21st Century Solicitor

Steve Weiner originally qualified as a solicitor in the City of London before practising as a commercial litigator. Since leaving private practice, Steve has worked as a Learning and Development professional, a skills trainer and a business coach in a number of leading City of London law firms. Steve is also an award-winning stand-up comic, has performed in comedy clubs all around the UK and is a TV actor, radio presenter and an accomplished comedy writer.

[A] tome of exceptional clarity...Weiner's book is sensible and down-to-earth. Few would disagree with his premise – that to succeed, today's lawyer has to be more than merely technically proficient – and Weiner ably distils the ways that a junior lawyer can make a difference.

• Introduction· Who is this book for?· What will it aim to do – a guide not a handbook, suggestions rather than answers· Getting the best out of this book· Impact is about communication· The 'Lightbulb' moment – the core message...Chapter 1 – Why Do People Become Lawyers?Chapter 2 – The Hygiene Factors: Technical Acumen and Competency· What are the basics?· Achieving the basicsChapter 3 - Personal Brand and Lawyers· What is personal brand?· What is the brand of a lawyer?· What makes a successful modern lawyer brand?· What makes a successful modern junior commercial lawyer brand?· Destroying your brand as a junior lawyer· Increasing self-awareness – feedback and input from others (neurosis versus proactivity)? The core elements:- Technical acumen and competency- Billing...enough- Communication- Commerciality- Likeability- Visibility- Networking- Developmental awareness and trainingChapter 4 – Communication Skills for the 21st Century Solicitor· What are communication skills?· How do communication skills impact on personal brand?· What do you need to do?· What kind of communicators will you come across?· A new take on the Merrill & Read Social Styles Model· Top tips for the junior lawyerChapter 5 – Creative Writing in a Law Firm? Surely not...· Clarity – a basic understanding of the nuts and bolts of sentence construction , · Coherence – a sense of the aim and purpose of your written document · Creativity – the seasoning that lifts it from the workmanlike to the exceptional – a strong dash of imaginationChapter 6 – Be Visible – It's a Short-Cut to Success: Presentation Skills for the 21st Century Solicitor· Planning a legal presentation – making sure they remember you and not just your topic!· Structuring a legal presentation· Delivering a legal presentation· Presentation aids – PowerPoint, Flipcharts and Handouts Chapter 7 – Commerciality for the 21st Century Solicitor – It's Not Rocket Science· It's all about how you communicate your 'passion' for all things commercial· Macro-versus micro knowledge – remember, you're a lawyer not an economist· Don't try to be too clever· Common sense in a business context· It's all about massaging egos...· Top tricks to show others you careChapter 8 – Being the Kind of Likeable Lawyer you Look Up To...· Doing as senior say, not what they do· Common courtesy in a law firm· Push back, be assertive but play a canny gameChapter 9 – Networking for the Junior Lawyer (internal and external)· Networking is easy – our five-step plan to networking successChapter 10 – Developing yourself – Learning and Development as a Likeable Lawyer · Search for new ideas· Show interest in developing· Get feedback, not just at appraisal time!· Get involved with your Training/L&D Team as early as possible – be a 'go-to' person Conclusion – Understanding How to Push the Right Buttons· Our action plan for success· Don't overthink things· Be a good person – treat others as you want to be treated and be the person who doesn't scare others