Not only lawyers play the role of consultants. Of course, a consultant or lawyer plays the role of a consultant, but there are other job types that need that skill. Procurement is one of those areas where the jobs in procurement have evolved from being just a Procurement officer, to being a Procurement or purchasing consultant, and then a Strategic Sourcing Consultant, and now a new evolvement to a Category Manager.
You also have the HR consultant, whose role is straight laced up in interviewing. Whatever the skill, the consulting process requires, Planning, Gathering of Data, Analysis and Diagnosis, Persuasion with a final presentation. Interviewing is a skill often taken for granted. Just as reading is an art, so is interviewing. To master the art, repetition is needed through practice and more practice. That is how a seasoned consultant is formed. This is same for a lawyer, and other professions. Experience laced in practice, upon practice plays a vital role. So, never knock but soak up the skills of a seasoned and matured professional. Take away what you can to build your own blocks.