By Barbara Whittle

‘The Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) strongly supports the view that more women should take up leadership positions in the legal profession,’ says LSSA Chief Executive Officer, Nic Swart.

The LSSA’s Legal Education and Development division (LEAD), in association with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, has launched a pilot project aimed at empowering women attorneys by focussing on key concepts relating to leadership.

These include –

• ‘branding’ and how to develop a personal brand;
• leadership styles and how to apply your own style;
• the requirements of powerful thinking;
• the dynamics of organisational politics and how to manage this reality;
• thinking and acting strategically;
• emotional intelligence and interacting effectively at different levels; and
• facing the challenges/obstacles for women leaders and how to overcome these.

The programme will be intensive and interactive, running over two sessions – of three days in November 2014 and two days in February 2015 – with facilitators that are dynamic tutors in their areas of specialisation.

The first pilot course will be offered in Johannesburg (after which LEAD will consider expanding this course to other centres).

Applications from women lawyers with at least eight years’ practical experience, who are interested in growing their leadership skills, will be considered.

For more information on the women lawyers in leadership course, e-mail jeanne-mari@LSSA.org.za and indicate your potential to be a significant leader in your chosen field.

Compiled by Barbara Whittle, communication manager, Law Society of South Africa, barbara@lssa.org.za

This article was first published in De Rebus in 2014 (Oct) DR 23.