It is often said that non-English speakers are more comfortable talking to someone who speaks their own language. The number of clients seeking the services of bilingual (english and Spanish) attorneys has increased tremendously. Clients have more confidence in their attorney when they can communicate without language barriers. However, there are many clients in countries like the United States who speak only Spanish, so lawyers who know Spanish are in high demand.

Benefits on knowing Spanish

Lawyers who are able to communicate with their Spanish-speaking clients will gain the following benefits:

-Win trust of their clients

All clients must trust their lawyers and be able to tell all the facts without fear of being betrayed. Understanding the language that your customers speak, facilitates trust on both sides. It is always easier to trust someone you can communicate with than someone you can't.

-Expand legal services at a global market

By speaking a second language, like Spanish, you can expand and internationalize your services. Clients from other parts of the world will be able to purchase your services and feel confident with what is provided.

-Improve the negotiation with the opposing party

As it was mentioned before, clients are looking for a lawyer they can trust and communicate with, but also looking to win or reach an agreement; good communication with the opponent will be essential. Good communication between both parties will facilitate the process and can also save the client money since they will reach an agreement earlier.

-Job opportunities

There are very few attorneys who are bilingual or capable of speaking more than one language. Therefore, being bilingual in Spanish will open up an array of job opportunities and many law firms will request your knowledge.

When word spreads in a bilingual or non-English community that there is a local bilingual lawyer, you will have an instant advantage over your competitors. If you do your job well and make your clients feel comfortable and understood, you can expect word of mouth referrals to be a great source of business for you.

-Understand what their clients are fighting for

For each client, the case is the most important. It is essential to understand the risks that may come along with the case. Lawyers tend to become really close with the clients, knowing life details others may not, thus each meeting and each interview is important. The client fights for something essential and by eliminating the communication barriers, the lawyer can fight alongside them.

-Higher salary

Bilingual lawyers receive higher salaries due to the assigned work and their different projects. Being bilingual, many lawyers enter in more than one project so they get a salary bonus by being involved in multiple assignments.

-Worth the effort

If you are a lawyer (or aspiring lawyer) who wants to ensure a comprehensive client book, high job market convenience, and cases that are not hampered by language barriers, you should consider learning a foreign language. It may seem like a lot of effort, but it is well worth it. In the long run, knowing a second language will benefit not only your career, but countless other aspects of your life as well.

Final thoughts

Being bilingual in this field is very useful, it facilitates communication between both parties in a confrontation and you can reach agreements without having to meet with the judges. You will also have benefits such as higher salary, few competitors in your field, and even the satisfaction of helping people who didn’t think they could be helped.