Collaboration makes lawyers true leaders
In this months cover story, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi describes the ways in which she has advocated on behalf of the people of her state.
June 30, 2013 at 08:00 PM
5 minute read
In this month's cover story, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi describes the ways in which she has advocated on behalf of the people of her state. Looked at quickly, it would appear that her career—built on her experience as a prosecutor—has consisted of successfully taking on one big, powerful entity after another: banks, drug companies, the medical establishment and Big Oil, to name a few. But the truth is, she's “taken on” no one. The secret of her success is not an adversarial approach. It's a commitment to collaboration, to working closely with those who, on the surface, might seem to have opposing goals and find the middle ground that benefits all parties.
In the conversation Bondi had with an InsideCounsel reporter, her commitment to collaboration was apparent. “We sat in a huge conference room, and I brought in all the stakeholders,” she said, explaining how she made sure her constituents got the money coming to them through the national mortgage settlement. “I ended up hiring one of the Democrats to run my pill mills initiative,” she said, talking about her successful efforts to stop prescription drug abuse in Florida. “We're partnering with the oil companies, the hotel industry, the trucking industry,” she said, describing her efforts to curtail human trafficking, not only in Florida but across the country.
“I've got the power,” Bondi told InsideCounsel, “but it's really a responsibility.” Though she was, at the time, talking about her ability to outlaw synthetic drugs with “the stroke of a pen,” she could just as easily have been describing her overall approach to her job. She's got the power, but she understands that the best way to wield it is through compromise and collaboration, by working closely with government—regardless of party affiliation—and, perhaps more importantly, by working with the companies that are doing business with and in Florida.
Collaboration is what makes lawyers true leaders—their ability to shake hands, sit down and talk with their adversaries about the broader and more expansive view of how to get things done, both proactively and reactively.
Of course, if Bondi's approach were the norm, it's unlikely she would have graced our cover this month. The sad truth is that her form of leadership is rare. But maybe, as her story—and others like it—gets told, the lessons she has to teach will resonate far and wide, and make a difference.
Look for similar stories—and inspiration—in the months to come.
In this month's cover story, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi describes the ways in which she has advocated on behalf of the people of her state. Looked at quickly, it would appear that her career—built on her experience as a prosecutor—has consisted of successfully taking on one big, powerful entity after another: banks, drug companies, the medical establishment and Big Oil, to name a few. But the truth is, she's “taken on” no one. The secret of her success is not an adversarial approach. It's a commitment to collaboration, to working closely with those who, on the surface, might seem to have opposing goals and find the middle ground that benefits all parties.
In the conversation Bondi had with an InsideCounsel reporter, her commitment to collaboration was apparent. “We sat in a huge conference room, and I brought in all the stakeholders,” she said, explaining how she made sure her constituents got the money coming to them through the national mortgage settlement. “I ended up hiring one of the Democrats to run my pill mills initiative,” she said, talking about her successful efforts to stop prescription drug abuse in Florida. “We're partnering with the oil companies, the hotel industry, the trucking industry,” she said, describing her efforts to curtail human trafficking, not only in Florida but across the country.
“I've got the power,” Bondi told InsideCounsel, “but it's really a responsibility.” Though she was, at the time, talking about her ability to outlaw synthetic drugs with “the stroke of a pen,” she could just as easily have been describing her overall approach to her job. She's got the power, but she understands that the best way to wield it is through compromise and collaboration, by working closely with government—regardless of party affiliation—and, perhaps more importantly, by working with the companies that are doing business with and in Florida.
Collaboration is what makes lawyers true leaders—their ability to shake hands, sit down and talk with their adversaries about the broader and more expansive view of how to get things done, both proactively and reactively.
Of course, if Bondi's approach were the norm, it's unlikely she would have graced our cover this month. The sad truth is that her form of leadership is rare. But maybe, as her story—and others like it—gets told, the lessons she has to teach will resonate far and wide, and make a difference.
Look for similar stories—and inspiration—in the months to come.
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View AllElaine Darr Brings Transformation and Value to DHL's Business
How Marsh McLennan's Small But Mighty Legal Innovation Team Builds Solutions That Bring Joy
Democratic State AGs Revel in Role as Last Line of Defense Against Trump Agenda
7 minute readTrending Stories
- 1Weil Advances 18 to Partner, Largest Class Since 2021
- 2People and Purpose: AbbVie's GC on Leading With Impact and Inspiring Change
- 3Beef Between Two South Florida Law Firms Deepens With Suit Over Defamation
- 4Judge Skips Over Sanctions in Talc Bankruptcy: 'That’s A No'
- 5Hit by Mail Truck: Man Agrees to $1.85M Settlement for Spinal Injuries
Who Got The Work
Michael G. Bongiorno, Andrew Scott Dulberg and Elizabeth E. Driscoll from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr have stepped in to represent Symbotic Inc., an A.I.-enabled technology platform that focuses on increasing supply chain efficiency, and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The case, filed Oct. 2 in Massachusetts District Court by the Brown Law Firm on behalf of Stephen Austen, accuses certain officers and directors of misleading investors in regard to Symbotic's potential for margin growth by failing to disclose that the company was not equipped to timely deploy its systems or manage expenses through project delays. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, is 1:24-cv-12522, Austen v. Cohen et al.
Who Got The Work
Edmund Polubinski and Marie Killmond of Davis Polk & Wardwell have entered appearances for data platform software development company MongoDB and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The action, filed Oct. 7 in New York Southern District Court by the Brown Law Firm, accuses the company's directors and/or officers of falsely expressing confidence in the company’s restructuring of its sales incentive plan and downplaying the severity of decreases in its upfront commitments. The case is 1:24-cv-07594, Roy v. Ittycheria et al.
Who Got The Work
Amy O. Bruchs and Kurt F. Ellison of Michael Best & Friedrich have entered appearances for Epic Systems Corp. in a pending employment discrimination lawsuit. The suit was filed Sept. 7 in Wisconsin Western District Court by Levine Eisberner LLC and Siri & Glimstad on behalf of a project manager who claims that he was wrongfully terminated after applying for a religious exemption to the defendant's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The case, assigned to U.S. Magistrate Judge Anita Marie Boor, is 3:24-cv-00630, Secker, Nathan v. Epic Systems Corporation.
Who Got The Work
David X. Sullivan, Thomas J. Finn and Gregory A. Hall from McCarter & English have entered appearances for Sunrun Installation Services in a pending civil rights lawsuit. The complaint was filed Sept. 4 in Connecticut District Court by attorney Robert M. Berke on behalf of former employee George Edward Steins, who was arrested and charged with employing an unregistered home improvement salesperson. The complaint alleges that had Sunrun informed the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection that the plaintiff's employment had ended in 2017 and that he no longer held Sunrun's home improvement contractor license, he would not have been hit with charges, which were dismissed in May 2024. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer, is 3:24-cv-01423, Steins v. Sunrun, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Greenberg Traurig shareholder Joshua L. Raskin has entered an appearance for boohoo.com UK Ltd. in a pending patent infringement lawsuit. The suit, filed Sept. 3 in Texas Eastern District Court by Rozier Hardt McDonough on behalf of Alto Dynamics, asserts five patents related to an online shopping platform. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap, is 2:24-cv-00719, Alto Dynamics, LLC v. boohoo.com UK Limited.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250