Russell Nicolet on How to Set Yourself Apart as a Personal Injury Attorney – USA TODAY

Preparation is key. While this sounds trite or obvious, it is one of several crucial factors to setting yourself apart in almost any industry, especially in the field of law. According to trial attorney and president of Nicolet Law, attorney Russell Nicolet, anyone currently pursuing or interested in pursuing a law career must be prepared to put the work in first and foremost. Of course, other notable distinctions will help set you apart, such as having a genuinely caring attitude, being an effective communicator, and being a hard worker. Still, all of that will be covered as we look at how to set yourself apart as a personal injury attorney through the eyes of Nicolet. 
Looking at preparedness first, which goes hand in hand with a hard-working nature, knowing what to be prepared for is a vital stepping stone. According to Nicolet, “You’ve got to be prepared to do the research. You’ve got to be prepared to spend the time getting your experts to track down the right witnesses. You’ve got to be able to take the time and do the things that the other side just won’t put the time or the work into to do.” Nicolet elaborates on his point: “This way, when it’s trial time, you know you’ve done everything you need to do, and you’re in the best position to win for your client.” This boils down to hard work and winning, which will truly set an up-and-coming attorney apart from the horde of lawyers in the legal field. In a nutshell, results matter; good results stem from hard work and preparation. 
Of course, there is more to know than just being prepared and having a solid work ethic. Those things are vital, but they will be much more difficult to hone as a personal injury lawyer if there is no authentic passion to help others. Before becoming a lawyer, Nicolet realized his genuine caring attitude early in life and was primarily inspired to enter law to develop further the ability to work with people who need help in difficult situations and then actually help them. Nicolet emphasizes, “You’ve really got to care about your clients and your community.” He points to having a seriously compassionate and concerned attitude as a major building block because if you don’t care about what you’re doing, you won’t perform your job, win cases, or build a reputation, let alone stand out in the field. 
Building relationships with your clients is a point that can’t be overstated, and longstanding relationships are built by being your authentic self. Being authentic builds trust, which is undoubtedly needed as you work to help your clients understand the process. This also entails being a highly effective communicator and the best lawyer you can be for your clients and yourself. These characteristics are crucial for any working personal injury attorney to stand out among their competition, filled mainly with lawyers simply hunting for their next payday. According to Nicolet, be authentic. Be prepared. And perhaps most importantly, if you never stop working hard and improving yourself as an attorney, you will have the cornerstones to build a successful, stand-out practice. 

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