Given the dramatic shifts in the legal market – especially those driven by technology – the rules for success for law firms and in-house counsel are changing, as well as the rules for how to be effective in your role. Almost everything written about influence in organizations assumes that you are in the ‘ingroup’. In a professional services context, the challenge is to be impactful, both with influencing externally, but also within the firm itself. My research is focused on how to get traction when professionals are not in a position of formal authority, and we will be exploring the practical and actionable findings from this ongoing investigation. Being effective in a legal environment (whether in a law firm or in-house) brings unique challenges, yet there are a range of strategies that will enable you to maximize your impact.

The workshop will be highly interactive and involve a series of exercises. The day will be structured as follows:

• The legal market context – how technology and complexity are changing the rules for success for law firms/legal departments
• The Cassandra Syndrome – why people don’t act on your advice, despite your professional expertise
• Revisiting the ‘trusted advisor’ – what does this mean today?
• Lessons from strategy consulting – what are they doing right and where are they struggling?
• Overcoming corporate inertia
• Ingroup vs. outgroup dynamics – how to demonstrate competence
• The 10 behaviors that will enable you to increase your traction and impact
• Your personal development plan – what action commitments will enable you to be successful?

In a series of interactive lectures and case studies, Professor Mihir Desai will develop the most central intuition from finance including value creation, capital allocation and valuation.

How cognitive flexibility fuels better judgement, innovation, and human connection. In a world defined by volatility, the most undervalued leadership trait is not confidence but openness — the ability to stay curious when others contract. This session explores “Openness to Experience” as a form of strategic intelligence for modern leaders: how to hold multiple perspectives, learn through discomfort, and remain receptive to insight under pressure. Participants will engage in a brief self-assessment and dialogue on the psychology of openness — its link to risk appetite, empathy, and decision-making — and leave with practices to cultivate adaptability without losing conviction.