Lawyer Skills

[Janos Dracwlya]

Acting is a good skill for a lawyer, and also for investigators.

I used to work with a lawyer who had been a professional stage actor for five or six years before going back to school to get his law degree. He could really mess your head up when he wanted to; he would regularly come in and tell his poor, long suffering secretary things that she would believe and then tell her he was just making it up (which she would always say was the reason she already had gray hairs at age 22). (Lest I make him sound like a jerk, he was actually a really good guy; he just had a warped sense of humour)

I also had occasion to meet some professional investigators at a conference and several had worked as actors professionally before changing professions.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by DungeonCrawler

Hmm. Pmandrekar didn't quite get the Intimidation Skill there. But it doesn't have to include direct physical violence.

The Intimidation Skill would be when the prosecutor put the charge and evidence on the table and added all the things the DA didn't want to prosecute in exchange for a plea bargain. But make sure the impression is that the prosecutor would actually prefer to file all the charges, then try to get consecutive maximum sentences, instead of one lesser sentence...but is being held back by his boss, since a deal will be so much easier for the DA's office. And they are busy, but not too busy to set an example if one is needed...and this prosecutor thinks this guy would make a great example, if he won't make a deal real quick.

That should pretty much give the idea that the prosecutor is willing--perhaps even eager--to do something pretty awful to the defendant. It just won't be him doing the beatings.

In fact, a lot of intimidators rely on their henchmen to do the actual "something awful". In this case, it's "the system" that provides the "something awful", not the DA's fists.

Speaking of intimidation, there is a legend that someone pulled a knive in Roy Bean's courtroom and said,"This is MY law." Whereupon the judge took out a revolver and said,"This is the Constitution that overrides your law."

Probably not something one would imagine in most civilized courtrooms-most of the time. On the other hand, if the defendant is a captain in the Sendaro Luminoso for instance, then that doesn't sound quite as funny.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by Alistair

You might want to include computer operation for contemporary lawyers.

Originally Posted by zorg

Choose one of: Computer Operation or Ally: Secretary.

No Computer Operation is a prerequisite for Research at TL8+ and there now way you're going a law degree without Research a lot of the success or fail based on Research an appropriate presidence in case law that supports your argument.

If you can't do your own research you need Ally: Paralegal not just a Secretary

[Phil Masters]

I have a book on underworld slang that was written by a criminal defence barrister. He points out in the introduction that he necessarily spent a lot of time hanging around with his clients in waiting rooms and corridors, and most of them were happy to kill time by chatting to him about the slang they used. Plus, of course, knowing this stuff is useful in assessing statements and transcripts. It's not exactly a close social relationship, but a point in Streetwise - or Savoir-Faire (Mafia) in some cities - really wouldn't seem unreasonable. Or learning about criminal behaviour from talking with criminals could combine with courtroom experience to justify that Criminology.

Certainly, the archetypal dubious mob lawyer, who's far more a part of his clients' organisation and social structure than he should be, is going to have Savoir-Faire (Mafia). Equally, the classic expensive guy who represents the millionaire for any and every purpose will need Savoir-Faire (High Society).

And it's already been mentioned, but I'm sure that a veteran local solicitor, who's dealt with property purchases on every street in town and paid attention to all the development proposals and such, could easily end up with a point in Area Knowledge.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Rocket Man

LOL. Love it!

Have to agree that the harm doesn't have to be physical. A divorce lawyer who's discovered your mistress and may or may not be putting her on the stand can make very effective use of Intimidation ... especially if child custody is involved.

Infidelity has nothing to do with custody cases in most American states. In No Fault states, it has no financial effects without prenuptual agreements either.
Being a jerk shouldn't require getting courts involved.