lessons from the military...nov 13, 2019 · newport beach: 949.854.7000 walnut creek: 925.988.3200...

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LESSONS FROM THE MILITARY:

Developing Leadership Skills for In-House Counsel


Our Speakers

Michael J. StudenkaPartner, Head of Labor &

EmploymentNewmeyer Dillion LLP

John K. LeeSenior Counsel Douglas Emmett


“Leadership: the art of getting someone to do

something you want done because he wants to do it.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn

more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

John Quincy Adams

“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing

the right things.”

Peter F. Drucker

What is Leadership?


What is Leadership?

Manage:

✓ Budgets

✓ Schedules

✓ Equipment

✓ Supplies

✓ Performance Review Process

✓ Hiring Process

Lead:

✓ People

✓ Teams

✓ Groups

A Military Definition: Not a Title, A Behavior

“The art of influencing others in such a manner to accomplish the mission.”

Different than managing: “You manage things. You lead people.”


WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER?

• Justice

• Judgment

• Dependability

• Initiative

• Decisiveness

• Tact

• Integrity

• Endurance

• Bearing

• Unselfishness

• Courage

• Knowledge

• Loyalty

• Enthusiasm

J-J-D-I-D-T-I-E-B-U-C-K-L-E


It’s harder to be a leader in the private sector than in the Marine Corps/Navy.

WHY?


The Practice of Law is Not Leadership Friendly

• Lawyers: Our Programming and DNA

Obstacles in the Practice of Law

• Client / Budgetary Constraints

• Highly Regulated Workplace

No Clear Chain of Command = No Unified Chain of Command

Little Training, Mentoring or Culture of Leadership

OTHERS?

➢Skeptical

➢Autonomous

➢Anti-social

➢Resistant to change

➢High sense of urgency

➢Don’t do well with setbacks


Obstacles for In-house Counsel

• Seen as Experts in law. However being a legal “know it all” doesn’t make you a Leader.

• What are the Obstacles?

➢The Client and I am the Company

➢Understanding Who’s My Client?

➢Do You Understand Your Client’s Business?

➢What is Your Role?

➢Being an Influencer

➢Breaking Down Barriers

➢Building Relationships

➢Behavior and Attitude

➢Inspiration or a Distraction

➢How Do I Fix This/Are We Ready?

© Copyright 2018 Newmeyer & Dillion


✓ Rely on a Mirror (Honest Self-Evaluations) – Often…

✓ Know Your People

✓ Put the Needs of Your Employees Ahead of Your Own

✓ Delegate – But Never Ask Your People to Do Something that You

Cannot or Will Not Do Yourself.

✓ Set the Example

✓ Communicate

✓ Inspect What You Expect

✓ Understand that You Are Responsible for What Your Team Does or

Fails to Do

Habits of a Good Leader


❑ - Know your people and look out for their welfare.

❑ - Keep your people informed.

❑ - Know yourself and seek self-improvement.

❑ - Be technically and tactically proficient.

❑ - Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions.

❑ - Make sound and timely decisions.

❑ - Set the example.

❑ - Develop a sense of responsibility in your subordinates.

❑ - Ensure that the task is understood, supervised, and accomplished.

❑ - Train your people as a team.

❑ - Employ your unit in accordance with its capabilities.

The Navy’s 11 Leadership Principles


John K. Lee is an in-house attorney for Douglas Emmett, a publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trust, specializing in commercial office properties in Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, the Valley and Honolulu. He holds the position of Senior Counsel. Prior to joining Douglas Emmett, Mr. Lee was an in-house attorney with Bank of Hope, MUFG Union Bank, N.A., and a senior associate with two global law firms, Paul Hastings LLP and Pillsbury Winthrop LLP.

Mr. Lee is a Past President of the Southern California Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel (2017-18), and has been a member of its Board of Directors for 9 years.

Mr. Lee earned his B.A. in Social Ecology at the University of California at Irvine in 1991. Upon graduation from the University of Pacific – McGeorge School of Law in 1994, Mr. Lee was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps where he served on active duty for four years. Mr. Lee achieved the rank of Lieutenant (O-3).

As a criminal defense counsel, Mr. Lee gained extensive experience by successfully completing 8 jury trials and 6 bench trials in 18 months. He was awarded the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal for meritorious performance as a defense counsel. He received an honorable discharge in 1998.

On the one-year anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Mr. Lee joined the United States Naval Reserve (as a Lieutenant) where he served the Judge Advocate General’s Corps and country through the Iraqi War until he was honorably discharged in February 2003.

Mr. Lee has been married for 25 years and has two daughters.

About John Lee


Michael Studenka is a partner in the Newport Beach office and leads the firm's labor and employment practice group. His litigation practice concentrates on a full spectrum of employment needs, and commercial and residential construction.

Mike’s employment practice centers on defending employers in lawsuits or administrative complaints. These run the full spectrum of needs from wrongful termination to misappropriation of trade secrets. He leverages his extensive experience in jury trials, witness depositions and interviews, and investigations to efficiently and successfully defend his clients against such claims.

On the proactive side, Mike also advises employers on proper employee handbooks and policies, employment contracts, reductions in force, wage and hour issues, and employee terminations. He frequently conducts in-house training and management seminars for executives, supervisors, managers, and human resources professionals in all aspects of employment law. This includes advising his clients’ managers on their legal obligations while drawing from the leadership and personnel management skills he learned as a Marine Corps Officer.

Prior to joining Newmeyer Dillion, Michael was a Judge Advocate in the United States Marine Corps. In his two tours on active duty, he served as the Senior Prosecutor and Senior Defense Attorney at various locations, including deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In total, he prosecuted and defended over 390 Marines in cases for offenses including premeditated murder, sexual assault, the distribution of narcotics, and larceny. He defended several Marines in high-profile felony cases that received national and international media attention. While serving in the Marine Corps, Michael received three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Iraqi Campaign Medal.

Learn more about how Mike and his team can help: https://www.newmeyerdillion.com/michael-j-studenka/

About Michael Studenka

https://www.newmeyerdillion.com/michael-j-studenka/


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lessons from the military...nov 13, 2019 · newport beach: 949.854.7000 walnut creek: 925.988.3200...

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