Name of Student
Professor’s Name
Course
Date
What Do You Think Will Be the Impact on Law Firms of the Continuing Advances in Technology over the Next Few Years? (200 words)
I believe that technological advances and innovations will serve to positively impact the operations in law firms over the next few years. It will result from simplifying and expediting the work, which officers in a firm carry out. The development and streamlining of secure databases for the storage of information will not only secure important client information but also ensure efficient access to information. The proliferation of the access that workers in a law firm have to modern communication devices and equipment will also ensure accurate and timely communication, which will ultimately ensure efficiency and quality in legal services. Gone will be the days of cumbersome paper-based research, with legal databases, such as Lexis-Nexis and WestLaw, playing a great role in the simplification of legal work. In addition, the transparency of legal services will be facilitated by the development of databases where the public can scrutinise the activities and performance of different legal service providers. However, technology may harm law-firms as well. By making access to legal information simple and fast, such as the creation of contracts and deed agreement applications, the extent of legal services required from law firms may drastically decline. Increased ease and access to hacking and malware tools may also put the sensitive information of law firms at risk. All in all, although the continuing advancements of modern may pose some challenges to law firms, its promise of improving service delivery will be worthwhile
What Are the Key Skills and Attributes You Will Need to Possess as a Future-Facing Lawyer? (200 words)
In my opinion, the most important skills any future-facing lawyer should possess are adaptability and flexibility. The changing times present different environments, legal issues, and advancements in different fields that require a modified if not a wholly different approach. Adaptability allows one to perform optimally in different circumstances and under different levels of pressure. Flexibility, on the other hand, allows a legal service provider to change their modus operandi to suit any arising change of circumstances or challenges.
Also, I believe that it is fundamental that a forward-thinking lawyer should not only have commendable problem-solving skills but also be an outside-the-box thinker. Finding a solution may be valued, but it is the most effective solution with the least collateral damage that will effectively make every involved party be satisfied by the outcome.
Possessing good communication skills is another key attribute as a law firm requires constant communication and feedback both among lawyers and between lawyers and their clients. It allows for an efficient base of operation and minimises the chances of any misunderstanding arising. The globalisation of legal services may make it an added advantage if not a necessity that lawyers possess multilingual skills to enhance customer accessibility and business growth.
What Do You See as the Key Drivers of the Business of Law? (200 words)
It is my opinion that the key drivers of the business of law are the solutions offered as well as a continual desire for growth. When law firms offer services that are tailor-made to address the varied issues of their clients, they carve a niche for themselves as the go-to problem-solvers, which not only ranks them favourably in public opinion but also pushes the officers of the law firm to live up to these expectations. In addition, the desire for growth and improvement sets the tone for operations and decisions at the firms, ranging from which employees to hire, what attitudes to foster and encourage to the policy direction taken by the firm. All these aspects ultimately inform the character of the firm. The genuine desire to assist clients coupled with a culture of self-improvement and growth will result in ethics and reliability, which are valued and lacking in the business of law.
Are there any Important Mitigating Reasons Why You Feel that the Exam Results You Have Listed Do Not Fully Reflect Your Abilities?
My overall examination results, though a reflection of the scores I was capable of garnering at the time, do not fully respect the extent and depth of my character and abilities.
The reason is that due to unavoidable circumstances related to family life, I was compelled to secure a full-time job since my first year as an LLB. I did not let working and studying full time concurrently faze me and exerted as much effort as I could into my academics. However, on occasion, the limited time frames within which I had to work rendered me incapable of meeting certain deadlines when it came to submitting assignments and evaluation, which negatively affected some of my grades. With retrospect, however, I believe I should have better planned my time to avoid the same.
Being a foreigner in a new country also negatively hampered my ability to fully concentrate on my studies due to the challenges brought about by culture shock and the unfamiliarity of a new environment. I was, however, able to adapt and cope in a timely fashion.
It is due to my adaptability and drive to succeed that I was able to move past these challenges, as exhibited by my consistent improvement, and I am now on track to be awarded a Merit for both my LLM and DPLP.
I would like to ask for a favourable and wholesome evaluation of my character as well as the aforementioned challenges I experienced when scrutinising my suitability for the position.