Paulette Nnorom says many lawyers wrongly believe legal training alone provides leadership skills
Lawyers are stepping into leadership roles without the skills they need to succeed, and more are now willing to invest in coaching to bridge the gap, says lawyer coach Paulette Nnorom.
The legal profession expects senior associates, new partners, and in-house counsel to seamlessly transition into leadership when promoted, but the reality is different, says Nnorom, a former practicing lawyer herself. Many lack critical skills in communication, delegation, and business development.
“I've been coaching for 15 years, and this issue has always existed. It’s in the past two or three years that people have started to bring it to me more regularly. Before, they weren’t necessarily willing to pay for help with this, but now they see the need, and they are willing to invest,” she says.
Nnorom sees this struggle most clearly in three key groups of lawyers.
For new senior associates at medium and large firms, stepping into leadership means leading meetings, managing clients, and making high-stakes calls – often without guidance, Nnorom says.
“Now you need to know what you’re talking about, and you need to be agile. You need to be ready to answer questions,” she says. “For lawyers working on multimillion-dollar transactions, that pressure can be overwhelming. They fear saying the wrong thing or pushing back on a client’s idea in the wrong way.”
In-house lawyers face similar challenges when promoted into leadership roles, Nnorom says.
She says they are suddenly forced to navigate C-suite challenges and think like business executives, while many struggle with high-level decision-making.
Meanwhile, new partners in law firms often discover that their legal expertise isn’t enough as they now must build a book of business, manage operations, and market themselves – tasks they were never trained for, she says.
“Law school doesn’t teach you to be a businessperson. But for some reason, the profession assumes we’ll figure it out on our own,” she adds.
Many lawyers believe that they should already know what they’re doing by the time they reach leadership roles. This self-imposed expectation stifles growth and creates unnecessary stress, Nnorom says.
“There’s a flawed expectation that legal training alone equips lawyers for leadership and business management. It doesn’t,” she adds.
As a result, she says, many lawyers struggle in silence, avoiding delegation and refusing to admit knowledge gaps.
"I think it comes from this phenomenon where people feel like everyone expects them to just ‘know’ how to do these things," Nnorom says.
One in-house lawyer Nnorom coached insisted on handling everything solo before delegating, thinking she needed to “figure it all out” first.
“That makes sense, but it’s not practical,” Nnorom says. In reality, she says her reluctance stemmed from an unconscious leadership style – one that prioritized being well-liked over setting clear expectations.
“She wanted to be everyone’s friend, and she wanted people to be accountable for themselves and come up with their own assignments. As a result, people started to take advantage of her because there weren’t clear lines,” she recalls.
She adds that even when lawyers start delegating, many do it poorly.
“Lawyers often don’t think about what kind of leader they want to be,” Nnorom says. “They step into these roles without a clear strategy, and that’s where problems arise.”
She adds that lawyers either micromanage their teams or fail to set clear expectations, leading to frustration. Some hesitate to assign work out of fear that delegating might make them appear less capable, while others offload tasks without oversight.
Another major challenge is handling difficult conversations. She adds that many lawyers struggle with delivering negative feedback, especially in in-house roles, where they work closely with the same colleagues every day.
Business development is another hurdle, particularly for new partners. Attracting clients and marketing yourself is essential, but most have no idea where to start, Nnorom says.
She says that instead of using targeted networking strategies, many lawyers default to random outreach, attending events without a plan.
“One lawyer spent more time worrying about how to build her book of business than actually doing it. When she finally focused on a structured plan, everything changed.”
Nnorom says there are many ways for those looking to improve to practice leadership skills without formal coaching.
“There are lots of ways to practice – it’s just about finding what works for you.”
Improvisation classes are one way to improve quick thinking and speaking skills. “They are really helpful to get you to think on your feet,” she says.
She adds that public speaking groups are a good way to build confidence while speaking to a group of people with similar struggles in a low-stakes environment. Within their own firms, lawyers can run mock meetings with colleagues to build confidence before leading client discussions.
Despite these strategies, few lawyers take the initiative to practice leadership skills before seeking coaching; she adds that many only turn to coaching after they hit a wall, realizing they’ve been struggling far longer than necessary.
"The legal profession still underestimates how much support new leaders need," Nnorom says. "But the ones who take action early are the ones who thrive."
