Extroverted, Introverted, or in Between? How Lawyers Function Differently in Workplaces

Key points

• To thrive, legal teams need lawyers with a variety of personality types, but often don’t understand the differences between introverts, extroverts, and everyone in between.
• Personality differences are primarily related to how you manage your energy, not confidence.
• Many law school practices and legal workplaces are designed to support the preferences of extroverts.
• Becoming aware of colleagues’ personality types can create healthier and more effective workplaces that support individual strengths.
• Although personalities exist on a spectrum, lawyers can benefit from considering specific techniques when working with colleagues with different personality types.

Picture this: You are attending a networking event, hoping to connect with lawyers in your area. You pause at the entrance, scan clusters of people deep in conversation, and consider your next move. Would you most likely:

A. Seek out an individual or a small group to have a personal conversation.
B. Join a large group having a lively debate.
C. There is no way you would attend a networking event.

Your choice could say a lot about your personality, how you manage your energy, and the way you prefer to experience the world.

For example, introverts, whom the Cleveland Clinic says prefer one-on-one conversations or engaging with smaller groups, might choose option A. Extroverts, on the other hand, whom the Cleveland Clinic describes as favoring “external stimulation from people, places, and things around them,” may choose option B.

Legal teams include introverts, extroverts, and everyone in between (e.g., ambivert and omnivert). And, for these teams to thrive, they need lawyers who represent all personality types.

An introvert’s preference for deep thinking can help balance an extrovert’s desire for quick action. The important thing is to understand how your colleagues work best and to create a space that respects all preferences.

How do you define an introvert and an extrovert?

“At its core, being an introvert or an extrovert is about how you get your energy… It’s a matter of what stimulates you and what drains you,” Dr. Grace Tworek, PsyD, a clinical health psychologist, told the Cleveland Clinic’s healthessentials blog.

Introverts turn inward to restore their energy and extroverts get their energy from external sources, the blog says.

According to Susan Cain, lawyer and author of “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Thinking,” introverts often “prefer listening over speaking, enjoying one-on-one interactions rather than large group activities, and thrive in quieter, less stimulating environments.”

While introverts often avoid conflict, being an introvert does not imply that you are shy or unconfident, the Cleveland Clinic says. Rather, it is a preference for turning inward to process your thoughts and for having time to consider your words before speaking. This can make introverts good listeners, the Cleveland Clinic says.

Extroverts, on the other hand, gain energy from being with other people. They process their thoughts aloud, are quick to make decisions, and like to discuss their problems with others.

“Extroverts are those who tend to be action-oriented, rewards-sensitive, and comfortable in large groups,” Cain wrote. They often thrive in “lively and collaborative settings” that provide opportunities for “engagement, public speaking, and high levels of stimulation,” she wrote.

Are lawyers naturally introverted or extroverted?

Lawyers are often conflated with big, extroverted personalities, especially by people who have only seen lawyers operate in the media.

People may assume that all attorneys thrive on arguing a high-stakes case in front of a packed courtroom. And, while this may be true for some, many lawyers spend the bulk of their time doing solo work.

Dr. Larry Richard, Founder and Principal Consultant at LawyerBrain LLC, has done extensive research on lawyer personalities. Using the Caliper Profile assessment, he has found that, on average, lawyers do not score higher than the general public on gregariousness and score lower than the general population on sociability, or the ability and desire to be with people. This would signal that, on average, lawyers are more likely to be introverted than extroverted.

This is supported by research from Eva Wisnik, founder of Wisnik Career Enterprises, Inc., which focuses on law firms. In the Texas Bar Journal, attorney Victor A. Flores describes research in which Wisnik interviewed 1,600 attorneys over nine years and found that at least 60% were introverts.

However, many law school practices, legal workplaces, and work-related activities are designed to support the preferences of extroverts. For example, the Socratic Method, constant workplace and technology stimulation, open floor plans, group brainstorming, and more.

As lawyer Heidi K. Brown wrote in her book “The Introverted Lawyer,” “Like the law school classroom, in many law office environments, the large personalities can dominate.”

Facts and misconceptions about introverted lawyers

While it is not realistic that law schools and workplaces will change their curricula or structures, they can endeavor to understand all employees and support them in performing their best, professionally and personally.

I polled several Illinois attorneys on the environment they need to perform their best work. Those who identified as introverts said they work most effectively in workplaces that allow for quiet, undisturbed time, especially when writing, researching, or handling tasks that require significant concentration.

Nicole Minnis, an attorney at Illinois Legal Aid Online who identifies as an “extroverted introvert,” said she finds it difficult to get into a productive flow in shared workspaces, so she uses quiet conference rooms for “deep focus work.”

Minnis emphasized that her preference for quiet does not mean she is opposed to collaborative work, but it can drain her energy faster than solo work. Other introverted extroverts agreed, noting that they prefer to research and write solo, and then to strategize and finalize their argument with one or two colleagues.

Another introverted lawyer highlighted a common misconception about their personality type, saying, “If you don’t engage verbally, there sometimes is a presumption that you either do not have an opinion or you are not engaged.” Others noted that this can be misconstrued as a lack of passion.

One introverted lawyer said that ensuring their opinion is heard in a meeting that includes extroverts can be challenging, so they always share their thoughts in writing after the meeting.

Jennifer Nunez, senior regional counsel at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, identified networking as a challenge for introverts, and said the COVID-19 pandemic inhibited the development of these skills.

Networking is critical for lawyers to connect with peers, mentors, or potential clients. However, since introverted lawyers tend to prefer one-on-one connection, traditional large-group networking events can be better suited for extroverts.

Therefore, networking for introverted lawyers may look like small group or one-on-one conversations (like the Commission on Professionalism’s Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring Program) to allow for deeper connection and meaningful interactions.

Nunez said that she has prioritized attending in-person events and connecting with others, which, even as an introvert, has helped her push past the discomfort and build these skills.

“Once I began to make daily in-person contact with judges, clients, and attorneys, I began to feel more comfortable with speaking out and handling in-person court hearings,” she said.

Facts and misconceptions about extroverted lawyers

The extroverted lawyers I polled said they thrive in collaborative and collegial environments, which are common in many traditional workplace structures. However, they also noted significant challenges and misconceptions.

Several extroverted lawyers mentioned their preference for efficiency as a double-edged sword. It is valuable when accomplishing tasks but can be inadvertently seen as “disrespectful or uncivil.”

“I don’t like wasted time, resources, etc., and can come across as cold or unfeeling, when that’s not the case,” an extroverted lawyer said.

Another extroverted lawyer said they enjoy getting involved in workplace activities, but this involvement can be misinterpreted as pressure for others to participate too.

When it comes to client interaction, an extroverted lawyer shared that they “genuinely enjoy talking to and learning about clients.” While engaging clients is great for developing relationships, they also noted that it can lead to time management challenges.

“[It] requires a level of attention to my own clock and well-being,” they said. “I’ve surrounded myself with great staff who are able to assist me in meeting length and scheduling around longer client communications, where needed.”

Finally, a lawyer said that because they are extroverted in most areas of their work, their colleagues think they are upset when they close their office door, when in fact they just need time to concentrate.

Most lawyers, whether they are introverted or extroverted, appreciate dedicated time to focus on challenging tasks.

How to learn your colleague’s personality type  

Becoming aware of your colleague’s personality type and sharing yours can help create more authentic, efficient, and healthy workplaces that yield successful collaboration.

While it may be uncomfortable to ask about a colleague’s personality type, you can ask questions that invite colleagues to describe their preferences, communication styles, and work habits.

For example: How do you approach collaboration? Would you rather walk through the details alone or together? Does background noise bother you while you work? Would you rather I ask you questions when they come up or that I put them in an email and schedule time to discuss?

By asking these types of questions, you can get useful insights into the way someone operates without making it feel like a personality test. This approach also helps avoid assumptions about someone’s behavior and keeps the conversation constructive.

Best practices for working with introverts and extroverts

To wrap things up, I am providing best practices for working with introverts and extroverts from career strategist Nancy Ancowitz’s book “Self-Promotion for Introverts®: The Quiet Guide to Getting Ahead.”

While these techniques might not apply to every introverted or extroverted lawyer, they are productive approaches for working with colleagues who have different personality types.

Ancowitz’s tips for introverts who are working with extroverts acknowledge the extrovert’s desire for interaction, thinking aloud, and conversation. This can look like (from “Self-Promotion for Introverts”):

• Preparing conversation topics you want to address with them in advance.
• Assuming that you will brainstorm on the topic at hand, and outlining some ideas ahead of time.
• Not letting yourself get shut out of conversations, and confidently interject when needed, using a clear and powerful voice.

Ancowitz’s tips for extroverts who are working with introverts center on appreciating introverts’ need to reflect before sharing their perspectives. This can look like (from “Self-Promotion for Introverts”):

• Scheduling a meeting to discuss a topic rather than dropping into an introvert’s office.
• Refraining from interrupting an introvert when they are speaking. If this is a struggle, put practices in place like counting to three before responding.
• Understanding that introverts may like to tackle one task at a time rather than multitasking.

Example from the Commission

Here is an example from the Commission on Professionalism. Like most offices, our team represents a range of personality types. We approach internal meetings with this in mind, creating ways for all team members to comfortably collaborate and share their ideas.

For example, we share meeting agendas ahead of time, which allows us to prepare our thoughts and comments before a meeting. We encourage sharing and brainstorming verbally or in the chat during the meeting, and actively insert these topics into conversation.

When the meeting is over, we remind everyone to share additional thoughts through our work management platform. This allows team members to reflect on the discussion and thoughtfully recommend next steps.

Each approach respects the ways different personalities prefer to operate and enables us all to produce our best work.

Leaning into our strengths

Ultimately, creating an inclusive legal workplace means recognizing that there is no right way to communicate, collaborate, or contribute. When we understand and respect each other, we enable every lawyer to do their best for their clients, their workplaces, and themselves.

The goal is not to change who we are, but to lean into each lawyer’s strengths and make room for different ways of operating in workplaces. In doing so, we bolster our teams and the legal profession.

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