With guest authors Elizabeth King ’26 and CJ Maples ’27
As you may have heard before, leadership is a critical skill to succeed in law school and the legal profession. The American Bar Association frequently emphasizes the importance of leadership to work effectively with clients, judges, and fellow colleagues. What exactly does leadership look like for attorneys and what opportunities exist for students to develop leadership skills before starting their careers? Read below to learn more!
Why are leadership skills important in the legal profession?
Leadership skills are essential in the legal profession as lawyers are not only expected to interpret and apply the law, but also to guide clients, teams, and organizations through complex legal challenges on a daily basis. Whether working in a law firm, government office, or any area of law, it is crucial that lawyers have the confidence and ability to enhance their individual success while promoting the successes of those around them.
One of the key reasons leadership is important in law is the role lawyers play in advising and advocating for clients. Lawyers must be able to assess situations quickly, think strategically, and make informed decisions that align with their client’s best interests. Strong leadership fosters confidence in clients, ensuring they feel well-represented and supported. Lawyers who are strong leaders can better handle negotiations, manage disputes, and advocate effectively in court or corporate settings. Beyond client interactions, leadership skills are critical for managing teams. Lawyers work with a variety of individuals, including partners, associates, and paralegals at law firms, as well as prosecutors, public defenders, and judges in the government. Lawyers must be able to delegate tasks efficiently, mentor other individuals in the workplace, and adapt to evolving legal and regulatory landscapes.
Leadership skills help lawyers create change, whether through influencing policy, managing legal teams, or guiding clients or their organizations through challenges. The ability to take initiative, resolve conflicts, and mentor others enhances both professional growth and the impact a lawyer can have on their clients and community.
What type of leadership skills are necessary for success in the legal profession?
According to the American Bar Association (ABA), people skills are among the most crucial leadership qualities that lawyers must possess. Lawyers are often required to work closely with a diverse range of individuals, including clients, colleagues, judges, and other people in the legal system. The ability to work well with others is a vital skill for all lawyers. Additionally, the ABA emphasizes the importance of being able to teach as a lawyer. Lawyers frequently find themselves in situations where they must educate clients about their rights, options, and the potential consequences of different legal actions. Client sophistication on certain legal matters may vary, so it is important to be able to explain legal concepts at their level of understanding.
The ABA also notes the importance of strategic thinking, effective communication, building relationships, being inclusive, and being able to manage teams as important aspects of leadership. These skills are needed for lawyers to be able to navigate complex legal situations, build strong client relationships, advocate effectively, and manage teams. Additionally, in government and public service roles, lawyers must collaborate with constituents, fellow legislators, or judges and address the complexities that arise in governmental proceedings. Strong leadership ensures that lawyers can represent their clients, advocate for justice, and contribute meaningfully to public policy and legal reform. The ABA supports current lawyers in continuing to develop leadership qualities through resources such as the Lawyer Leadership Resource Center.
How do lawyers serve as leaders?
Bar Associations (local, statewide, national): Bar associations are professional organizations that support lawyers through networking, education, advocacy, and ethical guidance. Lawyers can serve on committees focused on key legal areas. They can also take on roles such as president, vice president, treasurer, or board member of the association. These positions involve improving the organization as a whole, advocating for legislative or judicial reforms, and ensuring the organization effectively serves its members. The Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) has many Standing Committees that focus on issues such as budget and auditing, delivery of legal services, investments, real estate, and more. These committees meet on a consistent basis to discuss how they can improve their committee areas and educate the public on the importance of their work. The ISBA also holds networking events for lawyers to connect with other lawyers in Illinois, such as the Environmental Law Networking Event. The American Bar Association has similar committees on national issues and holds conferences and webinars for lawyers around the country to connect with others and share the work they are doing. Specialized Illinois Bar Associations include the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, the Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois, and the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.
Board members for not-for-profit organizations, businesses, or institutes: Lawyers can serve as leaders on the boards of non-profit organizations, businesses, or institutes by using their legal expertise, strategic thinking, and decision-making skills to improve an organization or business they are interested in. Lawyers can use their leadership skills to give insight to organizations that they believe in. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization focused on defending and preserving individual rights and liberties guaranteed under the Constitution.
Susan N. Herman, a lawyer, served as the President of the ACLU from 2008 to 2021. She is a professor of law and a constitutional law expert who used her legal expertise to lead and guide the organization in its advocacy for civil rights, free speech, privacy, and other constitutional issues.
Members of government organizations, initiatives, or programs: Lawyers can serve as leaders for government organizations, initiatives, task forces, or programs to advocate for public policy, or lobby for change. Lawyers can oversee public interest programs, hold leadership roles in government agencies to oversee compliance and regulatory challenges or run for political office. In these roles, lawyers guide policy change, encourage the efficient functioning of government institutions, and advocate for change. For example, government organizations often have a General Counsel position held by a lawyer.
Pro bono work as stewards for social change: Lawyers serve as leaders in pro bono work by using their legal expertise to serve underrepresented communities, promoting social justice reform. Lawyers can serve on boards of legal aid organizations or advise policymakers on what issues affect underprivileged communities most. As leaders in the pro bono space, lawyers can promote human rights and mobilize resources for communities that need it most. The American Bar Association has a Pro Bono Program that provides lawyers access to hundreds of pro bono programs in the U.S. The ABA Commission on Immigration connects lawyers with opportunities to represent family groups looking for citizenship or dealing with immigration matters in the United States. Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, a nonprofit organization that provides free legal assistance to low-income individuals in the Chicago area, helps in civil legal matters such as housing disputes, family law issues, wills and estates, immigration, consumer protection, and much more.
Judges: Lawyers can serve as judges, where they can provide guidance to other lawyers, oversee legal proceedings, and ensure due process. They can manage courtrooms, resolve disputes, and issue decisions that shape public policy and legal interpretations. Some judges can lead legal system improvements, such as expanding access to pro bono services, implementing restorative justice programs, or addressing systemic biases in the judiciary. Their leadership ensures that courts function effectively while improving the legal process and society as a whole.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor began her career as an assistant district attorney in New York City, where she worked on criminal cases. She later entered private practice before being appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in 1992 and later became a Supreme Court Justice.
Mentors on alumni boards: Lawyers can serve as leaders on alumni boards by mentoring undergraduate and law students. Their experience in the legal field allows them to provide guidance to individuals entering the legal profession while also supporting alumni engagement. Lawyers on alumni boards can help shape engagement, strengthen ties between graduates and the university, and advocate for policies that enhance the institution’s reputation. Their leadership ensures that alumni networks remain active and that graduates benefit from their alma mater’s resources. The Illinois College of Law has the Law Alumni Board, which is a group of dedicated alumni who support the College of Law’s alumni efforts, including advising and mentoring law students, promoting social relationships among alumni, and sharing the mission of the law school.
Teaching at the undergraduate or law school level: Through their expertise and experience, lawyers can become professors at the undergraduate or graduate level. Lawyers as teachers can provide students with a deeper understanding of legal principles, critical thinking skills, and practical applications of the law, bringing real-world insight into their teaching. They can also contribute to legal research, which can influence the legal field as a whole. There are multiple law classes available to undergraduates here at UIUC, including Introduction to Law, Living the Law, Transitional Justice, and more. These classes are taught by professors who have practiced law during their careers.
In what ways do law students develop leadership skills?
Many law schools provide special programming and events for students to develop leadership skills. These many options help students develop their personal skills, as well as become better public speakers, navigate conflicts, work collaboratively with others, and use critical thinking to plan strategically. These programs aim to develop law students into talented leaders who can work well with others.
At the University of Illinois College of Law, the Leadership Project is a great way for law students to develop leadership and interpersonal skills while also continuing to progress through their law curriculum. Led by Director Greg Miarecki, as well as an advisory board, the Leadership Project aims to give students the opportunity to collaborate with their peers and instructors and to grow their knowledge of how they can contribute to a well-functioning and ethical world of law. Students have the opportunity to take many types of classes to fulfill the requirements to become a Leadership Project Scholar, including Lawyers as Leaders, Immigration Law Clinic, and Representative Government in Illinois.
Another program example is the Harvard Law School’s Accelerated Leadership Program. Within this program, Harvard’s Law School focuses on four concepts to become a better leader: Personal Leadership, People and Team Leadership, Practice Leadership, and Client Leadership. Throughout the program, participants go through case studies, lectures, and other discussions to navigate these leadership concepts and develop an understanding of what qualities lead to success and effective leadership techniques.
What are ways undergraduate students can develop leadership skills?
Undergraduate students have a multitude of opportunities to develop their leadership skills on and off campus. Before applying to a graduate or law program, undergraduate students should take the time to develop themselves as leaders so they are fully prepared for the next steps in their journey, whether that be their career, further education, or a gap year(s) where they can take the time to explore more of what life has to offer.
There are a number of ways to start getting involved during your undergraduate career.
The Illinois Leadership Center: The ILC is a fantastic place to get your leadership journey started. The mission of the ILC is to develop and enhance the leadership skills of all students through assessment, learning, and experiential opportunities. The center aims to showcase that leaders need to be able to work well with others, whether it be in a group project, roommate situation, or a career presentation. Leaders are needed to navigate how a team works, who they work well with, and how they can set their team up for success. The ILC believes that leadership can be taught and is something that we can continue to increase our knowledge and practice of. With this, the ILC offers the Clifton Strengths Assessment to help students understand and put a name to what they are leaders of. Examples include adaptability, empathy, connectedness, and strategic thinking, as well as many other attributes.
The ILC helps students focus in on and grow their strengths of leadership, rather than highlight their weaknesses. Another way the ILC guides students to leadership success is through the Leadership Certificate Program. The goal of this program is to allow students to have a customizable approach to the development of their leadership skills. Requirements for this program include attending two leadership labs, four leadership workshops, participating in one co-curricular team experience, and taking one academic course relating to leadership. Through each of these experiences, students learn the skills and steps that it takes to master leadership, how to make themselves stand out from the rest of their peers, and how to work well with those around them to guarantee mutual success.
Registered Student Organizations: While on campus, students may find that they are overwhelmed with the number of opportunities they have to get involved. There are over 1000 RSOs on campus! However, there is no one path that a student needs to take in becoming a leader, as every RSO has leadership opportunities. Whether it be a social, business, law, engineering, health, math, or science fraternity or sorority, an RSO focused on shared perspectives or culture, a group that loves concerts, an art and design club, etc., every single organization presents the opportunity to grow and become a leader within it.
Leadership roles within these RSOs include the planning of meetings, coordinating events, sponsoring connections, and leading your RSO in activities. Joining any RSO is a great way to watch their leadership guide you and learn how they apply leadership skills to run their organization smoothly. Once you feel confident, there is nothing stopping you from stepping up to a leadership role in one of these organizations.
To learn more about Pre-Law RSOs, visit the Pre-Law Advising Services blog to see more information about all of the different pre-law organizations that are on campus.
Employment and Internships: There are so many opportunities to find employment and internships related to your area of study, whether it be at a career fair, internship fair, or simply on the quad. These opportunities present a great way to develop leadership skills as you have the chance to work with others, giving you the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience with all different kinds of people. Internships come with a lot of mentoring and learning, so students will have a lot of time and opportunities to learn from people who have been in their positions. These internships can range anywhere from a law firm to a state government position to an intern at an accounting office. Employment opportunities are also available and a great way to develop leadership skills. Restaurants on and off campus are always hiring, and these are great places to develop team-building and communication skills. Places where you interact with a lot of guests, whether it be in a restaurant, store, or at the ARC, allow you to develop your public speaking skills and even get experience in small or big conversations. Check-out the Pre-Law Internship Guide on the Canvas page to get started!
Research with a Professor: Many professors and colleges here at the University of Illinois offer students the chance to conduct research to help professors with long-term projects, even giving students the chance to become published authors in some cases. Participating in these opportunities is a great way to develop leadership skills as you are learning from a person or people who are experts in their field and utilize their knowledge to teach others what they know, which is a big aspect of leadership. It also allows students to develop team-building skills and communication skills, collaborating with the professor and other students to put together cohesive research and presentations. If you are not sure where to start, the Office of Undergraduate Research is a fantastic place!
Pre-Law Leadership Summit: The annual Pre-Law Leadership Summit is a great way to connect and build relationships with other students interested in law, as well as build connections with pre-law advisors. By attending, students can collaborate with others and develop public speaking and relationship-building skills to share their law journeys thus far, as well as learn from leaders of the community about their pre-law experiences. Over 30 pre-law representatives will be in attendance, all collaborating to develop a better understanding of the law career.
2025 Pre-Law Leadership Summit
“The prelaw leadership summit was immensely insightful and engaging and led to questions that were previously unanswered to be answered and led to further conversation and clarification on the prelaw journey from all sorts of prelaw students who are at different places in their prelaw journey.” -Sam Holmes
“From insightful discussions to inspiring speakers, the Leadership Summit was a powerful reminder of what it means to lead with purpose.” -Milica Stupar
Final Thoughts…
There are many ways to develop leadership skills throughout your education and career, whether you’re in your undergraduate years, in law school, pursuing higher education in another field, or you have begun your professional career. There is no one path to grow these skills, and everyone will become a leader at their own pace. It is important to know, however, the skills that you must learn and how to develop them so you can become the best leader possible. Whether you demonstrate these skills in the classroom, in an office, or social situations, leadership qualities will shine brightly and set you up for success.
A special thank you to our student guest authors and Advisory Council members, Elizabeth King and CJ Maples.
