Please enjoy this blog authored by Janelle Eveland Belling, Senior Director of Legal Project Management, Perkins Coie LLP.
When we think about leaders in law firms, the classic image is often a partner with a robust book of business or a trial lawyer who dominates the courtroom. However, leadership in today’s legal environment looks different. Clients want more than sharp legal analysis; they want efficiency, collaboration, innovative solutions, and value delivered in addition to legal advice. The next generation of law firm leaders must develop skills that go beyond the traditional measures of success.
For attorneys considering the next stage of their careers, the question is: How do you prepare for leadership in this new environment?
Why Leadership in Law Looks Different Now
The business of law has changed dramatically in the past decade. Law firms no longer run on an attorney-only model. They rely on an expanding group of professionals who bring expertise outside the traditional legal world.
Consider exploring these roles as you think about law firm leadership:
• Legal project managers apply project management techniques to define scope, develop budgets, keep matters on track, and facilitate clear communication—internally and with clients. With the rapid growth of alternative fee arrangements (AFAs), their expertise is more critical than ever to successfully manage complex matters, portfolios of work, and unique pricing arrangements.
• Pricing professionals help firms establish billing rates, provide profitability modeling, and respond to client demands for AFAs and predictable pricing arrangements.
• Innovation officers and knowledge management professionals help firms respond to client demands for increased efficiency, smarter use of data, and adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI).
• E-discovery attorneys or project managers bridge legal expertise and technology to manage immense volumes of electronic data in litigation, investigations, and due diligence. E-discovery today expands well beyond litigation.
Law firm professionals drive process improvement and technology adoption and ensure that the delivery of legal services aligns with the goals of the firm and its clients. Understanding law firm operations is essential, but equally important is helping clients leverage the law firm’s legal operations knowledge and talent. These conversations can build stronger relationships and identify new ways to deliver value to your clients.
Effective law firm leaders of the future won’t just understand these roles; they’ll know how to collaborate with professionals across disciplines and integrate their expertise into a cohesive, client-focused strategy. By embracing this approach, attorneys can unlock new leadership and career opportunities, including transitions into a law firm legal operations role, all while leveraging their legal training.
The Skills That Matter Most
So, what does that mean for an attorney who wants to prepare for leadership? Here are a few areas worth investing time and attention:
• Collaboration. Success will come from bringing together diverse expertise and valuing every contribution. This requires humility, emotional intelligence, and the ability to empower others. Building strong, trusting relationships with other professionals across the organization is essential. Professionals across the law firm often have competing priorities; don’t assume your priority is their priority. Invest time in building trust and strengthening your relationships.
• Communication. Clear communication whether written, verbal, or visual is critical. Take every opportunity to improve these skills. Use GenAI or other technology to draft clearer communications and consider joining organizations that offer public speaking and leadership development in a supportive environment.
• Client Relationship Building. Clients now expect their advisors to truly understand their business, communicate with clarity, and deliver value. Building trust, listening actively, and being both proactive and transparent are essential leadership skills—just as important as legal expertise. These qualities foster a strong client partnership and set attorneys and law firms apart in today’s competitive market.
• Strategic Decision-Making. Leadership means looking beyond individual matters to the bigger picture. What does this client need not just today, but next year? How can the firm anticipate industry changes? Attorneys who think strategically about client work, firm operations, or their own career paths will stand out.
• Risk Management. Leaders protect the firm and its clients in areas like data security, compliance, and reputation. This often means collaborating with IT, risk, and compliance teams. Attorneys build these skills by staying curious about risk issues and learning from professionals who handle them every day.
• Change Management. Effective law firm leaders must be skilled in change management. Whether adopting new technologies, implementing AFAs, or responding to shifting client expectations, leaders need to guide their teams through transitions with confidence and clarity. Attorneys who embrace change and help others adapt not only strengthen their teams—they ensure their firm remains competitive and responsive in a dynamic market.
How Firms Can Support the Next Generation
Law firms that want to prepare their next generation of leaders need to create growth opportunities such as:
• Formal training programs covering finance, pricing, legal project management, and technology—areas that are often missing from law school curricula. Encouragingly, some law schools are beginning to incorporate these skills and introduce non-traditional attorney roles.
• Mentorship connecting mid-level attorneys with senior partners and professionals, offering multiple perspectives on leadership.
• Cross-functional projects where attorneys collaborate with professionals in legal project management, e-discovery, legal operations, or knowledge management to solve client challenges.
• Rotational assignments exposing attorneys to business development, client management, and firm operations beyond billable work.
• Encourage attorneys to engage with legal industry organizations and initiatives to help them stay on top of legal industry changes and trends. Even without deep expertise, involvement in a relatable initiative offers learning opportunities and valuable connections. Gaining perspective with other law firms, clients, and third-party vendors through volunteering is invaluable. You never know where an initiative will lead. In 2017, I read an article about legal project management (LPM). I connected with the organization leaders and joined their LPM initiative. My experience in e-discovery project management helped me see the parallels, ultimately leading to my transition into LPM—a pivotal moment in my career.
These experiences not only build leadership skills but help attorneys understand how the business of law works and allow exploration of non-traditional attorney roles.
The Opportunity Ahead
For mid-level attorneys, leadership is no longer about waiting to make partner. Start building these skills now—volunteer to lead a client team, seek mentorship, or collaborate closely with your firm’s operations or LPM team.
Law firms that thrive will have leaders who bridge worlds: the legal and business, the technical and strategic, the client’s needs and tomorrow’s vision. Attorneys who embrace a broader view of leadership will be ready not only to guide their firms and clients but continuously transform how legal services are delivered.
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