Sign in to follow

Law.com

How I Made Office Managing Partner: 'Be Open to Opportunities, Ready to Seize Them When They Arise,' Says Lara Shortz of Michelman & Robinson

"The best advice I can offer to someone aspiring to lead an office is to be open to opportunities and ready to seize them when they arise. It’s impossible to rise to the occasion when hesitant or shy about stepping forward. Leadership often comes to those who aren’t afraid to take the initiative and embrace new challenges, even when they’re outside their comfort zone."
10 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Partner: 'Your Coworkers Are One of the Most Valuable Assets You Have,' Says Laurel Roglen of Ballard Spahr

"If you’re in the right workplace, you’re part of a team. Everyone you’ll work with should want to see you succeed, and hard work will be recognized. Take every opportunity to challenge and better yourself, and remember that your coworkers are one of the most valuable assets you have."
8 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Office Managing Partner: 'Stay Focused on Building Strong Relationships,' Says Joseph Yaffe of Skadden

"Stay focused on building strong relationships—both with your colleagues and clients. Leadership isn’t just about delivering results; it’s about understanding people, empowering your team, and fostering an environment where everyone can thrive. Be curious and take the initiative to learn beyond your immediate responsibilities."
6 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Practice Group Chair: 'Collaboration Actually Makes the Job Fun,' Says Zachary Lerner of Troutman Pepper Locke

"Collaboration is essential. Every successful practitioner is guilty at some point in their career of becoming a “silo” on a project; this makes sense, as you don’t get to be a partner at a law firm unless you are pretty darn good at something and, at one point or another, you will feel like you can handle it all alone. Yet whenever I collaborate with one of my peers, they always add something of value that I have not. Perhaps most importantly is that collaboration actually makes the job fun."
13 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Partner: 'Be Open With Partners About Your Strengths,' Says Ha Jin Lee of Sullivan & Cromwell

"Working hard and producing strong work is obviously a given, but a less obvious factor is the ability to be open with partners about your strengths, what skills you would like to improve on, and the types of matters you want to work on. I think my honesty helped me a great deal, as I was open with the people around me about my short-term and long-term personal and professional goals."
6 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Partner: 'Avoid Getting Stuck in a Moment,' Says Federico Cuadra Del Carmen of Baker McKenzie

"The job is hard and the learning curve is steep. You won’t get things 100% right the first time you do them. But, as long as you take the time to understand why, you will get better. Avoid getting stuck in a moment. Run the post-mortem, take the lesson, and move on to the next one."
8 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Partner: 'Find Your Niche and Become the Go-To Person,' Says Shawn Hendricks of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young

"I would give the same advice to my younger self as I would give to another younger associate: find your niche and become the go-to person at the firm for this specific area."
5 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Office Managing Partner: 'Stay True to Yourself, and Things Will Work Out to Your Benefit,' Says Stuart Sostmann of Marshall Dennehey

"When I was a younger attorney, I displayed arrogance at times to cover up various insecurities. My advice would be to stay true to yourself, and things will work out to your benefit."
6 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Law Firm Leadership: 'It’s Imperative That You Never Stop Learning,' Says Ian Ribald of Ballard Spahr

"Try to do every job in the businesses so you can understand different roles and perspectives, gain empathy, and understand what is needed to drive results. Listen to your peers and managers to learn the full scope of the business. Spend time with clients and mentors. It’s imperative that you never stop learning. The worst and most uncomfortable moments in my career have been the most professionally beneficial, because they put new experiences and skills in my toolbox. If you’re afraid to stick your neck out and take advantage of a new opportunity, you’ll stop growing and advancing as a professional, and that can be fatal."
8 minute read

Law.com

How I Made Practice Group Chair: 'It's Essential to Have a Clear Vision,' Says Matthew Carey of Marshall Gerstein

"To be an effective practice group leader, it's essential to have a clear vision, make sound decisions, and demonstrate expertise in addressing client needs, which enables us to effectively set group objectives and align our efforts with the firm’s broader strategy. Equally important are strong communication and collaboration skills to ensure team members are engaged in meaningful projects."
6 minute read

TRENDING STORIES

Law Pro Logo

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

More from ALM

More from ALM

Legal Speak is a weekly podcast that makes sense of what’s happening in the legal industry.

Resources

  • AI-Powered Deposition and Medical Record Summaries: Low Risk, High Reward

    Brought to you by Parrot

    Download Now

  • Aligning Client Needs with Lawyer Growth and Profitability

    Brought to you by BigHand

    Download Now

  • Technology to Make E-Discovery Smarter, Not Harder

    Brought to you by Nuix

    Download Now

  • Does Generative AI Have the Power to Transform Legal Services?

    Brought to you by HaystackID

    Download Now