What skills do Lawyers and Contracts Professionals need to work with Contracts?
Both Contracts Lawyers and Contracts Professionals (and some Non-Lawyers) need to work with Contracts.
At different times, this may include Contract Planning, Contract Drafting, Contract Review, Contract Negotiation, Contract Management, Contract Disputes, and implementing a Contracting Strategy. All of The 7 Pillars of Contracting, in other words.
So what are the skills that Lawyers and Non-Lawyers need in order to work with Contracts?
1. Contract Planning
Lawyers: Analytical, Strategic, Organisational, Legal, Communication, Investigative, Industry knowledge.
Non-Lawyers: Project management, Strategic thinking, Communication, Organisational, Commercial, Attention to detail, Industry knowledge.
2. Contract Drafting
Lawyers: Legal drafting, Attention to detail, Analytical, Industry knowledge, Risk allocation, Organisational, Technical writing.
Non-Lawyers: Technical writing, Attention to detail, Communication, Organizational, Research, Industry knowledge.
3. Contract Review
Lawyers: Legal review, Analytical, Risk assessment, Strategic, Compliance, Attention to detail.
Non-Lawyers: Attention to detail, Analytical, Compliance, Communication, Risk assessment, Industry knowledge.
4. Contract Negotiation
Lawyers: Negotiation, Legal, Industry practice, Communication, Strategic, Persuasion, Collaboration, Problem-solving.
Non-Lawyers: Negotiation, Commercial, Communication, Strategic, Persuasion, Problem-solving, Industry knowledge.
5. Contract Management
Lawyers: Legal, Advisory, Compliance, Risk management, Problem-solving.
Non-Lawyers: Project management, Contract Administration, Organisational, Communication, Attention to detail, Compliance, Risk management, Problem-solving.
How about you: Which of these skills do you have?
FAQ
1. Do Lawyers and Contracts Professionals require different skills?
Lawyers and Contracts Professionals require many of the same skills to carry out their professional roles, however each is likely to have additional skills depending on the particular role they are carrying out. Lawyers require a range of legal skills and knowledge, which they are taught during their Law Degrees. And Contracts Professionals require many industry-specific and role-specific skills and knowledge, such as Procurement, Commercial, Sales and Contract Management.
Many of the skills that Lawyers obtain during the course of their practice can also be obtained or learned by Contracts Professionals and are needed by Contracts Professionals to carry out their roles. Lawyers and Contracts Professionals also require a range of similar Professional Skills, including Contract Planning, Contract Drafting, Contract Review, Contract Negotiation, Contract Management, and Contract Disputes as well as implementing Commercial Strategy.
Both Lawyers and Contracts Professionals also require “soft” skills such as leadership, empathy, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, analysing, data management, and so on. Blaze Professional Learning’s mission is to teach Contracts Professionals (and Lawyers) the many skills listed above, as well as other skills they need to perform their roles better (and with less stress).
