Client Interview

As I suspected, the client interview was definitely harder than it looked. The interview was scheduled to be 20 minutes. I had scripted out beforehand the type of questions that I wanted to ask. The problem was that I exhausted all those questions in about 12 minutes. At that point, I had obtained all the information that I thought I needed, but was hesitant to close the interview because I knew that I still had 8 minutes left. The second the interview went off script, I deteriorated very quickly. I could not think of any more questions, and did not know how to fill the space. As a result the interview ended somewhat awkwardly, and left me feeling uncomfortable with my performance. However, immediately after I had finished, I was given a self-assessment form to fill out. The form detailed specifically all of the information I was supposed to extract from the interview. I was happy to see that I had discovered almost all of it, minus one or two smaller details. So, I suppose what I learned from this experience is to be confident in my ability. If I think I have all the relevant facts, I should not be afraid or hesitant to close the interview. My biggest problem this time was being unsure of myself. I am sure that is something that will only improve with experience. In that respect, I think this was a good starting point and I look forward to my next opportunity to try again.

Still Want to be a Lawyer?

I just came across this story on the Drudge Report. 

I am taking a class called Lawyering this semester that teaches students how to actually work as a lawyer. The first subject we are learning about is the client interview. Every student is going to have a simulated interview, one-on-one with a "client" (played by a professional actor). I am very much looking forward to it, and it should be a very enlightening experience. It is so easy for law students to get bogged down in reading cases and thinking conceptually and philosophically about the law (and that is important), but they forget that the law is essentially a people business. Cultivating relationships with clients and potential clients is probably the most important part of a lawyer's job. And in the case of the poor lawyer in the story above, the clients may sometimes even supply the fertilizer. =)