ABA Journal

Leadership Development

62 ABA Journal Leadership Development articles.

Lawyers who know their role can become ‘Rainstars’

My grandfather used to say, “Life is a movie, and we’re all just actors in that story.” And just as all good stories have heroes, understanding who they are and what they want can help lawyers learn to become what I call a “Rainstar.” A Rainstar is a lawyer with a tremendous ability to generate significant revenue for their firm while excelling at client satisfaction and retention.

Grit and growth mindset boosts work of teams, new ABA report finds

Can teams operate in a gritty and growth mindset-oriented way, and if so, does that make them more successful?

Meet 12 ABA members who inspired us in 2022

In this year’s Members Who Inspire series, the ABA Journal featured 12 extraordinary ABA members who go to great lengths to embolden their clients, colleagues and members of the communities around them. Their work includes helping immigrants with tax issues, advocating for individuals living with HIV/AIDS and addressing racial injustice and inequality.

Top 8 Your Voice columns of 2022

Diversity and inclusion, stress management, mental health and practice management are some of the major areas of focus among legal professionals today. And contributors to the ABA Journal’s Your Voice column certainly brought these concepts front and center in 2022.

How an Am Law 200 firm created an incubator program for associates to learn business, leadership skills

An intrepid cavalier King Charles spaniel inspired a microincubator program aimed at giving associates room to develop leadership skills, foster creative thinking and facilitate collaboration with colleagues in different locations and practice areas.

Law firm revenue growth moderates as expenses grow; top 50 firms see biggest productivity drop

Revenue growth for law firms was “a modest” 4.1% for the first nine months of 2022, compared to growth of 14.7% in the same period last year, according to a client advisory by Citi Private Bank’s law firm group and Hildebrandt Consulting.

Responses wanted: Motherhood penalty and caregiver bias will be evaluated in new ABA survey

The ABA Commission on Women in the Profession is launching a new survey to assess how the motherhood penalty and other caregiver bias impacts the careers of female lawyers.

Law firm leadership and the ‘Lemonade’ conference

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with with Debbie Foster, the managing partner of Affinity Consulting, a company focused on optimizing law firm performance. They discussed why efficiency, productivity and profitability have become a focal point for leaders in the legal industry, the technology applications that have the greatest impact on a law firm’s success, and the "Lemonade" virtual conference.

Sick of meetings that go off the rails? ‘Robert’s Rules of Order’ can help

It’s no secret that lawyers are asked to attend or preside over many kinds and types of meetings. But not everyone has formal training in running them.

What the past 2 years have taught this firm about talent development

In the past two years alone, we went from rising unemployment rates to the “Great Resignation” to where I believe we stand now: the Great Reevaluation of Priorities. Today’s workers care about who they work for and how and where they do so.

Want to be a successful litigator? Come to the office, say 2 BigLaw trial lawyers

For young litigators who want to be considered “a lawyer’s lawyer,” careers spent mostly working from home may not get you to where you want to be, according to two BigLaw partners who have been trying cases for more than 30 years.

ABA Young Lawyers Division accepting applications for Leadership Academy

The ABA Young Lawyers Division has launched the Leadership Academy to continue to promote and advance lawyers who have been historically marginalized and underrepresented in the legal profession.

Mentorship is not all about the mentee

Mentorship. This one word can cause many a tough, battle-worn attorney to cringe. For many seasoned attorneys, the idea of being a mentor just sounds like you are being asked to add more hours of work to an already overloaded schedule. But before you reject the idea, consider the benefits that come with such a role.

4 Black bar association leaders reflect on historic moment

For the first time, African Americans are leading four major national bar associations at once. “It’s important when there is a spotlight on Black history to show that the four of us have achieved this unique thing,” says Douglas K. Burrell, who heads the Defense Research Institute. “It is incredible for each of us to be president of our organizations. It is even more incredible for four of us to be presidents at the same time.”

5 tips for new lawyers who want to go solo

“Ten years of practicing law is an appropriate time to contemplate the past and reflect on what worked and what didn’t. If you’re a young lawyer or law student ... , I hope my experiences as a solo practitioner and the following lessons can help you.”

Read more ...