Neurodivergence, Communication, and Connections. Understanding Our Differences.

Guest Christina Hough dives into the topic of neurodivergence in the legal field. The subject refers to how people learn and behave. We’re all “neurodivergent” in that we are all different. The term covers everything from the autism spectrum to ADHD issues to our own individual quirks and how we interact, learn, and understand each other. 

When it comes to neurodivergence, the legal system has a particular interest. It has been estimated about 12.5% of lawyers report having ADHD, attention deficit disorders, nearly triple the rate of the general population. And that’s just the beginning.

Law is a stressful profession, and many may not know they have a neurodivergence issue – issues that may only reveal themselves under extreme stress. That’s why awareness is so important as we learn to account for our own differences and others’ and make sure we are communicating with and understanding coworkers and even opposing counsel and witnesses.

It all starts with being aware and giving thought to how the person across the desk processes information and communicates. As the great (fictional) attorney Atticus Finch taught us in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

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