Danielle L. Rosetti chief talent officer with Buchanan Ingersoll and Rooney. Courtesy Photo

Lawyer ≠ Leader

Law school is a great experience filled with academic challenges and a maturation of judgement and perspective. It does not, however, adequately prepare its students for the realities of being a lawyer, and it definitely does not prepare its students for what it is like to be a lawyer leading other lawyers. Law students are taught how to think differently, and while critical analytical skills are certainly important to a being an effective leader, the new way of thinking is focused on identifying legal issues and solving problems. We can criticize law schools for this deficit, but law firms have not historically done much better in training its lawyers on how to lead. Those who were selected for management responsibilities in the past often viewed the role as a blessing and a curse—a possible platform for business development but an administrative burden. However, we are entering a new era and leadership training at law firms is moving from a soft skill to a necessity. Firms, like any business, government or organization, need strong leaders to navigate their people through growing challenges and the immense stress of the legal profession. And they do not have the luxury of waiting for leaders to organically develop into who they need them to be. Without intentionality, it takes years for someone to get their feet under them and become truly effective in a leadership role.

Still today, most leaders in law firms are put into positions of authority and influence because they demonstrated success in their practice, gained a popularity among lawyers or displayed a willingness to dedicate time to being a good firm citizen, i.e., not busy. Little consideration is given to the aptitude that an individual possesses. Being in a position of power provides an opportunity to create meaningful change. Let's redefine and diversify who we think of as the typical law firm leader, identify those who will embrace the opportunity and equip them with the tools to be a success! Success begets success, and investing in future leaders is sure to reap significant rewards.

You Get Out What You Put In

Often, our most vulnerable attorneys are those who are mid-way through their careers. There is a time in everyone's work cycle when they re-evaluate what they want for their second half. They start delegating and begin to understand the business of the law firm as they acquire their first clients and run teams. This is when some gravitate to leadership roles and find intrinsic value in leading others. Being a leader does not start with being the CEO. It starts with understanding and employing leadership principles early on. Developing leadership muscles takes time and experience but we can supplement that in ways that not only expedite but enhance one's journey. Effective leadership training at this stage in a lawyer's career can be a great boost to retention. Not only does the investment in leadership training help to retain those who we develop as leaders, but we retain those who are affected by those leaders. I can think of many leaders who inspired me to stay with the firm because I wanted to be a part of their team. Women and those from underrepresented groups might not get the organic "passing of the torch" so the best way to prevent a dearth of diversity in leadership at the highest levels is to be intentional in your retention strategy, to offer training and provide opportunities early.