“To punish me for my contempt for authority, fate made me an authority myself.” –  Albert Einstein

Lawyers were once an authority in our society. Lawyers have been protagonists throughout history, and have, themselves, made history. Lawyers have often been, what today we would refer to as, opinion formers or influencers.

But times have changed and history has left its mark on the image that lawyers have in our society. We believe, however, that the time has come for them to regain their prestigious place in public perception. We believe that the difficult years of study and internship, their continuous efforts of self-improvement, the special responsibilities they are called to assume and the noble mission they exercise towards their peers rightly qualify them as poles of authority in today’s society.

How, then, should lawyers position themselves against the idea of ​​authority and how can they avoid extremes? This is certainly an issue that deserves a wider debate.

We can, however, think of a few dimensions:

“I dreamed of becoming an authority in the legal landscape.” Here is an ideal that describes an arc over time: on the one hand, we claim from an illustrious gallery of portraits of lawyers who have changed, over time, the face of the society in which we live. There are models that inspire us and make us aspire to be an ideal lawyer, to feel proud that we made this choice. On the other hand, our professional ideal remains utopian without a solid anchor in the realities of the age in which we live. We need functional, viable models, adapted to the ever-changing demands of the contemporary world. Today, being an authority in a certain field does not exclusively involve holding positions in academia or publishing specialized papers.

How do we position ourselves toward the idea of ​​branding, promotion, marketing, and attracting a portfolio of heavy clients? Succeeding in making your name a prestigious brand in the landscape of law will give you the status of authority in the field. In our book, More Than a Lawyer, we wrote about several techniques to help empower lawyers.

“My goal: to enjoy authority in the law firm I run.” Whether you have a small law firm with a few employees, have managed to develop a large firm, or you are simply in a leadership position in such an organization, you find, as you gain experience, that you already have authority. That, in fact, in one form or another, you can’t act without it. There is a lot of talk about leadership and different styles of being a leader. What is your style, your way of exercising your authority?

“I am a competent and authoritarian leader, I like to have permanent control over all aspects of my law firm’s business.” There is a difference between enjoying authority in an organization and leading that organization in an authoritarian style. In short, authority is about the perception of others, the respect and prestige you know how to build among your employees. Authoritarian style is a characteristic that you have assumed, even unconsciously. It depends on you and your way of communicating with others. An authoritarian leader makes ideas, initiatives and decisions start from a single forum of power. Without it, the organization cannot function.

On the contrary, a leader with authority makes this flow of ideas, inspiration, initiative and even decisions (see the concept of “empowerment” below) unambiguous. Information flows in two directions, like neural connections. And, just like in the case of these connections, the organization operates in a unitary, organic and sustainable way.

“I prefer to adopt a style of democratic leadership; I select my collaborators and employees on the basis of competence and I do not consider them below my level of expertise.” It’s a testament to the people you work with. On top of that, studies of work psychology have shown that a work environment that does not undermine employees’ self-esteem is a creative and lucrative space at the same time. Feeling satisfied at work is a very valuable source of stimulating the intrinsic motivation of your team members. Of course, financial incentives or other benefit packages are very important, but it is a valid truth everywhere that people who come to work with pleasure are more productive, more creative, happier and satisfied. The authority of the leader, in the conditions of a democratic leadership, is based, therefore, on the hierarchical distance between this leader and his subordinates.

  “Law is a specific field, difficult to compare with others. That’s why my leadership style is based on empowerment, a kind of participatory democracy.” Even when lawyers are active in a law firm, the lawyers bear, responsibility for their team. That is why it can be said that empowerment would be a much closer style of leadership.

What can you empower? It is about a set of methods, measures and techniques to support a manager, that a leader can implement for an increase  in autonomy.

Can this leader retain authority? In law, a leader can also be a mentor, a lawyer whose experience and portfolio can be recommended case study for young lawyers.

In conclusion, it is possible to have an authoritarian style of leadership built in respect, consideration and recognition of professional values ​​and skills!