PDC Summer Conference Pre-Session for Chiefs and Directors

Harnessing the Power of Possibilities: Facilitating Change and Innovation as a Legal Talent Leader

Details
July 9, 2025, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. CT
Hosted at the Chicago Office of K&L Gates (70 West Madison Street, Suite 3300, Chicago, Illinois 60602)

Faculty: Scott Westfahl, Professor of Practice and Faculty Director, Harvard Law School Executive Education

Registration Fee: Member  $300 Non-Member $400

Program Description
This half-day program will consist of two workshop-style sessions. To prepare for the program, participants will be asked to do approximately 20 minutes of pre-reading and reflection. The program will be an opportunity to learn and think through challenges and opportunities you are facing, alongside industry peers.

Workshop 1: Leading Change in Uncertain Times: Applying Key Principles of Adaptive Leadership

Our first workshop will outline key principles of the Adaptive Leadership model developed by faculty at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

We will explore the difference between leadership and authority and discuss practical strategies for law firm talent leaders to lead from their positions. We will then explore the difference between technical challenges and adaptive challenges, and how understanding that difference will help ensure more sustainable change.

Participants will use their own case examples to map out how they can make progress on adaptive challenges through two small group exercises: the first one will challenge participants to identify adaptive challenges their firm or PD team is facing. They will then begin to diagnose the challenges by “getting on the balcony” and mapping out stakeholders and their interests and concerns. Once we debrief the first exercise, participants will engage in the second exercise to begin to outline potential ways to help the firm to make progress on the challenges they identified.

Workshop 2: Creating a More Innovative Culture to Help Drive Change

Building upon our adaptive leadership workshop, our second workshop will explore six key factors that drive creativity and innovation in an organization, which is critical to the piloting, learning and experimenting required in adaptive leadership. We will explore those factors in detail, providing specific examples about how law firms can improve on each of the six factors, and also sharing data as to how General Counsel of leading companies are attempting to do so.

Participants will engage in exercises to trade thoughts and ideas about how they can help create a more creative and innovative culture, at either their firm, department, or team level. We will conclude by debriefing in plenary and summarizing themes and ideas.

Questions?
If you have questions, you may contact Matt Galando at matthew.galando@klgates.com or Lauren Hakala at lhakala@reedsmith.com.