One session that stood out for me at Legalweek this year was one that discussed essential skill sets for corporate legal department teams.
The session, hosted by ProSearch, was titled Future-Ready: The Ten Essential Skill Sets for Corporate Legal Department Teams. It was moderated by Julia Hasenzahl, CEO & Co-Founder of ProSearch with four corporate legal panelists: Sophia Contreras Schwartz, General Counsel at Nextdoor, Adam Nagorski, Associate General Counsel at UL Solutions, Jeremiah Weasenforth, Legal Analytics Director at Edward Jones, and Vincent Catanzaro, Lead Counsel at FedEx.
The discussion was centered around the research paper published by ProSearch in partnership with the Cowen Group, titled Metaskills for the Future-Ready Team, which was published last October. As part of the introduction, Julia Hasenzahl defined metaskills as “a higher order skill that allow individuals to continue to learn and adapt in many contexts and many different environments.” The traditional focus on purely technical or “soft” skills is no longer sufficient. Adaptability requires a deeper, more fundamental skillset.
The paper outlined 10 key essential skill sets (“metaskills”) identified by a group of corporate legal experts that are needed for future-ready legal teams, which were presented as follows:
- Data and Digital Literacy
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
- Emotional Intelligence
- Creative and Innovative Thinking
- Collaboration and Teamwork
- Leadership and Management
- Cultural Intelligence and Diversity Awareness
- Self-Management and Grit
- Lifelong Learning and Radical Curiosity
Given the time constraints of one hour, the discussion focused upon four skills in detail: 1) data and digital literacy, 2) critical thinking and problem solving, 3) self-management and growth, and 4) lifelong learning and radical curiosity
Nonetheless, several panelists emphasized the foundational nature of adaptability and emotional intelligence. Schwartz argued that “emotional intelligence and adaptability often underpinned other meta skills,” aiding in cross-functional relationships and the exploration of radical curiosity. Weasenforth noted that adaptability “is a catch-all that ties into all the other meta skills” and is crucial for navigating rapid changes, including the integration of AI. And Nagorski highlighted the importance of emotional intelligence for building trust and bridging gaps within the company, especially in sensitive situations like Mergers & Acquisitions.
As for the four primary skills discussed, here were a few highlights:
Data and Digital Literacy
This metaskill goes beyond simply using software and involves understanding how technology works, how data is created and used across the organization, and how to interpret data effectively, especially in the age of AI. Observations:
- Schwartz emphasized the need for data to have a clear objective and to be tied to business objectives, as well as the importance of having an “owner” for data tools and strategies.
- Weasenforth asserted that “for every legal problem that exists, it is also a legal data problem,” and that data can provide insights to improve processes and inform negotiations.
- Panelists cautioned against “chasing data for data’s sake” and implementing technology without a clear understanding of the problem it aims to solve.
- Pitfalls include jumping to familiar tools without considering the data’s nature and failing to think holistically about implicated data across different business functions.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Developing this metaskill means that legal departments need to move beyond simply identifying issues and become business partners focused on finding solutions. Observations:
- Schwartz emphasized the importance of understanding the business objectives first and then asking, “how can we help them do that?” She also stressed the value of asking many questions to gather complete information.
- Nagorski pointed out the hesitancy some attorneys have in offering definitive solutions, especially when it touches on business decisions. However, he stressed that the company expects legal to exercise judgment.
- Building cross-functional relationships was suggested as a way to gain better context and facilitate problem-solving.
Self-Management and Grit
The metaskill of self-management and grit in the legal field means evolving beyond simply working long hours to encompassing innovation and the ability to navigate high-pressure situations effectively.
- Weasenforth stressed the need to provide space for teams to innovate and be willing to “fail” in the pursuit of future efficiency. He also highlighted the importance of mutual support and empathetic leadership.
- Identifying these skills in hiring requires digging into past experiences in high-pressure situations and understanding how candidates have dealt with failures. The worst answer is “it’s never happened.”
- Nagorski connected self-management to the challenge of managing numerous demands from across the organization and the need to prioritize and manage expectations.
- Grit plays a role in countering imposter syndrome by understanding that in-house counsel’s value lies in their judgment and ability to synthesize information, rather than knowing everything immediately. It’s okay to provide the best assessment with limited information.
Lifelong Learning and Radical Curiosity
Continuous learning is a mindset, not just formal training, and is an essential metaskill for adapting to changing circumstances, technologies, and business needs.
- Schwartz shared her experimentation with ChatGPT as an example of fostering curiosity and leveraging new tools. She encouraged her team to spend time exploring new technologies, even if their immediate relevance isn’t apparent.
- Catanzaro emphasized making continuous learning an expectation for team members, extending beyond formal training to include understanding the business and engaging in conversations within and outside the legal department.
- Nagorski stressed the importance of modeling curiosity and lifelong learning as a leader. He suggested sharing interesting articles and implementing development plans focused on skill growth.
Building Future-Ready Teams
The panel also discussed assessing skill gaps within teams and the need to move beyond traditional job descriptions that primarily focus on tasks and experience with specific tools.
- Weasenforth suggested that job descriptions and interview questions should evolve to assess MetaSkills like adaptability, learning agility, and emotional intelligence.
- Schwartz emphasized gauging a candidate’s appetite for variety and ambiguity, particularly in smaller teams where individuals need to wear multiple hats. She framed this as a positive opportunity for learning and growth.
- The analogy of “wearing different caps” was used to illustrate the need for individuals and teams to adopt different MetaSkills depending on the situation and to recognize the value in having a diverse skillset within the legal department.
Conclusion
The panel effectively highlighted the critical importance of metaskills for the future success of corporate legal departments. The discussion provided valuable insights into what these skills entail, why they are essential in today’s dynamic environment, and practical strategies for legal leaders to cultivate these abilities within their teams and during the hiring process. In a conference where it seemed like all the discussion was focused on AI, it was refreshing to see a discussion regarding something different: essential skill sets – i.e., “metaskills” – that corporate legal teams will need to develop to be ready for the future!
Click here to download a copy of the ProSearch paper Metaskills for the Future-Ready Team.
So, what do you think? What metaskills does your team have? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.
Disclosure: ProSearch is an Educational Partner and sponsor of eDiscovery Today
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