Ava DuVernay’s Netflix miniseries When They See Us chronicling the 1989 Central Park jogger rape that resulted in five Harlem teens’wrongful conviction – Korey Wise, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam and Raymond Santana – never shies away from telling its audience the entire truth. Fairstein served as head of Manhattan’s Sex Crimes Division during this case and plays an essential role.
Communication
Strong communication skills can be a valuable asset to law firms in an age when clients are constantly under stress. Although it’s impossible for lawyers to stay in constant touch with all clients at once, they should aim to respond within an acceptable timeframe and set realistic expectations regarding each case.
Example: Vera Farmiga, who played Vera in Netflix’s Central Park Five miniseries about five boys who were wrongfully accused of murdering a jogger in 1989 (portrayed by Vera in Netflix), has received criticism since the release of this show. She alleges that Netflix and Ava DuVernay defamed her, even going as far as to file suit against both.
Settlement has been reached, which will add a disclaimer at the start of every episode to make clear that certain aspects have been dramatized for entertainment purposes and aid former prosecutor in settling her defamation suit and continuing her work with integrity.
Honesty
Honesty is more than telling the truth; it’s an integral part of who we are at our core. Being honest means refusing to lie, cheat or steal, an ideal valued by many ethnic and religious cultures around the globe.
Lawyers must always provide honest advice to their clients, even if it means giving a dose of reality that may be unpleasant. Rule 2.1 states that clients have the right to receive “straightforward advice expressing the lawyer’s honest assessment,” including all sides – good, bad, and ugly.
When They See Us is a four-part miniseries from Selma director Ava DuVernay that recreates the tragic tale of Harlem teens wrongfully accused of assaulting and raping a jogger in 1989 and wrongly imprisoned as part of “The Central Park Five.” After their conviction was overturned, we follow their lives afterward through careers, families and social justice activism – as well as real life Manhattan District Attorney’s Office prosecutor Linda Fairstein (portrayed by Felicity Huffman from Desperate Housewives), who remains relentless in her prosecution of them despite any doubts in regards to her beliefs about them being guilty.
Listening Skills
As a lawyer, good listening skills are just as vital to success as legal knowledge. It is easy to become distracted in conversations when preoccupied with planning what to say next or tuning out witness who doesn’t speak clearly or agree with you; but this can lead to missed opportunities of providing valuable advice or gaining new information from clients or colleagues.
No one likes listening when they don’t agree or dislike what’s being said; but understanding why someone has different viewpoints on an issue or business matter will benefit you, and can allow you to better fight what you oppose if necessary.
Active listening can help build rapport with clients and colleagues by encouraging them to trust you more, leading to successful relationships that may yield return business or referrals. You might even discover something about them that enables you to develop more tailored legal strategies or solutions tailored specifically for their circumstances.
Time Management
Lawyers juggle many duties, making time management an area of special emphasis. Attorney time tracking software can assist them in improving efficiency by quickly and easily keeping track of time spent on various tasks.
Overcommitting can quickly lead to burnout. The key to effectively managing your workload is understanding what tasks can be handled without becoming overwhelming; knowing your limits and when it is necessary to say no are essential for managing workload.
Procrastination can be avoided by creating a daily schedule designed to maximize productivity. For instance, if afternoon is your peak productivity time, prioritise high-priority items for this time slot. Furthermore, setting aside some time each day for unexpected interruptions during work is also crucial and it’s important that if any task takes more or less time than expected for everyone involved in order to ensure everyone understands the project timeline effectively.