Teaching Law Leadership – Upcoming Program

Key Takeaways

• AALS Section on Leadership hosts a live webinar on April 29
• Focuses on empirical research, essential skills, and core leadership values
• Presenters Hillary Sale and Kate Schaffzin bring scholarly and practitioner insights
• Addresses lawyers' expanding leadership roles inside and outside legal practice
• Aims to equip law schools with tools to teach leadership effectively

Pulse Analysis

Law schools are increasingly recognizing that doctrinal mastery alone does not prepare graduates for the multifaceted challenges of today’s legal market. As firms demand attorneys who can steer teams, manage change, and influence policy, curricula are expanding to include leadership theory, ethics, and strategic decision‑making. This shift reflects broader professional trends where interdisciplinary competence and soft‑skill fluency are tied directly to client satisfaction and firm profitability.

The upcoming AALS Section on Leadership webinar offers a timely deep dive into this evolution. Scheduled for April 29, the Zoom session will be moderated by former section chair and feature two leading scholars: Hillary Sale of Georgetown Law, known for her work on lawyer well‑being and organizational behavior, and Kate Schaffzin of the University of Tennessee, whose research maps leadership pathways for emerging attorneys. Participants will explore empirical findings on effective leadership training, identify core competencies—such as communication, ethical judgment, and adaptive thinking—and discuss practical classroom strategies that can be implemented immediately.

For law schools, the implications are clear: integrating leadership development can differentiate programs, attract high‑caliber applicants, and better align graduates with employer expectations. Law firms stand to benefit from a pipeline of lawyers who can lead cross‑functional initiatives, navigate regulatory complexity, and drive business growth. By attending the webinar, educators and practitioners gain actionable tools to reshape legal education, ensuring the next generation of lawyers is equipped not just to argue cases, but to lead with confidence in an ever‑changing legal landscape.