Developing Tomorrow’s Law Firm Leaders: From Water Cooler Moments to Leadership Academies

In this follow-up to last week’s On Record PR episode on partner leadership, host Jennifer Simpson Carr sits down again with Mark Beese, leadership consultant and member of Furia Rubel’s International Faculty, to focus on the next generation of law firm leaders, including senior associates, junior partners, and rising stars preparing to take on leadership roles.

Drawing on his more than 35 years of professional services experience, including 17 years advising law firms, legal departments, and global legal networks, Mark discusses why traditional approaches to leadership development are no longer enough and how law firms can create intentional, structured programs that produce lasting change.

How has leadership development traditionally worked—and why is it no longer effective?

Mark explains that, for decades, many law firms relied on what he calls learning by osmosis. Associates picked up leadership and management skills informally—by observing partners in the conference room, shadowing them on client calls, or catching them for a “water cooler moment” to ask questions or get advice.

While this informal model had its moments, it was inconsistent and often left large skill gaps. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed these shortcomings. Remote work eliminated spontaneous, in-person interactions, and even as firms have adopted hybrid schedules, those unplanned training moments remain rare.

“Now,” Mark says, “we have to be much more intentional about development.”

What does intentional leadership development look like?

According to Mark, more mid-size and large firms are turning to leadership academies—bringing attorneys together by career stage for focused, multi-day training.

He recently facilitated a senior-level academy for a global firm that gathered 73 lawyers from four continents for four days, dedicating a day and a half to leadership topics such as:

• Leading high-performing teams
• Giving and receiving effective feedback
• Delegating work appropriately
• Developing followers and mentoring effectively
• Managing stress in high-pressure roles
• Balancing the demands of senior partners and junior associates

These programs often integrate assessments like Myers-Briggs, DiSC, Strengths Finder, or Heidi Gardner’s Smarter Collaboration to help participants understand their own styles, team dynamics, and how to adapt for better collaboration.

Why aren’t short workshops enough?

Jennifer points out that many firms still approach leadership development as a one-day off-site or 90-minute workshop. Mark acknowledges these events can be useful for introducing concepts, but they rarely lead to behavior change on their own.

“You can feed people information, but that’s not going to make them better at giving feedback,” he says. “You have to practice, get coaching, and learn together over time.”

He describes four key building blocks for lasting leadership development:

1. Interactive, experiential learning – Practicing skills in real time, such as role-playing feedback conversations and receiving peer critique.
2. Coaching – Providing individualized support to address each leader’s unique challenges.
3. Assessments – Using tools to build self-awareness and improve team interaction.
4. Cohorts – Small groups who meet regularly over months, sharing challenges, solutions, and reinforcing skills.

When combined in a 10–18 month program, these elements not only improve individual skills but can also shift firm culture. Mark shares an example of a Pacific Northwest firm where new practice group leaders began their cohort meetings giving one-word answers; by the end, discussions extended well beyond the scheduled time as participants actively collaborated to solve strategic problems.

How can hybrid and remote models support leadership development?

While some leadership skills—like feedback, persuasion, and in-depth communication—are best practiced in person, virtual formats offer unique advantages.

Mark notes that virtual cohorts can bring together diverse participants from across geographies, creating rich exchanges of ideas and building firmwide relationships that also support internal business development.

A balanced approach works best:

• In-person for simulations, skill-building, and high-impact networking.
• Virtual for ongoing cohort check-ins, coaching, and cross-office collaboration.

How can firms justify the investment in leadership programs?

Jennifer asks how listeners can start making the business case for leadership development in their firms. Mark recommends beginning with a simple but powerful question: “What’s the cost of doing nothing?”

He encourages leaders to think about the risks of inaction, including:

• Increased attrition, especially among high-potential associates.
• Loss of clients due to inconsistent leadership or communication.
• Difficulty attracting laterals in a competitive market.
• Cultural erosion when leaders are ill-equipped to manage change or conflict.

From there, he suggests identifying specific pain points through exit interviews, surveys, or informal conversations. For example:

• Associates may say they lack feedback.
• Senior associates may be unsure how to delegate effectively.
• Junior partners may feel unprepared to lead teams or manage conflict.

Once pain points are identified, firms can design targeted training initiatives. Over time, this can grow into a leadership competency model—a framework outlining the skills leaders should have at each career stage and the development opportunities to get them there.

What’s the takeaway for law firm leaders?

Mark emphasizes that leadership development is not a luxury—it’s a strategic imperative for law firms navigating a volatile legal marketplace.

The firms that will thrive are those that:

• Recognize the limits of informal training.
• Invest in long-term, structured programs tailored to career stage.
• Combine experiential learning, coaching, and peer cohorts.
• Use hybrid formats to maximize accessibility and diversity of perspectives.
• Build a business case by clearly connecting leadership skills to retention, recruitment, and client satisfaction.

Jennifer closes by noting that, more than ever, attorneys are committed to working in environments aligned with their values, where they feel supported and equipped to grow. “Leadership development,” she says, “is central to creating that culture.”

Resources:

• Mark Beese, Furia Rubel International Faculty: https://www.furiarubel.com/our-team/members/mark-beese/
• Furia Rubel International Faculty: https://www.furiarubel.com/our-team/faculty/
• Center for Creative Leadership: https://www.ccl.org/
• Myers-Briggs: https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/myers-briggs-overview/
• DiSC: https://www.everythingdisc.com/
• Heidi K. Gardner: https://hls.harvard.edu/heidi-k-gardner/
• Smarter Collaboration: https://www.gardnerandco.co/books/smarter-collaboration/
• StrengthsFinder: https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/254033/strengthsfinder.aspx