What’s Your Legal Persona?

Raise your hand if you know your MBTI^Ⓡ type. I’m sure quite a few of you are out there (maybe looking a little odd at your desk… we’re sorry about that; you can put your hand down).

Since roughly the 4th century BCE, humans have been fascinated by studying personalities.¹ In the more recent 20th century, we saw this study come into sharper focus with the creation of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Keirsey Temperament Sorter.

These two personality “tests” revolutionized how we think about ourselves, our interactions, and our professional lives, including the legal field. Let’s take a closer look at that history and how Metwork moves beyond those tests for the future.

A Little Background

Don’t worry; we’ll keep the history lesson short.

Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, first published the basis for the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) in 1944 (under the name Briggs Myers Type Indicator Handbook).² In the last 80 years, it has become part of our culture, both for professionals and individuals wanting to learn a bit more about their personalities and how they interact with coworkers and friends.

After learning about MBTI, psychologist David Keirsey went in a slightly different direction and pulled from the Ancient Greek theory of temperaments to create the Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS). Keirsey published his theory and questionnaire first in 1978.³

While both theories share insight into personalities, they differ in a few key ways. MBTI mainly focuses on the internal (thinking and feeling), while KTS focuses on the external (behavior). MBTI has 16 personality types, while KTS has 4 temperaments (though he does break down each temperament into 4 types, bringing it back to 16 different possibilities…so not that different).⁴

People much more intelligent than me researched where lawyers fall on the MBTI and KTS scales⁵ and found that unlike most of the population that spans the entire spectrum, attorneys really fit into five main personality types.⁶

Okay, we won’t keep you in suspense any longer. Let’s break down the 5 different types.

Advocate

Traits: Ethical, Authentic, Moral, and Passionate
What is winning to Advocates? ​​“Making my client feel safe.”



Advocates passionately fight for causes. They believe in the greater good and will defend it with all their might. Advocates have strong personal values and won’t betray them, meaning they can’t be bought. When not in a courtroom, they are probably volunteering, helping someone cross the street, or attending a demonstration. Unity, ethics, and social justice are an advocate's jam.

Facilitator

Traits: Trustworthy, Organized, Diplomatic, and Excellent Listener
What is winning to Facilitators? “Making the team work together.”



Facilitators thrive in group settings. They are perfect for pulling a dream team together and ensuring no one gets dropped in a trust fall. Facilitators may not be the loudest in the room, but when you’re pulling an all-nighter for a case, they’ll order the pizza, lend a helping hand, and check that everyone is ready for the morning court appearance.

Inspector

Traits: Dependable, Realistic, Resolute, and Technical
What is winning to Inspectors? “Writing a bulletproof brief.”



Inspectors know how the legal sausage is made. They are hardworking, a team player, and always around to lend a hand. Inspectors come equipped with the technical know-how to keep every firm running at peak performance. And the level of attentiveness Inspectors bring to their briefs makes them an invaluable part of any legal team.

Litigator

Traits: Observant, Rational, Creative, and Logical
What is winning to Litigators? “Winning the case.”



Litigators are the lawyers best suited for those impossible cases that need a different angle. They live for the win and use their creativity to find the best solution to every challenge. They value rationality and logic over all else (in this way, they are the Spocks of the legal world) and focus on producing results.

Rainmaker

Traits: Persuasive, Confident, Outgoing, and Goal-oriented
What is winning to Rainmakers? “Having a jury hang on my every word.”



Rainmakers are natural performers and are extroverts through and through. They live for social interactions and excel in front of a jury. They’d probably be a rock star if they weren't a lawyer. Rainmakers are experts in gaining the trust of their audience and closing a deal.

Using Personality Types to Create Meaningful Connections

Much like the MBTI inspired Kiersey, both inspired Metwork to create a unique combination of tests and traits that move beyond previous personality tests and give lawyers a deeper insight into themselves and their legal persona. 

These five personality types are one component integrated into Metwork’s smart-match technology (we’ll share more of the components in future articles). We utilize them to create more meaningful connections between lawyers to build stronger dream teams for cases, more referrals, and productive mentorship opportunities.

Want to know your personality type? (Trust us, you may think you know, but you’ll probably be surprised.) Join Metwork today to take our personality test, and once you’ve learned your personality type, you can start collaborating with attorneys that match your personality.

Join Metwork Today and Learn Your Legal Persona.