<p>It’s okay if you’re shy as long as you can say what you need to say with a certain degree of confidence. I’m painfully shy but when it comes to complaining or getting what I want, I’m relentless. Also keep in mind that just because you went to law school it doesn’t mean you have to practice law. There are a fair number of people moving to IB or consulting positions or other types of positions where they don’t have to argue with other lawyers all the time.</p>
<p>I think law is one of those fields where you have to have a certain degree of obsession with it. Anyways there was a survey put out somewhere that said 65?% of lawyers practicing law right now are “introverted”. Actually the loud, obnoxious, chatterbox types won’t make very good lawyers. Trials are high-stress situations, and if you end up going into a melodramatic breakdown or can’t handle stress well, or can’t remain calm under pressure, then I don’t think law is for you.</p>
<p>Same thing with leadership-just because you’re not the type of person who would get people fired up and lead the charge from the front doesn’t mean that you have no leadership skills. There are also the quiet leaders who lead indirectly.</p>
<p>The point? Don’t rule out a legal career just because you’re not Alan Shore.</p>
<p>I’m not the loud, gregarious type, but my presentation skills are pretty good and I know how to ask for what I want, and I can communicate with anyone in an official type of capacity. On the other hand, my sister’s the type that can socially adapt to any setting very quickly, and is loud and gregarious, but she probably wouldn’t be able to file a chargeback to save her life.</p>