According to several studies, about 70% percent of us will experience Imposter Syndrome at least once in our lives. The “Impostor Phenomenon” was first described by Dr Pauline Clance in the late 1970s:

Individuals with the Impostor Phenomenon experience intense feelings that their achievements are undeserved and worry that they are likely to be exposed as a fraud.

As a law student it initally surprised me that many of my classmates didn’t exhibit this behaviour. They appeared so confident and accomplished. Few would admit if they were struggling and I remember suspecting at the time that they might be faking. I feared that my classmates must feel alone and were needlessly suffering.

I’m unhappy to report that my suspicisions appear to be true. Lawyer Monthly reports that about 74% of lawyers, including 83% of junior lawyers, experience Imposter Syndrome. Why? The author notes:

The profession is synonymous with exceptional expectations, intolerance of mistakes and risk avoidance. Impostor syndrome is common in overachievers and perfectionists, so it’s no wonder many lawyers suffer from chronic self-doubt and feel like intellectual frauds.

The American Bar Association has a helpful article, Imposter Syndrome? 8 tactics to combat the anxiety, to help our profession recognize, normalize and combat this harmful syndrome. The 8 tactics include:

• Use logic … or a time machine. Think back to other times when you feared you couldn’t do something but stayed with it and did a good job anyway. Looking back on those anxious moments that you overcame helps build your confidence. And use logic. Ask yourself how true are your thoughts that are you really a fraud?
• Remember all the incredibly successful people who have publicly said they’ve experienced impostor syndrome. Remind yourself that the feelings they were feeling were just that, they were not impostors or frauds or people who didn’t deserve their own successes.
• Fake it until you make it. Tell yourself you are confident and you are smart. By telling yourself you have these qualities and acting as if you are, soon you won’t be telling yourself or acting anymore.
• Remember three little letters: YET. Whenever you feel inadequate or intimated, add yet on the end. For example, ‘I don’t know how to take a deposition, yet.’ Doing so puts the emphasis back on your development and growth and allows you to focus on the future.
• Reduce your reactivity. Learn to pause between the stimulus and the response. You want to get to a point where you don’t dwell on a mistake but how can I avoid this and grow from it rather than immediately leaping to the worst-case scenario.
• Build a strong support system. This includesgetting professional help such as a coach. They can help you where you have excelled and assist you by providing support where you’ve fallen short.
• Find a mentor. Mentors can serve as reality checks and share how they overcame their own insecurities.
• Remind yourself of your achievements. Keep complimentary letters, emails or awards. Keeping notes on achievements will give you a reference next time you feel those inadequacies cropping up.

And perhaps most importantly, include all of the above in law school orientation going forward….