South Auckland Commercial Lawyers – Legal And Other Skills
Legal work, especially in the commercial field, is very competitive, and has demanding work both in volume and complexity. Since very large sums of money can be at stake, as well as the reputations of the companies involved, it is essential that South Auckland commercial lawyers have a set of seven key skills in addition to their legal knowledge
Areas of Legal Skill
Firstly, let’s confirm the main areas of legals skills South Auckland commercial lawyers need.
Being able to write and review contracts is essential. Contracts make the word go round after all.
They also need to have experience in law relating to corporate structures, mergers and acquisitions, how to manage intellectual property, finance and newer aspects such as AI and disruptive technologies.
Non-legal Skills for South Auckland Commercial Lawyers
Communication is key. Communicating in a timely manner with other lawyers, courts, judges, and any expert opinion is a major requirement. They do not want to hold up the process for their client. However, given that much of the law in this area is complex, it is vital that the lawyer cam translate that into language that their clients can understand.
Having good analytical skills is important. In many commercial legal matters, there will be lots of data, numbers, and legal documents so being able to analyse the material is essential. From that analysis, they need to be able to recommend effective strategies and tactics to bring about a fruitful outcome for their client.
Being accurate or paying attention to detail is important in any legal work. Given the amount of commercial risk involved, the stakes are considerably higher. This involves reviewing contracts, and legal documents of course but other items too such as spreadsheets, balance sheets, and accounts.
Having good negotiation skills is important too. Often commercial lawyers have to negotiate with lawyers from other parties. Those other lawyers will of course be looking to optimise the result for their client too so well-informed, and clever negotiation is an important trait.
Besides being good at the legal side, and understanding basic numbers, being commercial aware is essential too. This can include understanding the latest trends and developments in industries and how that might affect their client.
Good self-management or time management will be a big determinant of the lawyer’s career path. Timeliness is often crucial in negotiating a deal or processing documents to meet deadlines. Therefore, being able to prioritise their work is key. This is especially so if they are working on multiple cases at the same time.
Commercial lawyers need to have strong interpersonal skills. This includes building strong relationships not only with their clients, but their colleagues, external experts, court staff, and of course and other legal professionals. In effect, they need to be able to work effectively in teams and collaborate with other people.
Summing Up
To be one of the successful South Auckland commercial lawyers not only needs good and relevant legal knowledge but also a set of skills outside the obvious legal work. These skills include being good at communication, being analytical thinkers, and having attention to detail.
Given the delicate nature of many of the projects they will be working on, they also need to have strong negotiation skills, and to be commercial aware, and to have outstanding time management skills.
Since all law is a people business, they also need strong interpersonal skills being able to build good relationships with their colleagues, clients, and third parties too.
If you have any business issues and are looking for south Auckland commercial lawyers, McVeagh Fleming in Manukau city can help.