One cannot undermine the importance of practical skills in legal practice. Entwined with a sound academic knowledge, these soft skills can be the differentiator in your career. Some of these can only be developed over a period of time with experience – by observing other professionals, handling assignments on your own, etc. – you can start some of these traits by learning it in a structured way.
Today’s generation of law students is a bit luckier that way – so much of information is available online, so many experienced lawyers / legal luminaries take guest lectures increasingly. We also see a great number of online courses available from universities and online platforms.
We have very limited avenues for learning these skills – once out of college, finding time is the biggest issue. So, try to learn as much as you can in your student life by as many means as possible – attend special lectures / clinics / moots / workshops. You can also pursue different online / offline courses on your subjects of interest and in emerging practice areas.
A small piece of advice here. Learn to distinguish between learning and certificates – don’t be a certificate collector, yearn for knowledge and learnings. Certificates will not help you in the long run as far as your evolution and career growth is concern – knowledge will keep you in good stead for good. Do I need to elaborate on the difference?
What is still missing, don’t worry – you have a lifetime to learn. We are always learning in the legal profession – from womb to tomb. It never ends.
Best of luck.
