Let us look at the meaning of Law.
It means a rule of action to which human being’s conduct must conform. The rules are made through legislative action which is intended to guide citizen’s actions in society.
Law, which is taught in law schools, is all about the rules divided in sections, sub-sections, clauses, explanations etc. But, in reality, lawyer needs to learn a plenty of practices and procedures in order to conduct and carryout litigation in the courts. It requires overall understanding of the management of litigation from its commencement of its process i.e., instituting the suit or plea till its finality the order/judgement and concluding the order by execution.
Further to understand this profession, let us divide the law practice into two parts: Chamber work and Court work.
Chamber work:
The Lawyer’s officer is called Chambers. It is the place where the Lawyer will meet clients and takes instructions before preparing plaint. Conducting the chamber work is a peculiar thing which was never been taught in any Law Schools, but one has to learn from his senior to become a best attorney. A strong Chambers is a boon for an advocate and half-the-case was won.
Let us understand the other side of the practice of law, which one should learn by oneself in the meanwhile.
- A lawyer must be a big listener. He should listen and collect relevant facts and figures of the case and the rules (Acts) applicable to the case. Lawyer should patiently listen to his client in his chambers and listen to court observations during appearance and arguments. It would help the lawyer to analyze the case considering the facts, figures and rules.
- When the client comes to your Chambers, you must assume that he is coming to lawyer’s office for the first time and he is sharing his distress experience with an outside person for the first time. Hence he speaks with anger, agony and emotions against his opponents. At that time, the lawyer shall not start probing details as ‘lawyer’, but show some compassion. It is true with all kinds of clients that they want to be heard and show sympathies with their problem/sufferings.
- The lawyer is in the business of troubles and distress. Very rarely he gets a client bringing good news. Unless lawyers recognize the unhappy conditions, the clients will not feel heard.
This art of listening will help the lawyer to attend to the client in distress benefits the understanding of the agony control his own anger and frustration.
How to enter Law practice? (4/1/24)
Doing business or run a clinic or a law office, is not taught in any school. More than science, it is an art and one need to pick up techniques. Working in a law firm and doing own practice are not similar.
How to get clients?
Getting clients or brief is considered very vital in the process of Law Practice. Till you get case/brief you will not get name and if you do not have name in the court circles you will not get brief.
A friend of mine, senior to me in the practice, told me to get briefs first and forget money part for some time. It works. He showed me a path, in a way. Initially, your own fraternity will be your clients, where money is not a major reason, he added.
In fact, that would be the best and proper way to enter into a practice, where your expertise is monitored and weighed to give a brief. This, the Law Schools will not teach.
Maintaining the Law Office
Lawyer office also called Chambers will have peculiar a style. His office will start in the evening and ends mid-night. So it would be difficult to get helpers or domestic workers during odd time. To be frank, I have to clean the room most of the days. Sometimes, I used to think it would be blessing in disguise, since I can save some money.
Though, old days the lawyer needs to engage a stenographer, for drafting plaints, suits etc. But now, with the advent of computers, laptops etc, it became easy and common practice that we advocate ourselves started typing the documents. Furthermore, online activity brought lot of relief and maintenance become simple.
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