Think Like a Lawyer

“Thinking like a lawyer” – is it all that different from not thinking like one? As it turns out, based on the dominant personality traits lawyers share, it is…

I recently listened to a fascinating podcast featuring Dr. Larry Richard, founder of LawyerBrain (“Understanding the Lawyer Personality,” Marketing Leaders Podcast hosted by David Ackert) (click here for the podcast). Dr. Richard is a psychologist, former lawyer and litigator, who focuses on the psychology of lawyers. His research found that lawyers, on average, share six personality traits not shared with the general public.

Where the general public, on average, scored 50% on each of the following personality traits, lawyers, on average, as a group scored:

Autonomy (need to feel in control) 89%

Abstract Reasoning (analysis) 82%

Urgency (Impatience) 70-71%

Sociability (comfort initiating relationships) 12%

Resilience (thick skinned) 30%

Skepticism (Mistrust) 90%

Crazy, right? I mean, the fact that lawyers scored differently in these categories isn’t so surprising – but the extent to which we scored differently is. Fifty percent of the general public is mistrusting of others – but 90% – yes 90% – of lawyers are skeptics and don’t trust others. I guess I can take solace in the fact it’s not just me… but truly!

Lawyers also like to be in control (autonomy), love problem solving (analysis), are extremely impatient (urgency), have problems initiating and cultivating authentic relationships (sociability), and don’t like to be criticized (thin skinned). When we are criticized, we take it personally and don’t bounce back as quickly as the general public (resilience). Importantly, all of these traits (including lack of trust) serve lawyers well in lawyer mode. Controlling and figuring out a situation – often alone – quickly. Viewing with skepticism the motives/agendas of those involved to insure our clients are well represented. These are all important lawyer skills. But as Dr. Richard notes these same personality traits don’t serve us very well when we are trying to operate as a leader or in our personal lives. In these areas, patience, collaboration, delegation, client/colleague relationships, trust are important – things lawyers find difficult.

All is not lost, however. We just need to step into our non-comfort zones. My non-comfort zone foray began 27 years ago when I stepped into entrepreneurship and opened the firm. Yeah, definitely out of my comfort zone. Learning how to bring in business, run a business, collaborate… all skills I needed to learn. In my living room hangs a depiction of the world. The caption reads “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” And I guess I did have a new life that began at the end of my old comfort zone… but it certainly hasn’t been easy. I’ve learned a lot more about patience, developing relationships and not taking things personally. It forced me to know when to operate in lawyer mode versus mentor mode versus leadership mode versus entrepreneurial mode. Knowing when to operate in personal mode versus lawyer mode is trickier. Knowing when not to use the “lawyer” tone, knowing when to delegate planning and control, knowing when to move away from skepticism – these are challenges lawyers share. Awareness of these personality traits and acknowledging when and where in your life they’re working (and not working) is the first step forward into your non-comfort zone. And the work in progress continues…

Patricia Nemeth received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor). She earned her Juris Doctorate and Masters of Labor Law degree from Wayne State University School of Law. She is the founding partner of Nemeth Law, P.C. which celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2017. Patricia decided to start a personal blog because she wanted to write about topics other than the law.