how psychology can help with being an attorney

by Harmon Jast Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago 9 min read

Psychologists can also help attorneys more effectively interview and counsel their clients, craft persuasive arguments, design effective exhibits or conceive useful analogies. Where should psychology focus more attention? There is really no area of law or legal practice that couldn't benefit from more psychological research.

Psychologists can use their knowledge and skills to help lawyers prepare witnesses for depositions — helping witnesses tell their stories effectively, helping them overcome habits of poor communication and manage their anxiety or overconfidence, and so on.

Full Answer

What can you do with a psychology degree in law?

Jan 26, 2016 · So armed with a psychology degree, Michael pursued additional training as a lawyer, earning a JD from the University of Toledo College of Law. Today, Michael is a lawyer for a small law firm in ...

How can psychologists help the legal profession?

Why do you want to be a lawyer essay?

Jan 09, 2013 · The basics of organizational psychology can help employment lawyers provide legal counseling and advice grounded in the modern realities of employee relations. Family law and trusts & estates law — Family lawyers and trusts & estates lawyers render assistance to clients during critical junctures of their lives. Understanding the psychology of lifespan …

How do attorneys build relationships?

However, as for practicing as an attorney, some psych experience will be of great help (I would argue more so than the other liberal arts fields I mentioned, simply due to the fact that you are studying things crucial to law like how people think, how people reason, how people choose, how people feel, how feelings matter, how people react, how people speak, what people mean when …

Why is psychology important in law?

According to Michael, his psychology knowledge is particularly useful because “the better an attorney is able to understand and effectively deal with people, the more successful he/she will be in the legal profession.”. Human behavior is the defining component of both psychology and the law. Psychology tries to understand human behavior ...

What is the difference between psychology and law?

Psychology seeks to understand and explain human behavior while law seeks to regulate human behavior. This means those interested in the study of human behavior should not restrict themselves to considering careers that, at first glance, do not appear to be relevant to psychology.

What makes a good lawyer?

Good lawyers are also effective at developing relationships with clients, staff, colleagues and others. And they are skilled at perspective taking, engaged and passionate about what they do, good at managing stress and able to act with a high degree of integrity.

What are lawyers and legal educators concerned about?

Some lawyers and legal educators are concerned about dissatisfaction in the legal profession and what might be done about it. Psychologists can inform those discussions with research on subjective well-being, the notion of "grit," the ways people can choke under pressure and how we manage our time.

Can psychologists be witnesses?

Yes. Already, many psychologists serve as expert witnesses on substantive issues in litigation or as experts with regard to various aspects of the legal process — such as eyewitness identification.

Do lawyers have experience?

Lawyers have a wealth of experience about how people behave — and a lot of information about how to be a good lawyer is passed down from attorney to attorney. But as psychological research shows, people tend to overestimate their ability to learn from experience.

Part I: What should lawyers know about psychology?

Back in the day, one year of law school was sufficient to teach me that the law and our legal systems struggle mightily with issues of psychology: Too messy, too “subjective,” too touchy-feely. As a callow young man with a lot of growing up to do, I pretty much bought into that mindset.

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What is legal psychology?

Legal psychology is one of a number of disciplines that applies the psychological insights of human behavior to matters regarding the law. Developmental psychology, community psychology, social psychology, and cognitive psychology are all subspecialties within the realm of psychology and the law. However, likely the closest field ...

How much does a forensic psychologist make?

Conversely, forensic psychologists can also make far above the median wage, upwards of $100,000 per year. Like most occupations, a worker’s level of experience in the field heavily influences the amount of money they make.

What they do

Many forensic psychologists are in private practice and are hired by attorneys or by the court system to evaluate defendants and provide an expert opinion for clients.

Training is key

Only a handful of doctoral programs (PDF, 1MB) offer a forensic psychology specialty, so demand often outpaces the number of training spots available. Often, says Zapf, psychologists who want to go into this work have a clinical degree, then take continuing-education courses to build their expertise.

Additional reading

Psychological Evaluations for the Courts: Fourth Edition. A Handbook for Mental Health Professionals and Lawyers

Why are lawyers so good at their jobs?

Lawyers are in the unusual position of actually being better at their jobs if they have a pessimistic mindset rather than a rosy outlook, according to the ABA. A lawyer’s ability to see everything that could possibly go wrong comes in handy when they’re building an airtight case against the opposition.

How many years of school do I need to become a lawyer?

1. The challenging years of law school. The process of becoming a lawyer isn’t for the faint of heart. The BLS reports that it typically takes seven years of full-time postsecondary education to become a lawyer. This breaks down to four years for a Bachelor’s degree, followed by three years of law school.

What is non-billable hours?

Non-billable hours are all those other aspects of a job, like checking e-mail, attending meetings and participating in continuing education.

Is being a lawyer worth it?

Is being a lawyer worth it? That’s something only you can decide. Becoming a lawyer definitely isn’t for everyone. If you decide that the risks don’t outweigh the rewards, you don’t necessarily have to give up your dream of working in the legal field. There are plenty of other career options that may better suit your skills and interests.