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News — Lawyers aren’t like other people. They often argue points that are best left alone or look for mistakes in menus “just because.” While their scrupulous attention to detail may be annoying to some, it can also be a valuable skill that can come in handy for anyone looking to make decisions, large or small.

Here, Kim Wehle, who is a tenured professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law and who has appeared as a legal analyst on media outlets including CBS, CNN, MSNBC, National Public Radio, and others, teaches non-attorneys how to use lawyer-think to their advantage in their everyday lives.

As Wehle explains, lawyers are trained to look for questions, not answers, and in doing so are able to parse through many sides of an issue to make the best decision. In HOW TO THINK LIKE A LAWYER she explains her B-I-C-A-T method (see below) and how anyone can use those principles to identify important details, ask key questions, anticipate a response, and identify pitfalls to avoid.

1. Break down the problem.

2. Identify your values and your aim.

3. Collect a lot of knowledge.

4. Argue both sides of each point.

5. Tolerate the fact that some will disagree with you—and that you might feel conflicted.

Wehle has a true gift of breaking down material into easily understood pieces and taking the mystery out of processes that may confuse of intimidate people without a legal background. HOW TO THINK LIKE A LAWYER is for someone buying or selling a home, creating a will or healthcare proxy, negotiating a divorce, having to make health care decisions for an aging parent, contemplating a career change—or really anyone looking to cut through the confusion and feel empowered in every aspect of their life.