The path to career advancement is paved with a commitment to personal growth.  Good in-house lawyers are effective advisors.  Great in-house lawyers learn how to lead.

Success as in-house counsel depends just as much on "soft skills" such as effectiveness as a communicator, advocate and coach as it does on the "hard skills" of substantive legal knowledge. Focused leadership development training can be an efficient way to improve areas like these to help position an in-house lawyer for a leadership role.

Generally in-house attorneys know that they need to be highly skilled practitioners and strong individual contributors, but I learned pretty early in my career that lawyers who want to advance to senior leadership roles must also develop leadership skills and competencies to effectively influence people and create positive outcomes.  The good news is that these leadership skills can be learned and they should be an essential component of every attorney’s professional development journey.

The Leadership Academy not only taught me valuable skills that I now use in my personal and professional life every day, it fundamentally changed how I approach my job and gave me the confidence to unleash my leadership potential.  I have a new focus on not just the quality of my work, but also on how I do my work and interact with others.  Before the academy I wanted to be a leader; because of the academy, I am one.

Probably the most profound effect the Academy had on me was the need to reflect on my career path and goals. In the very first lesson in the Academy, I was asked to remember my leadership dream, to focus on my purpose and passion and to set goals accordingly.  I was asked if I was being held back and what steps I can take to get myself off the Sticky Floor.  It motivated me, and in just a few short months, I had to put a lot of skills I learned in the Leadership Academy into practice.

Participating in the Leadership Academy has been a highlight of my career.  The lessons learned, experiences gained, and new professional relationships formed as a result of the Academy were invaluable and exceeded my expectations.  I know I can draw upon these assets throughout my leadership journey, and that has given me greater confidence to seek out and engage in new leadership opportunities.

The Leadership Academy taught me how to become a General Counsel. As the founding lawyer at a startup, I knew I needed to learn how to lead. The Academy taught me how to build a dedicated and resilient team, encourage an accountable and efficient corporate culture, and to set standards for myself that now define my personal and professional lives.

The Leadership Academy provided me with new ways to think about leadership, as well as a variety of tools and strategies.  Putting these tools and strategies into action is creating a ripple effect across my organization and company.

One of the most eye-opening parts for me was learning that once you get past the title and the quick-hit job description, you find out that we are all secretly dealing with the same issues in our careers: tough bosses, tough boards, clients that won’t listen, no room for advancement, wanting something more meaningful from work. I was in a class where the best and brightest were willing to share their passions, their achievements, their failures and their lives with me and I am better for it. You cannot come out after a year and not be a better leader, lawyer, partner and person.