Appearance is an interesting word, because it constitutes both an action and the reception of that action. Let’s dissect. An appearance is the act of appearing in front of an audience, usually in a public setting. Your appearance, conversely, is the way you look, the way you present yourself. When you make an appearance, your appearance matters; how you are perceived reflects on the overall reception of your public appearing. Thus, you can’t have a good appearance without first having a good appearance.

What, then, makes for a good personal appearance? There are clearly a lot of different factors. First, how you look. That comes down to a lot of different things; the most obvious is how you dress. You won’t want to show up in court wearing a wrinkled t-shirt and jeans; that’s why you wear tailored suits. Appearing professional and being professional are not as far off as some folks would like to admit. There’s more to it than that, though; how you hold yourself is just as relevant as how you dress, as well as subtle things like how often you make eye contact, how you gesture, and more.

Then there’s the non-visual elements of an appearance. How your voice sounds, how flecked it is with emotion, or passion, or superiority. How well you enunciate your words, how firm a grasp you seem to have on a given subject, how well you use honorifics and titles. Take all of this together, and how do you come across; what’s your overall demeanor? In the world of law you certainly want to come across as professional, but do you also want to come across as friendly? As serious? As concerned? How you want to come across may vary wildly on any given day, even in any given hour, depending on the case you’re working on. That’s why it’s important to practice your case before a trial, to review everything before the big days; the American Bar Association offers some prep tips for young lawyers.

Your appearance isn’t all that matters, though; how your client appears is just as relevant, if not moreso. You need to take the time to make sure your client is looking great, and that includes their wardrobe, their haircut, how they hold themselves; the whole bit. Obviously this can’t all be taught overnight, but taking some time to improve their overall appearance is a great idea.

Habits and customs are another essential part of a great appearance, and when you’re in an unfamiliar court in an unfamiliar region it can be difficult to adjust quickly. For such cases, there are local qualified court appearance attorneyswho can help you and your client understand the nuances of a particular court. When you’ve got too much on your plate, or an emergency comes up, and you worry you might not make it to a court appearance, these very same attorneys can help you by taking your place. Nothing will blemish you and your clients appearance more than not showing up in court, so don’t hesitate to use court appearance services!