I recently had the pleasure of leading a daylong training on empathetic leadership at the partner retreat for Lozano Smith.
When I tell people I’m a lawyer who focuses on workplace empathy, I often get puzzled looks. Lawyers aren’t exactly known for their compassion. Remember that line from Clueless? “My daddy’s the meanest kind of lawyer! He’s a litigator.” Yeah, I was a litigator.
But firms like Lozano Smith shatter that perception. It’s collegial, compassionate, and committed to fostering a supportive environment. They have a “no jerks” rule—and enforce it.
It was a pleasure to talk through with them the thorny challenges around ensuring work of the highest quality while maintaining the collaborative and supportive environment where lawyers and staff can thrive and turnover is reduced.
Here are a few of the things we discussed:
-What does boundary-setting look like in a client-driven, billable-hours environment?
-How do we give clear, actionable feedback while maintaining trust and psychological safety?
-What tools help navigate heightened emotions in client interactions and public meetings, ensuring people feel heard without derailing the conversation?
Discussions like these remind me how essential it is for legal professionals to prioritize connection, well-being, and compassion–and how impactful it is when they do.
Empathy and excellence aren’t mutually exclusive; they’re essential partners in creating workplaces where people thrive and performance skyrockets. Let’s continue to build law firm cultures where empathy is an expectation, not a surprise.
Empathetic Leadership for Law Firms
