This book answers the important question posed by US Judge James Barr. The question is:
I am delving into whether there is support for the hypothesis that leadership skills developed and implemented by individual lawyers (even when not serving in lawyer organizations) can significantly impact and influence an entire legal community in areas such as (1) standards improved ethical and civility standards and performance, (2) more effective assimilation of new lawyers into the legal community, and (3) better relations between the court and the bar. In other words, I am at least curious as to whether the development of leadership skills by individual lawyers can have a positive impact on the quality of advocacy in a legal community, even when working outside the institutional context (i.e., the organization of lawyers).
This book answers Judge Barr’s question in the affirmative.
The second edition of Leadership for Lawyers was published in December 2007. It convincingly demonstrates that leadership (and therefore leadership development training and coaching) offers solutions to many of the problems and challenges you face. the profession, including high levels of lawyer and client dissatisfaction. , increasing economic pressures on law firms, growing incivility, and outdated law firm governance practices. Rubenstein, who has been a trial lawyer for more than twenty-five years, understands the challenges well and clearly explains how the profession will benefit from widespread leadership development.
The basic premise of Leadership for Lawyers is that “when lawyers and all those who work in the legal profession begin to understand the basic theories of leadership and are better trained in the field of leadership development, they will become better leaders, provide better and it will create better law firms and legal organizations. As a consequence, it will improve the reputation of lawyers and the legal profession as a whole.” The thesis is exhaustively examined and demonstrated throughout the book.
Rubenstein devotes some space to leadership theory and the relationship between ethics, natural law, and leadership, as well as how leadership development for lawyers might be structured. Recognizing that leadership theory is such a vast subject that it would be impossible to cover the field in a single book, attorneys who read the sections on “Behavioral Styles of Leadership” and “Ninety Brand of Leadership” will gain insight into leadership theory. , but it is not a firm base. The bibliography, however, includes a number of classic leadership books that will provide a deeper understanding of how leaders can be developed.
In particular, Rubenstein makes a significant contribution to the theory by proposing the “leader’s leader” theory of leadership: “Follower leaders are primarily problem solvers. Leaders’ leaders establish platforms and seek to create an environment for that followers can act as leaders themselves, solve their own problems, and make excellent decisions consistent with the platform that the leader of leaders establishes.” This theory, which Rubenstein traces back to the Bok from exodus, you should especially talk to lawyers. It also illustrates the multiple levels of leadership that are present in the profession and that leadership depends on action and attitude, not simply on a title.
I don’t agree with everything the book says, of course. The chapter titled Women, Leadership and the Legal Profession, written by Laura Rothacker, is a nice addition to the discussion of women in law in general, but one sentence in it literally (embarrassed to admit it) had me screaming out loud in frustration and anger. That sentence is: “Women should be aware that the focus on billable hours represents an institutional form of discrimination against their achievement of success and leadership roles.” I’ll talk about this somewhere else one of these days. Even that statement, however, does not dampen my enthusiasm for Leadership for Lawyers, though it did prompt me to read more critically than I otherwise might have.
Leadership for Lawyers is an important book for lawyers looking for ways to grow themselves and other lawyers because it conclusively establishes why leadership matters to lawyers. It should be required reading for law firm managing partners and professional development partners and highly recommended reading for other lawyers and law students who aspire to succeed in and for the profession and their clients. I highly recommend it.