Moving from lawyer to leader

This article was provided by LawyersInHouse.com.

Moving in-house is a huge transition. The way legal services are delivered at a law firm are much different than how we deliver legal services when we move in-house. We have to learn how to build relationships with the business teams, be a collaborative team member, and we often need to learn to be more of a generalist in our practice. You may also find your career aspirations evolve. Instead of being a partner, which you attain by being a high-performing lawyer, you may want to become the general counsel, a member of the C-suite. These positions however cannot be attained solely by being a skilled and hard-working lawyer. After all, it’s not other lawyers that decide who shall be general counsel! So how does one move from being the company’s lawyer to a leader within the organization?

The fundamentals of success for any in-house role depend on you understanding the business.  You need to know how the business operates, how it makes money and the larger industry and market risks. Although these risks may include regulatory or legislative aspects, look beyond the law. What are the broader risks to the business, what keeps the executive team up at night? It’s hard not to feel unqualified in any role, but especially as we move into a senior, executive role.  Remember, the skills we learned in law school are highly transferable. You may not understand how to build an AI solution as the CTO does or how to draft the financial statements, but you are analytical, you pay attention to detail, you have strong reasoning and communication skills.  One of the most important skills we develop as lawyers (although it’s one you rarely hear praised) is our listening skills. We have to actively listen to glean the information we need and sort through the information we do not. This skill is at the forefront of building meaningful relationships and being a successful leader. So be courageous. Trust yourself and the skills you’ve developed over the years.

At the InHouse Counsel Summit, I spoke with Bindu Cudjoe, SVP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary of the Canadian Western Bank about making the transition from lawyer to leader.  Bindu spoke of how you have to move from player to coach and be strategic. Identify what work you should be personally involved with due to your legal background, its strategic importance to the company or a combination of both. If you are general counsel in a department of one, which so many in-house lawyers in Canada are, this premise still applies. You can only do so much.  What is of the utmost importance to the company? You know what is most important because you asked the executive team what keeps them up at night! If you are general counsel to a department of many, you may not be performing much legal work. Instead, your role is to build and maintain an efficiently run legal department, ensure you have skilled lawyers within it and to mentor these lawyers to grow professionally and within the company. Focus on how you can help your team excel because, after all, the executive team will see them as a direct reflection of you and your abilities. As general counsel, your goal is to obtain and maintain a seat at the executive table. Demonstrate your skillset at the executive level. Listen, learn and strategically participate in the business.

Bindu also stated, candidly, that being a leader can be lonely. Who can you speak with about your concerns, your fears, your decisions? This highlights the importance of mentors, of building a community and taking care of your well-being. 

Seek out mentors both within the legal industry and within your company or company’s industry. We talk of legal innovation, of making our profession more inclusive and just, of attaining a better work/life balance. In order to make any progress we must connect to each other, be open and authentic and share our stories with each other. Building community deepens our understanding and creates the conversations that spark innovation and evolution. 

Leaders are responsible for their team, their department and part of the company’s goals and objectives. But in order to be successful on any of these fronts, you must first take care of yourself. Every leader I’ve spoken to since the pandemic arrived has been concerned about the well-being of her/his team. However, to be an impactful leader you must also take care of yourself.  Self-care, in my opinion, is quite lacking in our profession. I don’t hear a lot of discussion about people taking time for themselves. It’s hard to take time for yourself, and as a leader often no one is encouraging you to do so. Often you can’t seem to find the time, and there’s already so much you’re behind on. Maybe you’re too busy right now to book a spa getaway or a golf trip, but you’re not too busy to take one of your calls on your cellphone and head out for a walk or to step outside for 10 minutes to breathe fresh air. What relaxes you and helps you recharge? Exercising, reading, time with a loved one? Whatever it is, find ways to build it into your schedule, 10 minutes at a time. 

Whether you are a lawyer or a leader, this is a demanding profession. Be kind to yourself and be kind to others — that’s how we truly achieve success.