Clifford Law Offices partners, Susan A. Capra, Shannon M. McNulty, and Sarah F. King, sat down with Better to share their thoughts on what it takes to be an effective leader at work and in the community. In the article, all three lawyers agreed that communication and community involvement are skill sets that are needed for effective leadership, both in business and in life.
Susan Capra, who concentrates her law practice in the area of medical and hospital negligence litigation, noted that “communicating with clients is essential” and has a policy of always returning client calls within 24 hours so that the client feels heard. Sarah F. King, who works on complex medical malpractice cases, agreed and added that “regular updates also go a long way toward building meaningful communications with others.”
Personal injury and wrongful death attorney Shannon McNulty noted that the traits of a great leader – “rigor, agility, adaptability, calm under pressure” – are also the same elements it takes to win a case in the courtroom. McNulty added, “A great leader is also inclusive, identifying and deploying strengths of individuals to achieve the mission.”
Their leadership traits extend outside of the courtroom through their personal pursuits of donating their time to different causes, big and small. King, for example, shared how she uses her communication and resources to help solve problems for members of her community, which can be “as simple as writing a letter on (her) neighbor’s behalf or calling to help (her) elderly landlord negotiate a medical bill.”
All lawyers at Clifford Law Offices are encouraged to give back to the community through volunteering as well as participating in office-based community projects, such as Clifford Law Offices’ Food and Shelter Project where they helped provide over 4,000 meals to homeless shelters throughout Chicago during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Giving one’s time, talent and resources to the needs of a local school, church or civic group is incredibly rewarding,” commented Shannon McNulty, who went on to say, “It is also important to our profession for lawyers to remain engaged outside of the courtroom and in touch with real people confronting real issues.”
These women lead not only through words, but also by action, both on the job and in their lives. We are extremely proud to have them as part of the Clifford Law Offices family.
Learn more about Clifford Law Offices’ Community Involvement here.