In-house ACCess : In-house ACCess: Association of Corporate Counsel : ACC : The In-house Counsel Bar Association

Leadership, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.  Sure there are plenty of definitions and many a book has been written and speech given on the subject, but when you ask people, what leadership means to them, you’ll get an assortment of responses.  A recent quick poll of lawyers and others in the legal industry via email and Twitter resulted in the following (140 character) thoughts:

Leadership is …

“Providing direction, setting priorities and creating an atmosphere where people want to follow,” Fred Krebs, President of the Association of Corporate Counsel

“Anticipating, listening, deciding, communicating,” Patricia R. Hatler, ACC Board Chair and Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Governance Officer at Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company

“A vision of the future, persuading key players to share your view, making sure every decision furthers that view,” Patrick Lamb, partner with Chicago litigation firm Valorem Law Group.

“Doing the right thing even when it's unpopular or unconventional. Especially when.”  Jay Shepherd, attorney with the Shepherd Law Group

"Vision, creativity and perseverance. Trend-setting is NOT the same.” Glenn Manishin, partner with the international law firm of Duane Morris LLP

“Assessing priorities to set a vision, then inspiring others to achieve that shared vision through their own creativity and skills,” Timothy Corcoran, Senior Consultant with Altman Weil.

While similar traits are repeated, it’s often the actions that define a true leader and not the words. Like other subjective categories that lack clearly defined parameters, when speaking of great leadership we can cull from a famous phrase in Supreme Court history and say “I’ll know it when I see it.”

The pressure to “lead” has never been so strong and as everyone tries to keep up with the changes taking place, strong leadership will be the catalyst for long-term growth, stability and success.  Lawyers (both in-house and at law firms), too, are faced with these same pressures - to “do more with less” and to make their practices more efficient while still growing the bottom line.  Overcoming the obstacles and being able to lead so that, as Krebs pointed out, “people want to follow,” will be key to their survival.

But what’s a lawyer to do to stand out from the pack? How will the drive toward being a great leader engender buy-in and lead to success?  Have you assessed your own leadership skills lately?  Are you prepared for the challenges ahead? 

Several sessions during ACC’s Annual Meeting in Boston addressed the issue of leadership, and what struck me was the interesting parallel between effective leadership today versus examples from the past.  Ivan Fong, General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, shared his thoughts in relation to modern-day leadership, while Pulitzer Prize winning author, Doris Kearns Goodwin, offered an historical view of leadership as illuminated in her latest book, “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” The common thread with both was their emphasis on the importance of personal relationships – of caring and listening and a commitment to character - that set true leaders apart. 

At the heart of “Team of Rivals,” was Lincoln’s ability to “bring people together” and his success, as Goodwin explained, was “the result of a character that had been forged by experiences that raised him above his more privileged and accomplished rivals.”  Those around him would be hard-pressed to be mad at Lincoln, because inevitably, his power, his charm and his intelligence would bring people around, to be an ally. In some instances, this means taking charge, by letting go.

If you are, or have been, in a leadership role, then chances are you have had to deal with people who might not agree with your decisions.  Great leaders don’t lead by trying to make everyone happy. Instead, they bring them into the process.  As Harvard’s president, Drew Gilpin Faust, aptly pointed out in a recent New York Times interview, “if people feel they were listened to, that their views were taken into account, that they had a chance to show you the world from their point of view, they’re going to be much more likely to go along with a decision.” 

The ability to engender trust, Fong explained, was at the core of being not only a good lawyer, but also an effective leader.  Specifically, “The hallmarks of being a good lawyer – the foundations on which everything is based – are the quality of the legal analysis, integrity, responsiveness, sound judgment and the ability to be a trusted advisor, all of which translate well into the public sector.”

In discussing “leadership imperatives,” Fong emphasized the importance of “beginning with the end in mind” and articulating a clear vision and compelling purpose for the organization.  A team, to be effective, needs to have a common understanding of “Why do we exist?  Where are we going?  And how are we going to get there?”  The shared mission, vision, and strategy, Fong explained, helps to inspire trust and engagement.  Regaling the possibly apocryphal story of a General’s encounter with a janitor in the halls of NASA during the 60’s, Fong explained that when the General asked the janitor what he was doing, the janitor replied, “I’m helping to send a man to the moon.”  A leader’s ability to communicate a compelling purpose – a shared vision – can inspire the entire organization to be right there with you.

Fong, like Lincoln, embraced the notion of “meeting people where they are,” of putting himself in the place of others and listening to those around him. By meeting regularly with his staff, learning about the processes already in place and gleaning insight from his direct reports, he has been able to set an agenda and establish clearly defined goals. “It’s not about working harder, longer hours,” Fong explained, “it’s also about stepping back and looking at how we do what we do and how can we stop doing things that no longer provide value.”

Using the example of a marathon, where the early runners cross the finish line before others even begin, Fong illustrated the importance of going back and putting yourself in the position of someone at the beginning of the race. Communication, another leadership imperative, can’t be emphasized enough in this regard. It’s vital for successful execution; and every organization needs it.

Goodwin, in describing Lincoln, believed one of the best indicators of a good leader was, “being able to motivate during frustration,” and in harmony with this sentiment, Fong noted, "You can tell the health of an organization by the quality of its arguments.”  These traits - overcoming obstacles and being able to lead in the midst of conflict - are vital for today’s leaders. The ability to ride out the economic waves of uncertainty, while maintaining control and respect, will propel the great leaders ahead.

Challenges, as Fong described, are where “what you do know and what you don’t know intersect.”  As a leader, you are tasked with uncovering the known and unknown and then tapping into the wisdom of those around you to help get the job done. Fong recalled his “A-Ha” moment when he realized that, while he couldn’t personally manage and lead all 1700 lawyers in his department, he could lead those lawyers within the top one or two layers, and influence their own leadership abilities.

Whether it’s gleaning insight from Fong or relishing Goodwin’s historical retrospective on Lincoln, much can be gleaned from the great leaders of today and those of the past.  Each of you will have your own style and approach, but ultimately, it will be your ability to connect with those around you - to engender trust and respect - that will be key to your own personal success as a leader. 

As you evaluate your own leadership traits, ask yourself if you are applying successful principles from the past for effective leadership today.  Specifically:

1. Are you fostering an environment of teamwork?

2. Are you addressing those that disagree with you in a way that leads to mutual understanding and buy-in?

3. Are you communicating a plan (your vision) effectively?

4. Are you evaluating processes and identifying opportunities for better alignment and efficiency?

5. Are you putting others’ interests ahead of your own?

6. Are you praising others for their contributions?

7. Are you treating everyone – at all levels – with the same respect?

8. Are you paying attention to suggestions & facilitating implementation?

9. Are you demonstrating trust, honesty and integrity?

10. Are you able to take charge by letting go?

Remember, leadership is in the eye of the beholder, and it will be the feedback and opinions of those around you that really matter. As someone that has had the privilege of getting to know Fong on a personal level, I can attest to his uncanny ability to engender trust and buy-in from those around him. Fong’s remarkable compassion, inherent interest and ability to lead in a collaborative environment are great qualities we can all learn from. And, as I have observed from my own interaction with Fong, when I encountered this great leader, “I knew it when I saw it.”

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Susan E. Jacobsen, President of LUV2XLPR, Inc., has over 15 years of experience assisting in-house counsel, law firm attorneys and corporate executives with strategic communications initiatives.

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 Each year, as ACC’s Annual Meeting concludes, I’m always struck by the interesting and substantive new information I discover.  Inevitably, people say things - or I observe or participate in events - that leave me with much to think about.  This was my 18^th annual meeting and it was no different. Throughout our time in Boston, I continually encountered such instances among our 2400⁺ attendees that, I believe, contributed to the success of this gathering of in-house counsel from around the world.  

Leadership, education, collaboration, support, relationships and value, all contributed to a successful conference, which I tried to capture in these Random Observations…

·        As she shared her lifetime of studying and writing about great leaders, Pulitzer Prize winning author, Doris Kearns Goodwin, presented a captivating tale of personal observations and what we could learn from the great leaders she had studied. I, like everyone in the room, hung onto her every word and was drawn into her uncanny ability to “tell a story” and describe the research that went into her book, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.  So much of what she discussed about the politicians and historical figures translated seamlessly to the legal community.

“Lincoln’s success was the result of a character that had been forged by life experiences that raised him above his more privileged and accomplished rivals.”

“The best indicators of a good leader – being able to motivate during frustration.”

~ Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize Author

 ACC’s 2009 Annual Meeting Keynote Speaker

I say without hesitation—read this or any other book she has written!

·        Ivan Fong, former ACC Board Chair, who recently became General Counsel for the Department of Homeland Security, provided a captivating account of his transition to the public sector, with particular emphasis on the qualities of effective leadership.  His candor and honesty were both insightful, as well as refreshing to hear, in light of his high-profile role with the third largest government agency.

“The hallmarks of being a good lawyer – the foundations on which everything is based – are the quality of the legal analysis, responsiveness, sound judgment and the ability to be a trusted advisor, all of which translate well into the public sector.”

"You can tell the health of an organization by the quality of its arguments.”

~ Ivan Fong, General Counsel of U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Chair’s Choice: A View from the Frontlines

·        Earlier this year, we were saddened to learn of the passing of Robert Banks, Sr., an extraordinary in house counsel for Xerox and the leading founder of ACC. He gave us a great gift and he gave us all an organization that permits us to change and improve our profession and ourselves.  

“For his beliefs and advocacy, we all owe Bob an immense debt of gratitude.”

~ Carl D. Liggio

Founder and 1984 ACC Board Chair

Because of his unyielding support of ACC, it is only fitting that we honor Bob with the ACC Robert Banks Memorial Scholarship Fund, starting in 2010. This scholarship will help support those members who are in transition or need additional support to attend future Annual Meetings.

·       During an engaging discussion of CLOs, opinions were exchanged and suggestions were offered, and I was intrigued by the frankness and insight offered.  Much of the discussion related to the changes occurring among in-house counsel and their relationships with their outside lawyers and the billable hour.  Unlike similar discussions of the past, where everyone just cited problems, here, the CLOs offered tangible solutions and discussed what they have begun to implement to help affect change.

“Meet. Talk. Act. – from the ACC Value Challenge – gives us all a good framework to use … we need to get together with our outside counsel, open the dialog and start doing things.”

~ John Page, Vice President, GC & Corp. Secretary, Golden State Foods Corp.

Chief Legal Officer Roundtable Discussion

“What we’re learning is how to use alternative fee arrangements – when do they work and make sense? More and more there will be categories of matters where alternative and flat fee arrangements are more accepted – it’s the law of supply and demand – some are cyclical and some are secular.”

~ Marc Gary, General Counsel, Fidelity Investments

Chief Legal Officer Roundtable Discussion

·        As I made my way though the Exhibit Hall, and observed the interaction among the over 100 exhibitors and the attendees, I understood what many in-house counsel had told me, that they liked the positive, controlled environment.  Members feel this provides them with a “one-stop shop” to speak with legal industry providers and hear about the new resources and services available to them.  The exhibitors, too, were engaged and I was happy to hear a number of positive comments.

“We were very happy with the event. We met a lot of attendees and got to speak to them about their needs and how we can help.”

 ~ Ian Nelson, Vice President of Business Development & Marketing, PLC

ACC Alliance Partner/2009 Annual Meeting Exhibitor

“Everyone has been really engaged and interested …this has been really helpful for our attorneys, to see the number of in-house counsel in attendance and to interact with our clients that are here.”

~ Felice Wagner, Chief Client Service Officer, Sutherland

First Time 2009 Annual Meeting Exhibitor

·       Efficiency, value and cost containment were repeated throughout the conference, both in sessions and during one-on-one conversations, as everyone shared and gleaned insight on streamlining processes without cutting quality. During the session, “The Slow Motion Riot – Revolutionizing Law Department Cost Management,” law department leaders and law firm management discussed the ACC Value Challenge and how the initiative could help to support their efforts.

“Value Day - August 24 - the day the Wall Street Journal covered alternative billing on its front page."

~ Jeffrey Carr, Vice President, GC & Secretary, FMC Technologies, Inc.

The Slow Motion Riot – Revolutionizing Law Department Cost Management

“Value means more than price for legal services – what more do we want from our relationships – CLE, top of mind advice, brainstorming….”

~ Bruce Goldberg, Managing Counsel, Allstate Insurance Company

The Slow Motion Riot – Revolutionizing Law Department Cost Management

“Profit is variable; what is valued is continuing relationships maintained through continuing relationship reviews.”

~ Stuart Pape, Managing Partner, Patton Boggs LLP

The Slow Motion Riot – Revolutionizing Law Department Cost Management

"Once you decide to go down this path, there's only one question you need to ask law firms, Will you do this? Yes or no. If they say no, they are free to work elsewhere. Draconian? Yes. Effective? Absolutely. But it does take some backbone."

~ Jeffrey Carr, Vice President, GC & Secretary, FMC Technologies, Inc.

The Slow Motion Riot – Revolutionizing Law Department Cost Management

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ACC’s Annual Meeting in Boston might have kicked off on Sunday night, but things really got underway on Monday as thousands of in-house counsel arrived at the Hynes Convention Center to register and begin their immersion into what brought them together: learning, engaging and sharing. Having been involved with past meetings, I was struck today by the upbeat demeanor, levity and humor interspersed throughout the sessions, in the exhibit hall and with members and sponsors chatting amongst themselves. At a time when negative news seems to own the limelight, the positive, good-natured vibe was a much welcomed change.

A real treat of the day of the day (and likely to be one of the highlights of the conference) was Chair’s Choice: A View from the Frontlines, which gave attendees the unique opportunity to hear from Ivan Fong, former ACC Board Chair and currently the General Counsel of U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Fong’s first-hand account of transitioning from General Counsel at Cardinal Health to one of the largest government agencies was both captivating and insightful. He shared how managing the many hundreds of lawyers and issues at DHS were similar, as well as different, from managing lawyers and matters in-house at the companies he previously worked for. Most notably, Ivan noted that the “hallmarks of being a good lawyer – the foundations on which everything is based – were the quality of the legal analysis, responsiveness, sound judgment and the ability to be a trusted advisor, all of which translate well into the public sector.”

Fong’s candidness and honesty provided everyone with a snapshot of his day-to-day activities, as well as his long term goals for success. The session was so fascinating that it warrants its own detailed summary (To be posted on In-House ACCess following the meeting.)

The day’s luncheon, sponsored by Lex Mundi, drew a packed room to join ACC President Fred Krebs in welcoming in ACC’s new Board Chair, Pat Hatler, and new Board members, Sabine Chalmers, Chief Legal and Communications Officer at Anheuser-Busch Inbev; John Page, Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary from Golden State Foods; and Norman Wain, Vice President, Corporate Legal Affairs and Assistant General Counsel at the Finish Line. 

Krebs explained that each year in lieu of speaker fees, ACC contributes to a worthwhile charity, and this year a $5,000 donation was given to Camp Letts, a YMCA summer camp that serves youths from the inner cities of Washington, DC and Baltimore. 

Krebs also reminded everyone that, “Last year at this time, we predicted we would be at the 25,000 member milestone and I am happy to say we have reached that threshold. This year has truly exceeded our expectations on many fronts.”

He went on to acknowledge ACC’s two new chapters – the South Carolina Chapter and the North Florida Chapter, bringing the association to 51 chapters in more than 70 countries with members who represent over 10,000 organizations.

On a solemn note, earlier this year ACC was saddened to learn of the passing of Robert Banks, Sr., an extraordinary in house counsel for Xerox for many years and the leading founder of ACC. “Bob Banks gave us a great gift,” Krebs shared, “He gave us all an organization that permits us to change and improve our profession and ourselves. We are here today because of him.”

Krebs announced that ACC would be honoring Banks with the ACC Robert Banks Memorial Scholarship Fund, starting in 2010. This scholarship will help support those members who are in transition or need additional support to attend the Annual Meeting. Co-founding member, Carl Liggio, and Banks’ son, Bill Banks, were both on hand to share their heartfelt, personal memories and appreciation for Banks’ tireless efforts, dedication and historic legacy.

Dan Fitz, formerly Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Company Secretary at Misys and the 2009 ACC Board Chair, presented this year’s winner for Excellence in Corporate Practice to David Allgood, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at the Royal Bank of Canada. As General Counsel at one of the largest and most respected legal departments in Canada, Allgood is known as the person who sets the tone and introduces the best practices in law department management and leadership. Fitz noted that, “David's progressive posture on "value" issues, as promoted by the ACC Value Challenge, is setting both the tone and pace for other departments interested in reconnecting the cost of legal services to their actual value in the marketplace.” 

In addition, Fitz recognized Ogilvy Renault LLP as a firm that has gone above and beyond for their support of ACC and presented them with the 2009 President’s Award. “Not only has this firm supported ACC through advertising and sponsorships,” Fitz explained, “But they are also the lead sponsor of ACC’s popular CLO ThinkTank series of programs and they provide ACC with valuable insight on legal issues in Canada.”

The luncheon culminated with Pulitzer Prize winning author, Doris Kearns Goodwin, who shared her lifetime of studying and writing about great leaders with a captivating tale of her own personal observations and what everyone could learn from the great leaders she had studied. Her uncanny ability to bring history to life, to speak in pictures so as to draw everyone in, left everyone speechless. She shared her fascinating first-hand experience, as well as findings from in-depth research, and everyone hung onto her every word.  

The hundreds of people waiting in line to have Goodwin sign her latest book, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, following the lunch was a true testament to the respect she garnered and the interest provoked among those in attendance. As Ivan Fong’s session earlier in the day was so enthralling that it warranted its own write up, so, too, does Goodwin’s speech. (To be posted on In-House ACCess following the meeting.)

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Coverage of ACC’s 2009 Annual Meeting will continue with interviews with ACC’s supporters and sponsors, over 100 of the world’s leading legal industry professionals.

* Susan E. Jacobsen, formerly ACC’s Director of Communications, was retained by ACC to cover this year’s Annual Meeting and will be providing coverage of the sessions and networking events throughout the conference.

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Leadership Development Institute (LDI)  is held every year at Annual Meeting for the incoming leaders of ACC's Chapters and Committees. Run by our Director of Member Development & Chapters, Tori Payne, and assisted by our  Legal Resources Director, LDI focuses on whatr the new leaders of our chapters and committees need to know to head the most productive and active groups.  Having personally worked arm and arm with two of our 17 committees (one being New to In-house, which was awarded Committee of the Year, thank you very much), I know that the leaders work at LDI pays off! The training focuses on recruiting new chapter board members, motivating staff, increasing programming best practices, and much more.  This year, ACC has invited Peter Stark, a published professional with 15 years of career coaching and strategic planning experience, to speak at LDI. We couldn’t be more excited to have him share his expertise with us.

If you are attending the meeting and are interested in taking a more active role in your committee or chapter, please email Tori Payne or check with one of us at registration for more information. 

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