Foley’s 2026 Senior Counsel Leadership Development Program Impacts Professional Growth, Relationships, and Engagement
Leadership development is an ongoing process of learning, reflection, and practical application. That progression was at the heart of Foley’s 2026 Senior Counsel Leadership Development Program, which brought together 20 senior counsel for a months-long experience designed to strengthen their leadership capabilities and prepare them for long-term success within the firm.
The Senior Counsel Leadership Development Program is organized around four interconnected modules — Leading Self, Leading People, Leading Process, and Leading Change — each focused on the behaviors and actions that bolster leadership effectiveness. Together, the modules provided participants with opportunities to develop practical skills, learn from firm leaders, and collaborate with colleagues across offices and departments.
Beginning with Leading Self in March in Chicago, participants explored how self-awareness, values, communication, and intentional decision-making shape leadership impact. Next, Leading People built on that foundation by focusing on emotional intelligence, active listening, and adapting communication styles to lead others and serve clients more effectively. Leading Process then shifted the focus to the interconnected roles of leading and managing and strategies for building accountable, high-performing legal teams through clear expectations, psychological safety, and effective feedback.
The final module, Leading Change, reunited participants in Chicago to examine inclusive and adaptive leadership and how to initiate and guide change within the firm. The module also featured a panel with Chairman and CEO Daljit Doogal, Managing Partner Steve Vazquez, and Chief Operating Officer Jen Patton. A highlight of the program, the discussion offered insight into the leadership required to move Foley forward as the legal services landscape evolves.
The program culminated in presentations from different groups of participants addressing intergenerational leadership challenges related to firm culture, artificial intelligence, wellbeing, career ownership and engagement, and succession planning. Working collaboratively throughout the months-long program, participants applied human-centered design thinking and other leadership skills to translate their learning into ideas relevant to the firm and develop actionable recommendations.
Participant feedback reflected the program’s impact on their professional growth, relationships, and engagement with firm leadership:
“The curriculum was engaging and highly relevant. Its strongest features were the practical value of [the communication assessment], the connection between leadership concepts and participants’ day-to-day roles, and the combination of external expertise with meaningful engagement from firm leadership.”
“I regularly left the modules thinking critically about how I practice and manage, and how I could improve. The sessions were all thought-provoking, and the participants were regularly engaged.”
“It meant a lot to see just how much leadership showed up for our presentations. It communicated to us that we really are valued here at the firm and that we are being invested in. This has been a fantastic program where I have had the opportunity to meet people I otherwise would have never met.”
“The opportunity to hear [firm] leaders’ perspectives, ask questions, and engage in direct conversation was extremely valuable.”
These reflections underscore the impact of this program, now in its fourth year, and Foley’s continued commitment to developing its next generation of leaders through practical learning experiences, stronger connections across the firm, and opportunities to help shape its future.
