How to become a legal Consultant?

David Schechtmann

Who is David Schechtmann? David Schechtmann is a lawyer with a Bachelor of Science, Finance and Marketing

from New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business and a juris doctor of law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. Currently David Schechtmann is the director of business development at Parabel, and has also worked as a legal consultant for many years in companies such as Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP and Thefuture.Fm. Before this, David Schechtmann was the Entertainment Law Group Legal Assistant at Mccue Sussmane & Zapfel, P.C.

Working as a legal consultant The demand for specialized legal expertise will continue to grow in the

next years according to David Schechtmann. Many legal organizations are looking to hire legal consultants to provide a range of legal services to boost their internal capabilities on a short-term or on project basis. For you it can be lucrative, especially if you have a business background or an in-demand specialty.

Requirement of legal consultants? Law firms need project-based lawyers who are specialized in high-demand

areas of expertise like litigation, healthcare and records management. Corporations typically employ in-house counsels and they often need extra help during peak workload periods and for specific projects requiring specialized expertise that they lack internally. David Schechtmann says that companies generally seek experts with business and legal knowledge to help with strategic planning, research analysis and employee training.

Legal consultants in small and medium business

According to David Schechtmann many small and medium-size companies don’t have the budget to maintain full-time counsels in the company. In some cases the companies use the services of a law firm, but for others they generally find legal consultants to be more effective. When companies need advice on workplace legal issues such as employee misconduct, unlawful termination and non-compliance infractions they hire a legal consultant.

The job of a legal consultant? Legal consultants can assist with legal matters when a business decides to

franchise, help a law firm optimize and strengthen its eDiscovery program, or help deliver favorable outcomes for an organization facing criminal or civil litigation, says David Schechtmann. Corporations also call on legal consultants for advice on mergers and restructuring and tweaking business strategies to maximize productivity and minimize liability.

What skills a legal consultant should have?

Legal consultants have foundational knowledge in one or more areas of the law, aside from a law degree and experience working as an attorney. Most consultants that work in corporations also tend to have a master’s of business administration. David Schechtmann also says that it is always good to have communication skills and the ability to adapt to new situations.

How to start?

To take the first step on an independent legal career you need to figure out how to stand out in the crowd. Identify your strengths and potential client base, that way you can target your marketing efforts. To David Schechtmann your online and in-person networking plays a large role on any kind of business.

How to remain relevant?

To remain relevant as a legal consultant, you work should be unique. Be sure you know what is happening with the industry trends and what changes can affect your legal career, says David Schechtmann. One good way to do that is to subscribe to blogs, attend conferences and join local legal associations.

Thinking about changing your job?

David Schechtmann says that if you’re considering changing your profession to a legal consultant role, you should stay on your current job for a while. Determine if you truly have an aptitude for consulting and start to build your personal brand by using LinkedIn and other social media sites. When you’re ready, you can move forward and pursue this next exciting phase in your legal career.

David Schechtmann