Professional Applications of Body Language

I had a chance to talk with Vanessa Merton, a lawyer and professor. She mainly teaches new lawyers how to work with and represent others, as well as teach them how to communicate in all forms.

"Observing where someone chooses to sit in relation to you often gives important clues, so when possible and appropriate, we let whoever we are meeting with choose the seat in an office or room. People who face you directly usually are prepared to be pretty straightforward, while those who sit sideways may be trying to limit what they communicate, although sometimes as a lawyer you choose to sit diagonally across a table from a client, so that you are closer and don't have the bulk of the table between you."

First impressions like these can immediately indicate how much a client is willing to cooperate. Being able to tell a person's openness just from observing nonverbal behavior is a key factor in jobs that center on talking with people.

Body language isn't just limited to what you observe, either. You can present yourself more effectively by manipulating your own behaviors. This also applies to conscious actions that you take.

"It's always a choice whether to take notes during an interview with a non-lawyer. If you do, it's a good idea to explain to the other participants why you are, and offer to share a copy of any notes if they want. New lawyers tend not to realize how inhibiting and off-putting it can be if you just start taking notes. Usually we try, when meeting a new potential client or witness, to listen first to the person's full story, full narrative expression of what they want or are afraid of or confused about, before starting to take notes."

Improving your ability to read body language, as well as manipulate your own, will greatly increase your performance on a job. You will be able to tailor your communication approaches so the person you're interacting with can feel more comfortable and confident doing business with you. Remember: learning body language is all about improving your social interactions!