Why Can’t Legal Professionals Keep Their Mouths Closed?

In the 21^st century, we have a higher standard when it comes to opinions. In other words, the world does not tolerate inappropriate actions or mindless comments towards others. This is true in every industry, but it is particularly true in the legal profession.
 

Indeed, there have been many instances when legal professionals have not been able to keep their mouths closed. As a result, they have lost their jobs, and their career has been ruined. Let’s take a look at some of these instances.

 

Legal Professionals and How They Ruined Their Careers

Having a lack of discipline is not something lawyers want to practice. Let’s look at the judge who was inappropriate toward an alleged rape victim. He asked her in court in a serious manner whether she closed her legs and had done anything to prevent the rape from happening to her. Not only was this inappropriate and humiliating, but it was also irrelevant to the case. This occurred in 2016 in a New Jersey Superior Court. Due to his behavior and other incidents, the judicial ethics board stated that they believed the judge should be removed. This is due to severe misconduct.

Unfortunately, the question must be asked; how did this judge get away with several incidents before reprimanding? While we hope that this is an isolated incident, it is likely that it happens often. The key is someone speaking up and holding them accountable. This is more likely to happen in the last few years due to important social movements. Law professionals are being held to account just like ordinary citizens. In fact, their behavior is likely examined more closely due to the professional standards people expect in the legitimate industry.

Some people think that this is a bad thing. They see it as an infringement on free speech and that others are being too sensitive. But there is always a time and a place. When you are a legal professional, that time and place will not be when working in a courtroom or interacting with a client. It does not matter what career you enjoy in law; whether you are a new associate or an experienced judge, you are expected to act professionally and appropriately. Do you think it is too much to ask that they control the words coming from their mouths as professionals? For some people, that won't be easy. But for others keeping their mouths closed is something that can be done. We have some tips on how you can stay professional.
 

Ways to Avoid Getting Into Trouble as a Lawyer

The chance that you might say something stupid during your legal career is likely. However, this is certainly not something you want, especially when there are ways to avoid it. Most people think, ‘just do not say something silly then.’ Yet, during the length of your career, you might find yourself unintentionally in a situation where inappropriate words escape your lips. Not until the words have left your mouth have you realized what you have said. Here are some ways you can avoid getting yourself into hot water during your legal career.
 

Ignore Office Gossip

One way you can get yourself into a lot of trouble is by being part of office gossip. In other words, you are talking about your colleagues or clients to other people. Of course, we all know it is tempting to gossip and share interesting information with our friends. But in a law office, this really is a bad idea, and it is not worth it. What you say matters, and if you spread rumors, even unintentionally, they might come back to bite you. What’s more, your clients trust you, and this is something you have to honor.

The best thing you can do is step away and ignore all office gossip. It may seem harmless at first, but it can quickly turn nasty. If you keep yourself out of it, it will not harm you or affect your career. Instead, be respectful to your colleagues and clients by keeping all comments above board.
 

Think About Your Words

As a lawyer, you have a lot more responsibility than the average citizen. People look up to you, and you are a professional. This means that you generally have to be aware of your conduct and the things you say. After all, if you do say or do something wrong, there will be consequences. This is true even if you did not mean it.

Therefore, you always need to think about your words. Before you respond to any high-profile or high-intensity situations, think before you speak. Be mindful of what you are saying and how this can come across the others. If you think it could be misinterpreted or insensitive, it is best to keep your mouth shut. Being professional is about knowing how your behavior affects others. This is going to make sure that you are kind towards other people and protect your career.

Saying something without thinking or inappropriate could cost you your career, as we have already seen.
 

Deal with Stress

Have you noticed that you are more likely to act out and say something stupid when stressed?

This is very common, and it is not just lawyers that can make this mistake.

This can affect anybody in any industry. For example, when you are stressed or have a lot on your plate, you can often lose your patience quickly and say something without thinking. This is because you act on your emotions rather than thinking things through.

Indeed, lawyers are prone to stress in their careers more than others. You work long hours and deal with intense situations. So naturally, you are going to feel stressed out at some point. But you have to learn how to unwind and get rid of this stress to avoid getting yourself into trouble. So make sure that you have time away and plan to lower stress levels. You will be able to think a lot more clearly this way.
 

Take a Minute with Clients

All lawyers can tell you about a time where a client has been disrespectful towards them. Unfortunately, this can happen quite a lot, especially if you work in litigation or criminal law. It does not matter whether a client is a public or another business; there will always be a chance that they do not value your work. This can be very frustrating, mainly when you dedicate a lot of time to their case and work hard. Things can boil over in a moment like this, and you might end up saying something back to them. But we can guarantee that you will end up saying something you regret.

While it should not be this way, you will have to get used to people not being kind to you as a lawyer. We all wish it did not have to be this way to keep a good attorney-client relationship. But this is real life. So, the sooner you can learn to brush off comments, the better you will get along in your law practice. If you are in a high-intensity situation with a client, make sure you take a minute to calm down.
 

Stick to the Facts

In life, you are going to hear a lot of opinions. Some of them will be in the majority and people will agree with you. In other circumstances, you will have views that people do not like and do not share. This is just how real life works. But as a lawyer, you must remember that your opinions are not important. You are there to do a job, and you must stick to the facts. For example, if you are dealing with a case, focus on what those facts are and not what you think happened or what should have been done differently. You are there to represent a client, and you must stay objective.

We have seen professionals let their guard down and not stop to think about their actions or the consequences. This came back to bite them, and rightly so. But it is important to remember that nobody will protect you if you do not do your job correctly.

It is advised that you leave your opinions and emotions at the door.

See also:
 

• The #1 Attorney Career Killer That Attorneys Are Never Taught.
• How Much Does the Law School You Went to Matter When You Lateral Firms?
• 46 Actions You Can Take to Optimize Your Job Search and Career Today.
• Stressed Out as an Attorney? How to Deal With the Stress of Being a Lawyer.