Talent Gets You Noticed, Character Gets You Recruited, 0717 COBJ, Vol. 46 No. 7 Pg. 14

AuthorJ. RYANN PEYTON, J.

46 Colo.Law. 14

Talent Gets You Noticed, Character Gets You Recruited

Vol. 46, No. 7 [Page 14]

The Colorado Lawyer

July, 2017

IMPROVING THE PROFESSION

How Better Teammates Create a Better Legal Profession

J. RYANN PEYTON, J.

Excelling at the practice of law requires many of the same attributes necessary to excel at the practice of sport: the diligence, focus, and commitment necessary to hone one’s skills; the tenacity, heart, and zealousness necessary to compete; and the ability to achieve success as an individual and as a teammate.

For most lawyer/athletes, these themes have been ingrained in our brains since we were children, and we attribute some degree of our professional success to the lessons we learned on the fields, courts, rinks, diamonds, and tracks of our youth. Wisdom imparted by coaches and team captains now permeates our courtrooms, boardrooms, and law firms.

Before I was a lawyer, I was a Division I college athlete. But before I played lacrosse on the national stage, I was a 16-year-old with a homemade highlight tape doing whatever I could to garner the attention of college coaches. It was through this process that I received some of the most valuable advice of my young career: talent gets you noticed, character gets you recruited.

This advice rings just as true today in my law practice as it did 18 years ago during college recruiting visits. Talent can only take you so far. Achieving professional success requires the character to set yourself apart from the homogenous stats and highlights of a typical legal professional.

From the public’s perspective, the practice of law is not a team sport. Most interpret the talent, skill, and accolades of practicing law as individual in nature. And as a profession, we are quick to celebrate the individual lawyer with award after award and list after list, constantly recognizing the “stats” of the legal profession: verdicts won, damages awarded, deals closed, business developed, leadership positions achieved, and so on. We become so focused on developing the stat sheet and the highlight reel that we begin to believe our raw talent is all that is required of us to achieve success.

Of course the ability to write a brief, close a deal, make an opening statement, or cross-examine a witness are all important skills for finding success in this profession. But to truly set yourself apart, you must also understand the...

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