The ability to work as part of a team is an important skill set attorneys need if they want to be part of the top attorneys most sought after in this job market. But how does an attorney go about exhibiting their teamwork skills and improving the skills they have? Below are a few tips:

1. One of the primary skills of effective teamwork is recognizing the needs and abilities of your fellow team members.  Demonstrate your understanding and mastery of this skill by sharing with employers stories of how you helped uncover hidden talents of team members while working on a difficult case or when solving a challenging problem.
2. Working on a team also requires that you have the ability to work with difficult personalities.  The ability to work through personal conflict on a team can mean the difference between completing the project in an effective and timely manner and failing to complete the project at all. Share with employers how you resolved team conflicts while working under a tight project deadline.
3. Flexibility is an important element in effective teams.  Job candidates who can demonstrate their ability to be flexible are more likely to land the job. To demonstrate your willingness to exhibit flexibility, share with employers situations where you’ve shown the most amount of flexibility while working on a team.
4. The ability to serve as both a leader and a follower when needed is important to any team.  Employers are looking for individuals who can quickly switch roles when such change is to the benefit of the team.  Share with employers how you have been willing to take a “backseat” or the “leadership role” when necessary to complete a team project.