Listening Skills Make a Better Attorney

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published April 27, 2010

By Harrison Barnes, CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search

While to an extent, and in exceptional cases, this may be true, the reality of legal practice is that an attorney who does not have listening skills is worse off than an attorney who does not know the law. If you make a list of all the unsuccessful attorneys you know, you will find 99% are poor listeners and only 1% has pure bad luck. Your listening skills control your career more than you would know or like to admit.

Research has proved that under normal conditions, an ordinary listener is able to gather only 25% to 50% of the message being presented before him. This dismal situation occurs because under ordinary circumstances, communication is hampered by both poor listening skills of the listener, as well as poor presentation skills of the speaker. No attorney can expect each client to be an exceptional speaker and capable of getting across his messages clearly, concisely, and effectively.

So, to communicate effectively and win a client's trust, an attorney needs not only to have good listening skills, but also needs to increase his listening skills to a level where it can compensate for poor presentation skills of the client. That takes a lot of doing, and in the jargon of professionals, it is called ''active listening,'' a skill level where the listener proactively gathers message from a poor presenter, and does not fill in the gaps by own ideas, but by cueing and leading the presenter to fill in the gaps.

How to be a proactive listener
To be a good listener, your job is to gather the complete message your client is trying to send you from his/her words, body language, data, knowledge, and experience. You need to make a conscious effort to understand what the client wants to communicate.

Maintaining focus on the client's message and not getting distracted by jumping to conclusions is your foremost job. The next job is to extract the entire message from the client, and to do this you need to acknowledge and send signals that you are paying attention. You can do this by simply nodding your head or by other physical gestures or verbal means. Sometimes, it is a good technique just to repeat an important message-carrying phrase the client has uttered. It cues the client to open up and feel assured that he or she is not talking to a brick wall.

The final job is to cue the client or ask directly to fill in the gaps you find in the information presented. While you may well be able to guess, and correctly, what would fill in the gaps in information, DO NOT PRESUME AND FILL IN INFORMATION BY YOUR OWN IDEAS. Keep an open mind and if necessary ask the client directly on the points where you feel further information is needed. Gather the entire message, and then present it before your client to seek affirmation on whether you have understood it completely or whether something is still left to be understood. In such an event, the client would affirm and approve or fill in the gaps. If that happens, congratulations, you have just won the trust of a new client.

In short, there are some golden rules for proactive listening: Pay attention; maintain eye contact; do not contradict; watch the body language; acknowledge that you are listening; provide feedback and seek affirmation; DO NOT INTERRUPT; respond professionally.

If you are aware and conscious that it is your job to compensate for a client's poor presentation skills, you have won half the battle. If you practice proactive listening and are able to win your client's trust, you have won the rest half of the battle. For this is the battle you have to win personally. For fighting the case, you will find help available, but for winning the client's trust, you have to rely entirely upon your personal skills. This is why the career success of an attorney becomes dependent upon listening skills, and why proactive listening can let you find and maintain success.

About Harrison Barnes

No legal recruiter in the United States has placed more attorneys at top law firms across every practice area than Harrison Barnes. His unmatched expertise, industry connections, and proven placement strategies have made him the most influential legal career advisor for attorneys seeking success in Big Law, elite boutiques, mid-sized firms, small firms, firms in the largest and smallest markets, and in over 350 separate practice areas.

A Reach Unlike Any Other Legal Recruiter

Most legal recruiters focus only on placing attorneys in large markets or specific practice areas, but Harrison places attorneys at all levels, in all practice areas, and in all locations—from the most prestigious firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to small and mid-sized firms in rural markets. Every week, he successfully places attorneys not only in high-demand practice areas like corporate and litigation but also in niche and less commonly recruited areas such as:

Immigration law
Workers’ compensation
Insurance defense
Family law
Trusts & estates
Municipal law
And many more...

This breadth of placements is unheard of in the legal recruiting industry and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to connect attorneys with the right firms, regardless of market size or practice area.

Proven Success at All Levels

With over 25 years of experience, Harrison has successfully placed attorneys at over 1,000 law firms, including:

Top Am Law 100 firms such including Sullivan and Cromwell, and almost every AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 law firm.
Elite boutique firms with specialized practices
Mid-sized firms looking to expand their practice areas
Growing firms in small and rural markets

He has also placed hundreds of law firm partners and has worked on firm and practice area mergers, helping law firms strategically grow their teams.

Unmatched Commitment to Attorney Success – The Story of BCG Attorney Search

Harrison Barnes is not just the most effective legal recruiter in the country, he is also the founder of BCG Attorney Search, a recruiting powerhouse that has helped thousands of attorneys transform their careers. His vision for BCG goes beyond just job placement; it is built on a mission to provide attorneys with opportunities they would never have access to otherwise. Unlike traditional recruiting firms, BCG Attorney Search operates as a career partner, not just a placement service. The firm’s unparalleled resources, including a team of over 150 employees, enable it to offer customized job searches, direct outreach to firms, and market intelligence that no other legal recruiting service provides. Attorneys working with Harrison and BCG gain access to hidden opportunities, real-time insights on firm hiring trends, and guidance from a team that truly understands the legal market. You can read more about how BCG Attorney Search revolutionizes legal recruiting here: The Story of BCG Attorney Search and What We Do for You.

The Most Trusted Career Advisor for Attorneys

Harrison’s legal career insights are the most widely followed in the profession.

His articles on BCG Search alone are read by over 150,000 attorneys per month, making his guidance the most sought-after in the legal field. Read his latest insights here.
He has conducted hundreds of hours of career development webinars, available here: Harrison Barnes Webinar Replays.
His placement success is unmatched—see examples here: Harrison Barnes' Attorney Placements.
He has created numerous comprehensive career development courses, including BigLaw Breakthrough, designed to help attorneys land positions at elite law firms.

Submit Your Resume to Work with Harrison Barnes

If you are serious about advancing your legal career and want access to the most sought-after law firm opportunities, Harrison Barnes is the most powerful recruiter to have on your side.

Submit your resume today to start working with him: Submit Resume Here.

With an unmatched track record of success, a vast team of over 150 dedicated employees, and a reach into every market and practice area, Harrison Barnes is the recruiter who makes career transformations happen and has the talent and resources behind him to make this happen.

A Relentless Commitment to Attorney Success

Unlike most recruiters who work with only a narrow subset of attorneys, Harrison Barnes works with lawyers at all stages of their careers, from junior associates to senior partners, in every practice area imaginable. His placements are not limited to only those with "elite" credentials—he has helped thousands of attorneys, including those who thought it was impossible to move firms, find their next great opportunity.

Harrison’s work is backed by a team of over 150 professionals who work around the clock to uncover hidden job opportunities at law firms across the country. His team:

Finds and creates job openings that aren’t publicly listed, giving attorneys access to exclusive opportunities.
Works closely with candidates to ensure their resumes and applications stand out.
Provides ongoing guidance and career coaching to help attorneys navigate interviews, negotiations, and transitions successfully.

This level of dedicated support is unmatched in the legal recruiting industry.

A Legal Recruiter Who Changes Lives

Harrison believes that every attorney—no matter their background, law school, or previous experience—has the potential to find success in the right law firm environment. Many attorneys come to him feeling stuck in their careers, underpaid, or unsure of their next steps. Through his unique ability to identify the right opportunities, he helps attorneys transform their careers in ways they never thought possible.

He has worked with:

Attorneys making below-market salaries who went on to double or triple their earnings at new firms.
Senior attorneys who believed they were “too experienced” to make a move and found better roles with firms eager for their expertise.
Attorneys in small or remote markets who assumed they had no options—only to be placed at strong firms they never knew existed.
Partners looking for a better platform or more autonomy who successfully transitioned to firms where they could grow their practice.

For attorneys who think their options are limited, Harrison Barnes has proven time and time again that opportunities exist—often in places they never expected.

Submit Your Resume Today – Start Your Career Transformation

If you want to explore new career opportunities, Harrison Barnes and BCG Attorney Search are your best resources. Whether you are looking for a BigLaw position, a boutique firm, or a move to a better work environment, Harrison’s expertise will help you take control of your future.

? Submit Your Resume Here to get started with Harrison Barnes today.

Alternative Summary

Harrison is the founder of BCG Attorney Search and several companies in the legal employment space that collectively gets thousands of attorneys jobs each year. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placement attract millions of reads each year. Harrison is widely considered the most successful recruiter in the United States and personally places multiple attorneys most weeks. His articles on legal search and placement are read by attorneys, law students and others millions of times per year.

More about Harrison

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