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4 Lessons for Young Attorneys: Game of Thrones Edition

By Gabriella Khorasanee, JD on March 28, 2014 | Last updated on January 24, 2023

Anyone else super excited for season four of "Game of Thrones" (premiering April 6)? With all of the power grabbing going on, "Game of Thrones" is the perfect launching pad for lessons for aspiring attorneys. While there are plenty of don'ts (i.e., don't do anything King Joffrey Baratheon would do), there are also many "dos."*

Here are lessons from some of our favorite "Game of Thrones" characters.

1. Danerys Targaryen -- The Power of Being Underestimated

Danerys Targaryen knows what it's like to be underestimated. In Season 3 we saw her flip the script -- literally -- when she let someone underestimate her before unleashing her full wrath upon him. As a petite woman, I remember constantly being underestimated as a lawyer. The lesson? Go ahead, let people underestimate you -- then choose then right moment to let them see how intelligent and tough you actually are. They will be caught off guard and unprepared.

2. Tyrion Lannister -- The Dignity of Integrity

As a dwarf, Tyrion Lannister also knows a thing or two about being underestimated, but where he really shines is in his integrity. He's intelligent, and stays true to his beliefs, no matter how unpopular. He's not afraid to speak up, even when others are. As young attorneys, when representing a cause, don't be afraid to pick an unpopular side, if that's the one you believe in.

3. Arya Stark -- Patience Is a Virtue

Arya is counting the days until she gets to exact her revenge -- and somehow, I don't doubt that she will. While I don't suggest you plan revenge, litigation is known for being slow-moving so you should practice patience as you see cases through from beginning to end.

4. Brienne of Tarth -- Defy Stereotypes

Brienne of Tarth is not anything like the other ladies of Game of Thrones -- she is constantly defying gender stereotypes. Like her, don't be afraid to pursue a career path that you enjoy. Whether you want to represent companies in "hard hat" industries, or want to become partner (with only 19% of women partners, it's still defying stereotypes people), follow the career path you want -- not what people expect.

We're sure our favorite characters have more lessons for us to learn, until then, we'll be binge re-watching the first three seasons in preparation for next weekend.

*Note: While we are big fans of the Game of Thrones show, we have not yet gotten around to reading the books so our lessons are based solely on the television program.

What is your favorite legal lesson from "Game of Thrones"? Let us know on Facebook for FindLaw for Legal Professionals.

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