Advancing Leadership in the Legal Profession
March 23, 2018
Santa Clara, California
The Santa Clara Law Review and the Association of American Law Schools held the first conference in the Law School’s new home, Charney Hall. The conference featured presentations by the President of the American Bar Association and leadership experts Deborah Rhode, Stanford Law School, and Barry Posner, Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University. The conference was held on March 23, 2018, and attracted more than 100 lawyers, judges, law students and leadership education training.
The conference originated in a discussion between Professor (and former Dean) Donald Polden, Natalie Parpos, Editor in Chief of the Law Review and Janelle Fernandes, Symposium Editor of the Law Review, and the discussion was followed by almost a year of planning by the Law Review and a group of law school educators who were responsible for the creation of a new section on leadership education of the Association of American Law Schools. The planning groups identified many of the leading educators on leadership development in American law school, law firm lawyers and professionals responsible for developing leadership in lawyers, and leadership experts who worked with lawyers and law firms on leadership skills.
Hilarie Bass, a partner in the national law firm Greenberg Traurig LLP and current President of the American Bar Association, gave the opening keynote address. She discussed the significant challenges facing lawyers and the legal profession in today’s global, technology driven law practice and the important initiatives by her and the ABA to address many of those challenges. Clearly and forcibly addressing the challenges facing the legal profession and the ABA requires great leadership.
A second morning session keynote address was given by leadership guru, Barry Posner, co-author of The Leadership Challenge books and training materials and his former student Ausra Deluard, an associate at Jones Day LLP office in San Francisco, and herself a leadership educator. Posner and Deluard discussed the importance of leadership education in many fields, including law, and described the practices of exemplary leadership that permit leaders to do extraordinary things within and for their organizations.
Deborah Rhode, who directs the Center for the Legal Profession and the Program in Law & Social Entrepreneurship at Stanford’s law school, presented the third keynote address of the conference and she spoke about the critical role of legal education and law firms in educating for leadership during times where firms and individuals experience conditions of stresses and challenge. She also provided an overview of the development of leadership courses training in the law schools and in the legal profession.
Dean Lisa Kloppenberg moderated a panel of exceptional leaders and leadership development experts, including Dorian Daley, VP and General Counsel of Oracle Corporation, Olga Mack, a former GC and Organizer and Curator at TEDxEmerald Glen Park, Dean Thomas Roming, Dean at Washburn University School of Law and former Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Army, Dr. Lori Berman, Director of Professional Development at Hogan Lovells, USA, LLP in Washington DC, and Dr. Roland Smith, formerly at the Center for Creative Leadership and now Group Head of Leadership Strategy and Development at Interglobe Enterprises. The panel discuss some key issues concerning the importance of leadership to various legal and law related organizations and how they developed and demonstrated leadership during their careers.
The symposium also featured several panels of law faculty members who current teach leadership courses in law schools throughout the United States or who have developed leadership programs and activities for law school and lawyers. Many of the speakers discussed their research and articles they have prepared for a summer 2018 issue of the Santa Clara Law Review on leadership for lawyers. According to Professor Polden, “the symposium attracted the top legal educators and lawyer-leaders in the country to discuss the challenges facing the legal profession and legal education and we heard some meaningful solutions to those problems. Lawyers, judges and educators will benefit immeasurably from the articles that will be published in a symposium issue of the Santa Clara Law Review.”
The following is a list of the academic experts who presented lectures at the Santa Clara “Advancing Leadership” Symposium:
List of Academic Speakers:
| Doug Blaze, Tennessee Lou Bilionis, Cincinnati Rachel Moran, UCLA Donald Polden, Santa Clara Neil Hamilton, St Thomas (MN) David Gibbs, Roger Williams |
Robert Cullen, Santa Clara Leah Jackson Teague, Baylor Maura DeMouy, Georgetown Michael Colatrella, Jr., McGeorge (Pacific) Rebecca Lee, Thomas Jefferson |
Symposium brochure and speakers’ presentations:
2018 Advancing Leadership Symposium brochure
Louis D. Bilionis presentation
Michael Colatrella Presentation
