Insights on Legal Leadership from ACC Annual Meeting 2025

Insights on Legal Leadership from ACC Annual Meeting 2025

Leadership in the legal profession continues to evolve — shaped by new expectations, changing team dynamics, and a growing emphasis on connection and trust.

At this year’s Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Annual Meeting, Latitude invited in-house counsel and legal department leaders to pause and share their own perspectives on what great leadership looks like today.

Throughout the week, in-house counsel and legal department professionals stopped by to jot down their thoughts in response to prompts such as “What qualities do you most admire in legal leaders?” and “What will define the future of legal team leadership?” Their handwritten notes, posted on our conversation wall, became a snapshot of how legal professionals are thinking about leadership — what’s working well, what they value most, and where there’s room to grow.

As Latitude Partner Megan Grossman reflected after the conference, the moment was less about gathering answers and more about sparking reflection. “A few people stopped and said some version of, ‘These are such thoughtful questions — this is what the legal community needs right now,’” she recalled. “They enjoyed having the space to talk about leadership, ask questions, and connect. It felt less about having the ‘right’ answers and more about starting the conversation.”

Taken together, these reflections offer a collective view of the values that continue to shape how legal teams lead, collaborate, and thrive.

The sections that follow highlight overarching themes that emerged from the responses shared by the ACC community — offering a window into how today’s legal professionals view leadership and the leadership qualities that matter most.

Listening, Empathy, and Psychological Safety

When responding to what qualities they most admire in legal leaders, participants most often cited listening, transparency, humility, and empathy. Participants described leaders who “listen to all voices and perspectives” and “teach by example.”

One individual captured the sentiment beautifully, saying that they know legal leadership is truly successful when “employees feel safe to take risks and feel supported doing so.”

A few participants emphasized that great leaders communicate openly and create space for candid conversations — especially when those conversations are difficult.

When legal professionals feel safe to speak up and supported in taking thoughtful risks, their departments can become stronger, more agile, and more proactive in managing risk and advancing organizational goals.

Steadiness in Uncertainty

In periods of change or uncertainty, team members appreciate leaders who serve as steadying forces.

Leaders navigating change “keep calm and bring everyone along,” one respondent wrote. Another added, “Be the face for the organization of speaking the truth, even when it’s hard.”

Across the wall, this theme of calm, transparent communication stood out. Several participants emphasized the importance of guiding teams not just through complexity, but through ambiguity — maintaining clarity, honesty, and composure along the way.

“I heard a lot of versions of, ‘I wish our leaders would share more about what’s happening,’” Megan recalled. “People just want to be kept in the loop — not left hanging or uncertain.”

That kind of steadiness builds trust. It reminds teams that even in challenging times, their leaders are grounded, compassionate, and committed to moving forward together.

Courage and Integrity

A legal leader can make a meaningful difference “by asking the tough questions that others may not be willing to ask and looking at risk holistically — reputational, ethical, cultural, financial,” one participant wrote. Another urged, “Speak up! Don’t just go along with everyone else.”

Courageous leadership is principled and deeply human. The comments suggest that this courage earns respect through consistency — the quiet, daily choice to do what’s right, even when it’s difficult.

Flexibility and Adaptability

When asked what will define the future of legal leadership, attendees’ answers often converged on three words: flexibility, adaptability, and agility.

“The ability to be agile and creative — think more like a business leader!” one wrote.

That growing emphasis on adaptability reflects a profession in transformation. Legal leaders today are managing risk while also contributing to business strategy, collaborating across departments, and aligning legal priorities with broader organizational goals.

Flexibility also extends to how legal teams are structured and staffed. As Megan noted, the theme of balance comes up repeatedly in conversations we have across the legal community. Leaders are working to stay positive and keep morale high, even as resources tighten. “At other recent industry conferences this year, I heard the same thing — leaders sharing about how hard it is to balance everything: limited budgets, smaller teams, and still wanting to keep morale up and asking each other for ideas or advice,” she said.

For many, adaptability and the ability to pivot quickly — whether in leadership style or legal staffing strategy — has become a strategic advantage.

Development and Empowerment

Another prominent theme was growth — not only personal, but collective. Attendees highlighted “development of team members,” “providing new opportunities,” and “empowering decision-making” as hallmarks of great leadership.

These reflections suggest that many legal leaders view mentorship as a continuous practice rather than a periodic task. By sharing ownership, recognizing contributions, and creating opportunities for others to lead, they strengthen engagement and prepare their departments for the future.

Leaders who prioritize empowerment often see the impact in both morale and retention — and, more broadly, in the sense of shared purpose across their teams. For many in-house counsel, this emphasis on development reflects what we often hear across the profession: that mentorship and opportunity are just as critical to a thriving team as workload balance and support.

Business Alignment

Other insights focused on business fluency. “Know the business. Know the industry. Know the competitors,” one participant wrote when describing how leaders can make a meaningful difference within their organization.

This reflects a recognition that influence often comes from integration — from being part of the broader business conversation. Many participants described legal leaders who translate legal insight into strategy, partner with colleagues in finance, HR, and operations, and help the organization move forward with both clarity and confidence.

And while many responses focused on strategy and alignment, others highlighted something simpler: the human side of leadership.

The Human Element (Humor, Humility, and Connection)

As legal teams continue to evolve into strategic business partners, the human element of leadership — humor, humility, and empathy — remains just as important.

Amid thoughtful reflections on strategy and structure, some of the simplest comments were the most memorable. “Kindness, intelligence, and humor!” wrote one attendee when describing the qualities they admire most in leaders. Another added, “Great listener, teach by example, model accountability,” while one more noted, “Thoughtfulness, openness and transparency, concern about people.”

In a profession defined by precision and pressure, these reflections remind us that leadership doesn’t have to be serious to be sincere. A touch of humor, a bit of humility, or a moment of genuine empathy can strengthen relationships and trust across a team.

That sense of humanity also shapes culture. Many participants tied great leadership to tangible outcomes: stronger engagement, longer retention, and deeper trust. As one individual wrote, “A rising tide lifts all ships — they bring out the best in their people, reduce turnover, and build up institutional knowledge.”

These reflections reinforce that organizational culture can be a performance driver. When leaders act with empathy, transparency, and fairness, they create workplaces where attorneys and professionals feel valued — and where success is shared.

The Heart of Legal Leadership

The perspectives shared by the ACC community reflect a shared truth about leadership: it begins and ends with people. Legal leaders are redefining what it means to guide teams — not just through complex legal matters, but through collaboration, connection, and care for those doing the work.

What stood out most wasn’t a single skill or credential, but a mindset: an openness to listen, adapt, and lead with integrity. Across industries, these same qualities — empathy, transparency, and the courage to empower others — continue to shape the kind of workplaces where people and ideas thrive.

As Megan reflected on the experience overall, she said what struck her most wasn’t just the ideas and insights themselves, but the intent behind them. “So many people wanted to talk about leadership — what’s going well, what they admire in their leaders, and where things could be even better for their teams and organizations,” she said. “It wasn’t about having all the answers but about getting people thinking. Seeing others’ ideas up on the wall sparked new perspectives, and hopefully the conversation keeps going about how we can lead well and build teams where everyone thrives.”

In the end, the message was simple: focus on people, and the work will follow. When leaders listen, support, and empower their teams, everything else — trust, performance, and progress — grows from there.

Latitude provides experienced interim attorneys and other legal professionals to help in-house teams stay adaptable and thrive. Our model allows legal leaders to scale intelligently — bringing in the right talent at the right time so they can stay focused on strategy, people, and growth.