Law firms are no longer just chasing students with top marks, with a College of Law lecturer revealing the key skills and traits that make graduates stand out when hiring their next cohort of lawyers.
It has long been assumed that the most desirable law students for graduate roles at law firms were those who topped their cohort with stellar grades and consistent academic excellence.
However, as artificial intelligence and legal technology continue to reshape the profession, law firms are redefining what they value most in new hires, increasingly seeking graduates who bring the kind of human skills that machines simply can’t replicate.
Speaking with Lawyers Weekly, Leisa Flatley, a PLT lecturer at the College of Law, explained that the most valuable qualities in law graduates are no longer limited to technical expertise or grades, but now hinge on emotional intelligence, adaptability, and interpersonal capability.
“AI and legal technology have drastically changed the skills requirements legal firms are looking for. Firms are looking for non-quantifiable social skills over technical knowledge and legal proficiency,” she said.
“Firms know that AI can do a great deal of the tasks historically performed by early-career lawyers. What firms are looking for is the ‘point of difference’ in their early career lawyers.
“What now differentiates one graduate from another is not what they know, but how they think (legal reasoning skills), how they work with others (including clients), and the value they can add beyond what a machine can produce. They are looking for law graduates [who] have a high level of ‘character or human skills’.”
The most unexpected skills firms now value
Flatley noted that the skills rising to the top of law firms’ priorities when hiring graduates are adaptability and strong social abilities, with empathy standing out as especially crucial.
“The most unexpected skills law firms value are the ability and willingness to continually adapt to change and the ability to demonstrate social skills. Part of these social skills is emotional intelligence and, in particular, empathy,” she said.
“Empathy is a critical, core emotional intelligence skill which is necessary in the legal profession and is a fundamental skill required to work with clients with complex, diverse legal problems, which AI cannot replace.”
Another highly valued quality that Flatley highlighted, which contrasts with the typical traits firms seek in law graduates, is “humility”.
Why soft skills are rising in importance
As soft skills become increasingly crucial for law graduates, Flatley explained that the shift stems from AI taking over routine, lower-value work, freeing lawyers to focus on client relationships, strategy, and high-level problem solving.
“The use of AI to automate lower-value processes and tasks frees up time for lawyers to focus on client-facing activities, building relationships, engaging in higher-value work and more complex issues where human judgment is required,” she said.
“Social skills such as the ability to communicate, network with clients, establish and maintain relationships, and becoming a trusted adviser to clients are increasingly prioritised by firms.”
Law firms no longer just want graduates to gather information; Flatley explained that today, firms want lawyers who can engage meaningfully with clients, tackle complex legal challenges, and deliver value that goes beyond what generative AI can provide.
“Firms need lawyers [who] don’t just retrieve information but can interpret and critically analyse it. Firms must demonstrate value to clients above what generative AI can produce, and that value comes down to the lawyer’s ability to manage client care, build rapport and trust, an ability to read the room and manage difficult conversations,” she said.
Specifically, she highlighted that law firms are now prioritising key character skills such as emotional intelligence, creativity, collaborative problem solving, honesty, integrity, strong social skills, and critical thinking.
As a result of this shift, Flatley predicts that legal education and professional development will increasingly pivot towards building these human-centric skills, ensuring graduates remain indispensable in a tech-driven profession.
The main misconceptions about attractiveness to law firms
For law graduates, Flatley noted that many hold misconceptions about what truly makes them stand out to employers, with a common mistake being the belief that high grades or technical expertise alone are enough to secure a role.
“The main misconception that graduates have about what makes them attractive to law firms is that it’s all about their grades or their technical prowess,” she said.
“Law firms hire lawyers with the right mix of judgement, attitude and people skills. They want to hire people who will work well with clients, not just someone who holds good technical ability.”
Another common misconception, Flatley explained, is the belief that early-career lawyers are expected to know the law inside and out from day one. In reality, she said, firms place far greater value on curiosity and a genuine willingness to learn than on immediate technical proficiency.
“Another common misconception which I have found from mentoring students is that law graduates place incredibly high expectations on themselves and have a belief that firms expect them to know the law before they start,” she said.
“Firms are more interested in an early-career lawyer’s capacity and willingness to learn and the possession of a curious mindset than being technically proficient from day one. The ability to ask thoughtful questions will impress more than showing how much law you know.”
How to cultivate the soft skills that matter
For law students and graduates seeking to develop the soft skills that firms are increasingly prioritising, Flatley emphasised that these abilities are best cultivated through meaningful interactions and engagement with others.
She also offered several strategic recommendations for students and graduates to foster these important human interactions, including:
Networking events – “Cultivating connections within the legal profession is a necessary and crucial skill for any lawyer,” she said.
Structured mentoring – “Seek out mentors who possess the technical abilities [that] will help develop judgement, confidence, insight and professional identity.”
Coaching – “Real-time feedback, reflection and conversations can accelerate the development of emotional intelligence and [enhance] problem-solving skills.”
Shadowing senior practitioners within the law practice or in community legal centres – “Assists in learning the ‘human’ side of law and develops skills such as persuasion, building trust, negotiation skills by observing in person.”
Flatley added: “Most importantly, continue to learn, grow, and embrace change as the legal profession evolves. Your ability to show initiative and take responsibility by having a curious mindset and continuing to develop your legal skill set will assist in creating that distinctive and competitive edge.”
