4 Ways Lawyers Can Overcome Common Barriers to Effective Communication

Why Great Communication Matters as a Lawyer

We may be stating the obvious, but while legal knowledge is of course vital for shaping a successful legal career, having effective communication skills is the real differentiator for lawyers. It's the difference between a good lawyer, and a really great one. Being a strong communicator is a characteristic associated with great leaders too, so it’s important for your progression. Take a moment to think about great leaders – Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Steve Jobs – and you’ll probably be imagining them on a stage or on your TV screen, with their audience hanging on their every word. 

The ability to communicate well can have a positive impact on all areas of life, and throughout your legal career, it can help you inspire and influence change, deliver effective presentations and arguments, and negotiate well, as well as build connections and advance your business development potential. It's a skillset you can continue to hone and lean on throughout your career, no matter the direction it takes, and once achieved it never leaves you.

Whether in courtrooms giving a commanding closing argument, meeting with clients to explain complex laws and discuss legal strategies, navigating networking events, or collaborating with colleagues – the ability to communicate effectively underpins every interaction and is in high demand in legal firms. Our 2024 SME law firm research report highlighted just how sought after this skill is, with 54% of firms citing communication skills as one of the biggest gaps within their organisations. 

Poor communication is a major reason that clients leave their law firms or lawyers. In fact, Forbes reports that bad customer service contributes to a loss of $62 billion in revenue for U.S. businesses every year in the legal sector. But the cost of poor communication goes beyond losing clients or cases, it can have big repercussions on your own reputation and career development too. 

To become a truly effective communicator, it is essential to first understand what may be hindering your communication abilities. Self-awareness and self-reflection are critical starting points and by recognising how you currently communicate, identifying what is working well, and by pinpointing what is preventing you from being a great communicator, you can begin to make meaningful improvements. In this blog, we'll explore common barriers to effective communication and provide practical solutions to overcome them. From enhancing focus and emotional intelligence to addressing negative body language and imposter syndrome, these tips will help you build stronger connections, improve client relationships and advance your career in the legal field.

Understanding What is Stopping You From Being a Great Communicator

By starting with self-awareness and self-reflection as well as making time to understand (and adapt) how you communicate, you’ll be able to identify specific areas of focus. Here are some common barriers to effective communication that could help you start thinking about your key strengths or areas for improvement:

Lack of Focus

Are you distracted? You can’t communicate well when you’re checking your phone, multitasking, or thinking about your next case. Not only will you struggle to retain information, but you'll also miss crucial verbal and physical cues. This can lead to misunderstandings, mistakes and ultimately, unconsidered responses that can leave a poor impression.

Solution:

• Create a distraction-free environment by putting away your phone and other potential distractions before you begin meetings.
• Practice mindfulness techniques to improve your focus during conversations.
• Schedule dedicated times for communication to ensure you are fully present.

Low Emotional Intelligence (EI)

Do you have the ability to engage with your own and others’ emotions? Lawyers with higher levels of EI understand and appreciate other perspectives (and often what is not being said).  They can ‘read the room’ and pick up on subtle signals like body language and facial expressions, even in virtual meetings.

Solution:

• Develop your EI by taking part in activities that promote empathy, such as active listening.
• Take an EI assessment to identify areas for improvement and use your results to shape your personal development plan.
• Find a workshop or training session focused on emotional intelligence and book on!

Negative Body Language

Is your body language saying something else? Nonverbal communication should reinforce what is being said, not contradict it. If you say one thing and your body language says another, your listener will likely feel that you’re being dishonest. Also, if you disagree with or dislike what’s being said, you might use negative body language like frowning, crossing your arms, tapping your fingers or avoiding eye contact, which can put the other person in a defensive state. It’s important to avoid sending negative signals.

Solution:

• Be aware of your body language and ensure it aligns with your verbal communication – over time you’ll be able to pinpoint what you may be doing that doesn’t align.
• Get feedback from trusted colleagues or mentors on your nonverbal communication – what have they noticed you do?
• Practise positive body language, such as maintaining eye contact, using open gestures, and nodding to show understanding.

Suffering From Imposter Syndrome

Do you ever feel like you can’t or shouldn’t speak up? Sometimes when you’re in a room with assertive communicators or those with more seniority you may feel like you can’t.  This can be attributed to low confidence or imposter syndrome and can really hamper your communication skills. You may doubt yourself or have feelings of inadequacy but don’t be afraid to voice your opinions for fear of looking foolish in front of seniors or clients.

Solution:

• Remind yourself of your accomplishments and know you are in that room for good reason and have every right to voice your views.
• Get support from mentors and peers who can share their experience or insights.
• Read our blog on slaying imposter syndrome for more tips!

Additional Resources 

If you would like to expand your knowledge further, we’ve pulled together a list of books that can help improve your communication skills below, or you could also check out these 8 Ted Talks to sharpen your communication skills.

• For public speaking: Talk Like TED, by Carmine Gallo
• For listening: You’re Not Listening, by Kate Murphy
• For simplifying complex messages: Brief, by Joseph McCormack
• For leading meetings: Death by Meeting, by Patrick Lencioni
• For building relationships and influence: How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie
• For the conversations: How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks For Big Success In Relationships, by Leil Lowndes

Hopefully this blog has helped you explore different aspects of communication and allowed you to reflect on the areas you may want to improve on too. 

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Ready to refine your communication skills? Explore our Legal Life Skills online courses designed to help legal professionals hone their communication techniques in areas like active listening, written communication, and public speaking as part of our Legal Life Skills programme. 

Flexible learning: Our courses are designed for busy schedules. They're short, on-demand, and packed with practical tips and real-world examples you can put into action immediately.

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Cost-effective: Compared to traditional in-person training, our online courses offer a cost-effective way to advance your communication skills.

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