While oral advocacy is a critical component of every lawyer's formal education, lessons in how to tolerate difficult opposing counsel are not. Yet, dealing with a demanding adversary is often a reality in litigation where the stakes and tensions are high.
Nearly every stage of litigation is a battle of persuasion, from convincing opposing counsel that the offer you made is favorable and reassuring your client that you have made a fair assessment of the case that justifies your billable hours, to persuading a judge or jury to view the facts of a case as you do.
As a litigator, you must be prepared to fight every day to get the result you want. However, this can be emotionally, mentally, and even physically draining. Many find that there is a fine line between advocating for your client or cause and becoming consumed in the adversarial nature of the work.