10 Ways to Conquer Fear of Public Speaking

Public speaking may be a critical skill for most lawyers, but it doesn't come to us all naturally. In fact, lawyers -- like the general public -- can have debilitating fear of public speaking with significant career impact. In "Conquering State Fright: 10 Essential Tips to Master Public Speaking," Beth Ehrgott, Managing Director and Head the Global Life Sciences Practice of executive search firm The Alexander Group distills advice from Atul Saran, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of MacroGenics, and other executives, lawyers, and advisers to help professionals overcome this common fear.

Of course, a key idea in all this is that oral communication is learned skill that we can all improve if we have the commitment to do so.

So get out there and start practicing! Find low-risk places to start (like simply asking questions in a meeting or classroom) or find more formal training and mentoring programs like Toastmasters.