How to Become a Good Attorney

Lawyers advocate and counsel their clients on legal matters ranging from property disputes to civil rights litigation to criminal defense and prosecution. According to the American Bar Association, attorneys must be adept at processing information quickly and find creative ways to make laws apply in their favor depending on the factual situation. Becoming a good attorney starts in law school and continues throughout a person's career.

• 1

  Challenge yourself in law school and strive for the top marks in the class. Create your own study outlines for the exam rather than using premade commercial ones. Study on your own before discussing material with your study group. This will help secure the legal concepts you need and instill in you a strong work ethic.

• 2

  Participate in lawyer workshops that teach skills in trial preparation, client interviewing and legal brief writing. Check with your bar association for a calendar of events and workshops.

• 3

  Join a mentoring program. State bars often offer mentoring for young attorneys. In this program, experienced attorneys are paired with new attorneys. Through this program, you can gain actual experience from an expert in the field.

• 4

  Stay current on changes in the law. Read the most recent cases in the monthly issues of your state's bar journal and participate in continuing legal education courses. This will provide you knowledge of changes in the law, which you can use to better serve your clients.