Hello!
While the personal injury market in the UK took a slight hit during 2020 against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s poised to grow by 2% this year and a further 4% (to around £3.95 billion) in 2023.
There remains strong demand in this particular area of law, thanks to its diverse nature and the rise of no-win, no-fee representation which ensures that claimants only have to pay in instances where they’re successful.
Because of this, working as a personal injury lawyer is an alluring pastime in 2022. But what qualifications do you need and what are the most desirable soft skills within this niche?
What Does a Personal Injury Solicitor Do?
In simple terms, a personal injury lawyer will be tasked with providing legal advice and representation to clients who have been injured in an accident that wasn’t their fault.
These injuries can be physical or psychological in nature (or both), while clients may also seek compensation in instances where they’ve lost earnings as a result of being laid off from work.
Practically speaking, a personal injury lawyer will help you to prove fault, determining that a third party (such as an employer or motorist) was at least partially responsible for the relevant accident.
Similarly, they’ll need to determine that your reported injuries are substantiated and directly linked to the incident in question.
To achieve these aims, a personal injury lawyer will have to collate various types of evidence, from medical records and accident reports to any camera footage of the incident that may exist.
What Qualifications Do You Need?
To become a personal injury lawyer, you’ll first need to complete a Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree. Alternatively, you could undertake an undergraduate degree in an alternative subject and follow this up with a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), although the former path is quicker and more appealing in the eyes of employers.
Once you’ve completed your higher education, the next step is to fulfill a Legal Practice Course (LPC), which is usually an intense qualification that seeks to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical, hands-on practice experience.
From here, you’ll have to undertake a training contract with a practicing law firm, and you should ideally target reputable companies within the personal injury niche that can provide you with relevant experience.
The Last Word – What About Soft Skills?
While every applicant in this field will be required to have these academic qualifications, you can set yourself apart as a candidate by presenting a series of relevant soft skills.
What’s more, you can hone many of these through ‘Professional Skills Course and Training’\, which helps to develop key attributes such as communication, negotiation, and the ability to present ideas clearly.
To work as a personal injury lawyer, you also need to be highly organized and blessed with keen attention to detail. This ensures that you can build your client’s case easily, optimizing their potential compensation payout in the process.
Good social skills and an ability to build rapport with clients are also key, and this will require a patient and empathetic mindset.
After all, many claimants will have undergone significant stress and trauma, so being able to understand this distress and provide clients with assurance and guidance is highly coveted in the personal injury niche.
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