Practitioners Rank Legal Research as Only Top-20 Specific Legal Skill for the "Whole Attorney"
In a recent survey conducted by the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS), a wide array of legal employers ranked the legal skills and professional competencies and characteristics that they believe new lawyers most need to succeed. (There is a detailed accounting of the study’s results and an explanation of the study’s role within IAALS’s broader project in the summer 2018 edition of The Bar Examiner , pp. 17-26.) The results revealed that legal employers value foundational characteristics and competencies much more than they do foundational legal skills. The 20 Foundations Identified as Most Necessary in the Short Term for New Lawyers • Keep information confidential • Arrive on time for meetings, appointments, and hearings • Honor commitments • Integrity and trustworthiness • Treat others with courtesy and respect • Listen attentively and respectfully • Promptly respond to inquiries and requests • Diligence • Have a strong work ethic and p