any attorney client relationship. Please keep in mind that your jurisdiction will have rules of professional conduct that you must follow. This discussion does not focus on the any such rules, includ

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Nothing contained within this podcast is intended or should be construed to be legal advice and does not create any attorney client relationship. Your jurisdiction will have rules of professional conduct that you must follow. This discussion does not focus on the any such rules, including the rules from the jurisdiction where we practice.