Leadership is a teachable skill, writes Yuliya LaRoe, and it’s important that lawyers learn it. In this article, LaRoe urges law practices to invest in team members by developing their leadership skills. To that end, she outlines a five-pillar leadership program, with skills and concepts to learn in each category.
Below, Ali Moser (JD â19) and a Baylor Law Leadership Fellow, offers her thoughts on the Leadership class and her experience at Baylor Law.
Benefits of the Leadership Class
The Leadership Development Program at
Baylor Law School helped me gain an extra set of skills to take into my future
career. I learned much from the leadership class, but I gained even more from
the experiences I had when actually serving as a leader during my time at
Baylor Law.
I was fortunate to have two very
formative leadership experiences outside of the LEAD class. First, serving as
Executive President of the Student Bar Association my 3L year was not an
opportunity that I expected to have during law school. However, I am grateful
for the opportunity to serve the student body. SBA is the umbrella to every
other student organization on campus. As
SBA President I thoroughly enjoyed working with so many ambitious fellow
students. I learned a lot about communicating with different groups of people
and how to meet the needs of students during a challenging and demanding three
years of their lives.
(L-R) Ali Moser; Dean Leah Teague; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, Nathan Hecht; Dean Brad Toben, Dean Stephen Rispoli
My second opportunity to put the skills into practice was when I served as the 2018 Conference Chair for LEAD Counselâs Making A Difference Conference. As chair, I was challenged as the many moving pieces had to all come together, but it taught me a lot. The class helped me develop skills that I put into practice. Iâm thankful for both of my experiences with SBA and LEAD Counsel and I know that lessons learned as part of the Leadership Development Program will serve me well in my career.
The Importance of Relationship Building
In the Leadership Class, there were many opportunities to
learn about our own strengths and weaknesses, as well as our peers and other
leaders. This allowed friendships to develop with the other students in the
class, which does not always happen in law school classes. However, that was an
integral part of the Leadership Class, which was surprising to me. I learned
about my leadership style and the leadership style of others. It taught me
where I was strong, and exposed places where I could improve. This created a
unique classroom environment with the fellow classmates, and I hope to cross
paths with many of them in my legal career.
Advice to all Law Students: Learn Leadership
Styles
I offer this advice to all law students
â I encouraged you to discover what your leadership style is whether that is
through a class, reading a book, or watching a podcast. It is incredibly value
to know before stepping into a legal career. As you learn more about leadership
styles, you become more aware of the strong parts of your personality so you
can capitalize on those aspects; but also learn where you can improve. As you
become familiar with many of the leadership styles, you will be able to recognize
different styles which will enable you to work well with others in your future
career.
Ali Mosser, JD ’19
Ali Moser graduated from Baylor Law in May of 2019 having
earned the distinction as a Leadership Fellow. During her
time at Baylor she was involved in various student organizations including
Student Bar Association, Inn of Court, LEAD Counsel, Federalist Society, Intramurals. She also competed
in Moot Court competitions, volunteered her time as a McLennan County Court Appointed
Special Advocate. Aliâs leadership and devotion to Baylor Law School encouraged
many students to follow in her footsteps and become not only a law student who
goes through the motions, but a leader who impacts lives. After graduation she
joined the litigation section of Walsh Gallegos Trevino Russo & Kyle, P.C.
Leadership development programs are part
of the standard operating procedures for business schools but not so for law
schools, at least historically. At a Group Discussion during the January 2017
AALS Annual Meeting, we met with about 50 faculty members from all over the
country and we asked them to share thoughts about challenges and roadblocks to
creating leadership development programs and courses. Here are some points from
the conversation:
What is leadership development anyway? How do we explain it to our skeptical colleagues?
Some lawyers and law students resist instruction in âsoft skills.â The very use of the term when describing leadership development adds to the problem. For many lawyers the soft stuff is the hard stuff.
Many still think leaders are born not trained. You either have it or you donât, they would say.
Doctrinal law faculty (especially those who have not been in formal leadership roles) feel uncomfortable with the subject and certainly do not feel equipped to teach it.
Current law students think they have already done leadership development ⦠in high school and in college. âWhat could possibly be added in a law school leadership class?â, they might wonder. Some faculty and administrators probably share these thoughts.
For those that believe in the benefit of leadership development programming, how can we scale up the programming to insure all students are exposed to leadership development in a meaningful way?
These
are some of the challenges we face. If you have encountered others, please
share. As we continue this blog, we will address these issues and offer
suggestions for overcoming.
Five important benefits to our students when law schools are more intentional to provide leadership development for our students: (1) Insure our students not only understand their obligation to give back to society, but inspire them to seek opportunities to use their legal training and skills to positively impact their communities as well as their clients; (2) Guide students through a self-assessment and discover of their own leadership characteristics and traits and provide appropriate training so that they are better equipped for success when those opportunities are presented; (3) Expose our students to specific leadership language, theory and skills necessary or helpful to be more effective in those roles; (4) Provide experiential learning through case studies, role playing and problem solving allowing students to practice assessing different situations and different personalities to best strategize effective approaches in each situation; and (5) Give students opportunities to experience, and to reflect upon the broader ramifications of how ethical considerations should affect the way lawyer-leaders make decisions.
Law schools will benefit as well. Highlighting leadership skills gained from legal training will help applicants see that law school continues to be a great investment in their future as they seek a path of significance and fulfillment through helping people and effectuating a better future for organizations, communities and societies.
As of June 2018, we are aware of thirty-one law schools that have some type of leadership program.
Leah Teague
As of June 2018, we are aware of thirty-one law schools that have some type of leadership program. Seven of the thirty-one have a specific focus as indicated, including business law, cybersecurity, government, transitional justice, and women. Twenty-three law schools have at least one course which has leadership in the title or a course description that includes leadership development as a significant objective. Leadership development courses are in the planning stage in at least one additional law school. Other law schools likely have courses with elements of leadership development even though not in the title or description. Schools with leadership programs generally offer non-credit workshops, seminars and other leadership activities. Other law schools likely have or had leadership workshops or forums.
The majority of the programs and courses were created in the last five years. Leadership programs or courses at Elon, Harvard, Ohio State, Maryland, Santa Clara, Stanford, Stetson and St. Thomas are at least ten years old. For a list of known programs and courses, see https://baylor.box.com/s/v53753qbp8xdta2xqdh7nvcf4wgng8u4. If you have a leadership program or course, please let us know so we can add you to the list!!
Stephen Rispoli
Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Strategic Initiatives
Director of Innovation and Scholarship, Executive LL.M. in Litigation Management
Baylor Law.
Pat Wilson
Associate Dean and Professor of Law Baylor Law.
Liz Fraley
Professor of Law
Co-Director,
Executive LL.M. in Litigation Management