The Introverted Lawyer: A Seven-Step Journey Toward Authentically Empowered Advocacy: A Seven-Step Journey Toward Authentically Empowered Advocacy

by Heidi K. Brown

A stereotype bias exists in law school and legal practice favoring the garrulous extrovert. While loquacious law students, professors, lawyers, and judges thrive in a world dominated by the Socratic Method and rapid-fire oral discourse, quiet thinkers and writers can become sidelined. Introverted, shy, or socially anxious law students and lawyers often question their place in the legal arena, though research reveals they offer much-needed gifts to the profession, including active listening, empathy, contemplative analysis, and impactful writing. As legal education and law practice adjust to economic shifts and changing client mindsets, this is a prime opportunity for the legal community to make room for subtler voices. The Introverted Lawyer invites that dialogue into the legal profession. This book explains the differences among introversion, shyness, and social anxiety and how each manifests in the legal context; describes how the extrovert bias in law school and practice detrimentally can impact quiet individuals, fueling enhanced anxiety in a vocation already fraught with mental health issues; explores how quiet law students and lawyers offer greatly needed proficiencies to the legal profession; and finally, presents a seven-step process to help introverted, shy, and socially anxious individuals amplify their authentic lawyer voices, capitalize on their natural strengths, and diminish unwarranted stress. The Introverted Lawyer provides practical, tangible steps for individual growth, as well as a sound platform to enable caring professors, law office mentors, and bar association representatives to educate themselves, their students, and developing lawyers about this important and often overlooked issue.
The first half of this (1) Explains the differences among introversion, shyness, and social anxiety and how each can manifest in the legal context. (2) Explores the impact on quiet individuals of the push toward extroversion in law school and law practice. (3) Highlights greatly valued proficiencies that quiet individuals offer the legal profession through nurturing instead of repressing innate strengths.
Further, to help quiet law students and lawyers become authentically powerful advocates, the second half of this book outlines a practical seven-step process to empower introverted, shy, and socially anxious individuals to amplify their voices without compromising their quiet assets. With increased self-awareness and a holistic approach, and buoyed by collaboratively compassionate and motivating professors and law office mentors, introverted, shy, and socially anxious law students and lawyers will transform the legal profession.

Genres: Law, Nonfiction, Self Help, Business

304 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2017

Reviews

[Hannah Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never read a book that made me feel so ~understood~

In college I took a “philosophy of law” class. My professor told the class on the first day there was NO way to make an A in the class without participating in every class discussion because that meant we weren’t learning. Well me, being an introvert, didn’t say one word out loud the whole semester. After our first test he handed the tests out one by one at the end of class. When he got to mine he said “WOW HANNAH WITH THE A.” I made an A in the class as well.

Then I went to law school where law professors use the Socratic method: aka an introverts worst nightmare. I survived by hiding behind classmates heads, avoiding eye contact, and only speaking when absolutely necessary.

Now I have a job where I have to court on a fairly regular basis. I’m tired of being afraid to speak up. So I got this book. And while I’m not ~cured~ at least I know how to start moving forward, instead of continuing to hide and be afraid.

Just because introverts don’t think outwardly, doesn’t mean we aren’t listening, thinking, forming thoughts and opinions, and learning. Don’t discount an introvert just because we prefer not to be vocal.

If you’re an introvert that needs help moving beyond your fears of speaking up, even if you aren’t in the legal profession, I recommend this book. It helps you go back and figure out what exactly you’re scared of, and then explains how to embrace your introvert and ~just be it~

[Cait · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an introverted, and not your “typical” law student, who is still trying to develop a way of becoming my own type of advocate, I found this book to be so enlightening! This book, The Introverted Lawyer by Heidi K. Brown, provided tips and exercises that help in preparation for your new career as a baby lawyer. Whether you are introverted or not, this book targets fear of public speaking, what it means to write well, and to truly be your authentic self (regardless of what personality your career path says you should be). The book is engaging and written with a comedic tone. Several times, I found myself saying "Oh snap, that's me!" The book is broken down into steps, making it more palatable, all the while keeping an empowering light for those trying to build themselves in their career path. This one is welcomed break from textbooks, an easy, quick read on realistic ideas about the legal world, and an eye-opening look on how to better yourself.

[Christie Grotheim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and took away many life tips. While targeted at lawyers, I read it to overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's written in an engaging and very readable tone, full of insights that can apply to any field. Brown’s adept writing voice and humor really come through, and it’s very human, relatable and readable. Learning the difference between being shy, introverted, and socially anxious was especially interesting, and the philosophy of finding one's authentic self and voice really resonated with me. I found the format broken down into seven steps helpful. This book is an empowering resource for anyone trying to utilizing their strengths, to speak out and advocate a cause, and to have success in their career—as well as in life itself!

[Vincent · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an extrovert I wanted to have a better understanding of the introverted lawyer. There were some good points throughout but the materials was dense. Maybe some day I will meet Ms. Brown as she seems like an amazing person!