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Fair question. My answer is that for most lawyers, the most important “skill” is not an understanding of the technical details of tort law, or the rule against perpetuities, or whatever specific knowledge set may govern a particular task, but judgment. I’ve been practicing as a lawyer for over thirty years. I’m not as smart as I was when I began, and I probably don’t know any more “law” than I did on day 1. (Legal knowledge tends to become obsolete on a regular basis.) But I have developed a much deeper understanding of the manifold consequences of any action I perform, or advice I give to a client, than I did after graduating from law school, let alone college. Those consequences may be obvious, subtle, overt, latent, financial, emotional, etc. and having an understanding of them and an appreciation of their impact on the client is central to the art of lawyering.</p>
<p>What distinguishes law from the other professions you reference is that a lawyer’s job is very often to advise clients who are facing decisions that need to be made which will have a great impact on their lives in many different ways. Understanding a client’s actual needs (which may not be what you would first assume, and may also differ from what the client initially thinks they want) and assessing the likely consequences of whatever advice you give is a vital part of the job. And it’s not generally something you learn from a textbook. That’s why apprenticeship has an appeal as a prerequisite for licensure, despite its problems.</p>