What kind of thinking do lawyers use?

Asked by: Clifford Johnston V  |  Last update: September 11, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (4 votes)

Lawyers base their arguments on rules, analogies, policies, principles, and customs. Rule-based reasoning relies on the use of syllogisms, or arguments based on formal logic. A syllogism consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.

What type of thinking do lawyers use?

Lawyers and judges often use inductive reasoning when they analyze a series of specific cases to develop a general legal rule. Another form of critical thinking is reasoning by analogy. This process is based on the concept that similar facts or principles should lead to similar conclusions.

What type of intelligence do lawyers have?

Finally, we asked ourselves, "How must lawyers think in order to do these things well?" We concluded that lawyering requires the use of linguistic, logical/mathematical, kinesthetic, intrapersonal, and interpersonal intelligences.

How should a lawyer think?

Lawyers must be able to think analytically, evaluate complex situations, and develop innovative solutions to legal challenges. These skills are essential for effective advocacy and successful client representation. The Colleges of Law fosters critical thinking through rigorous coursework and practical exercises.

Do lawyers use inductive or deductive reasoning?

All lawyers follow this paradigm to make legal arguments. The analytical paradigm is the use of deductive reasoning, working from general to specific, to apply new facts to well established rules. Deductive reasoning is accomplished using a three-part syllogism (described in further detail below).

How to Argue Like a Lawyer (and WIN) with 4-Step Formula

32 related questions found

How do lawyers use logic?

Lawyers base their arguments on rules, analogies, policies, principles, and customs. Rule-based reasoning relies on the use of syllogisms, or arguments based on formal logic. A syllogism consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.

What is inductive vs deductive in law?

Inductive reasoning is usually associated with extrapolating general rules from different cases where specific facts vary. Deductive logic is the reverse: reasoning based upon a general rule to determine the appropriate outcome in a specific case.

What is the typical personality of a lawyer?

Lawyers are enterprising and investigative

They also tend to be investigative, which means that they are quite inquisitive and curious people that often like to spend time alone with their thoughts. If you are one or both of these archetypes, you may be well suited to be a lawyer.

What is the hardest thing about a lawyer?

12 common challenges that lawyers face
  • Outsourcing. ...
  • Law school debt. ...
  • Establishing a reputation. ...
  • Debate. ...
  • Long hours. ...
  • Challenging clients. ...
  • Work-life balance. ...
  • Occupational stress. Occupational stress refers to the sum of all challenges that a lawyer may face during their career.

How do I learn to think like a lawyer?

Using Logic
  1. Deduce particular conclusions from general rules. Deductive reasoning is one of the hallmarks of thinking like a lawyer. ...
  2. Construct syllogisms. ...
  3. Infer general rules from patterns of specifics. ...
  4. Compare similar situations using analogies.

What IQ do most lawyers have?

Some professionals, such as lawyers, exhibit high average IQ scores (in the 115-130 range), while at the same time scoring lower than the general population on EI (85-95).

What is the rarest type of intelligence?

Intrapersonal Intelligence is a characteristic of someone that is deeply connected with themselves. This type of person is usually more reserved but at the same time commands great admiration from their peers. Among each of the seven types of intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence is considered the rarest.

What personality type are most lawyers?

The legal profession is strongly concentrated among fewer than half of the types. And more than half of all lawyers are represented by just four types: ISTJ: Introvert-Sensor-Thinker-Judger, ESTJ: Extravert-Sensor-Thinker-Judger, INTJ: Introvert-iNtuitive-Thinker-Judger, and ENTP: Extravert-iNtuitive-Thinker-Perceiver.

What type of intelligence does a lawyer have?

Finally, we asked ourselves, "How must lawyers think in order to do these things well?" We concluded that lawyering requires the use of linguistic, logical/mathematical, kinesthetic, intrapersonal, and interpersonal intelligences.

What style do lawyers use?

Citations and Bluebooking

In general though, most legal scholarship is cited according to the Bluebook format.

What side of the brain do lawyers use?

As a group, legal professionals also have a preference for analytical thought (believed to come from the left side of the brain) versus emotional feelings (right side of the brain), and are trained to be objective and solve problems.

What is a lawyer's weakness?

Lawyers are Often Overworked and Stressed

One of the biggest weaknesses of lawyers is that they often work long hours and deal with a lot of stress. This can lead to burnout and make it difficult to provide high-quality legal services.

Which branch of law is hardest?

By far, criminal law is considered the hardest law to practice on an emotional and daily level. Being a criminal defense lawyer brings with it several challenges, including long hours, navigating complex legal codes and dealing with emotionally charged situations.

How many hours do lawyers work?

Although most lawyers have a regular 40-hour week, a significant percentage of them work more frequently. The average weekly work hours for various types of lawyers are: Lawyers working for large firms: 66 hours per week. Lawyers working for small and medium-sized firms: 42-54 hours per week.

What kind of person is best suited to be a lawyer?

Confident. When presenting your case to the jury, you need to show them that you are confident about your client's stance. Being a lawyer also requires public-speaking skills which require a great deal of confidence. You need to be able to eloquently present evidence and arguments for your client.

Do lawyers have to be good at arguing?

Many people think those who never lose an argument would make great lawyers. I've had people tell me that their child should go to law school because they're so good at arguing. This is a common misconception. Many students come to law school believing that their skill at arguing will help them win trials someday.

What type of lawyer makes the most money?

Patent Attorney Salary

Patent attorneys are the highest-paid type of lawyers, with an average salary of $185,351, ranging from $119,88 to $285,530. Various factors contribute to a patent attorney's average salary, including experience, firm, location, and subject matter expertise.

What are the 7 types of reasoning?

The types of reasoning explained are deductive, inductive, abductive, cause and effect, analogical, critical thinking, and decompositional. Reasoning comes down to an equation that is essential for day-to-day functioning.

What are 5 examples of induction?

Examples of inductive logic:
  • This cat is black. That cat is black. A third cat is black. ...
  • This marble from the bag is black. That marble from the bag is black. ...
  • Most universities and colleges in Utah ban alcohol from campus. Therefore most universities and colleges in the U.S. ban alcohol from campus.

What is logical aptitude?

Logical reasoning comprises aptitude problems that need a logical level of examination to arrive at the right answer. Simply put, logical reasoning is the use of logic and common sense to solve problems. The section on logical reasoning is segregated into two parts: verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.