Locke Lord Chair David Taylor Speaks to Bloomberg Law on What Sets Locke Lord Apart, Challenges and Opportunities in the Legal Space, Leadership Convictions, Career Advice and More

Locke Lord Chair David Taylor was featured in Bloomberg Law’s Leading Questions series, speaking to Locke Lord’s competitive edge, opportunity and volatility in uncertain times, how leaders can help their people succeed and career advice. Discussing what sets Locke Lord apart from other firms, Taylor commented on providing the highest level of service to clients — particularly across five Key Sectors, the Firm’s strong presence in key markets and its collective culture of collegiality, teamwork, entrepreneurship and resilience. He added, “Having been with Locke Lord for my entire career of more than 31 years, I can attest that our people are truly second to none.”

Taylor said the unknown created by the COVID-19 pandemic has created “both opportunity and volatility” and detailed Locke Lord’s approach to client service during these unprecedented times. “Across our practice areas, we are focused on anticipating our clients’ needs 10 days, 10 weeks, and 10 months from now, and strategizing to further elevate the quality and depth of legal services they expect from us,” he said. “Similarly, leading and managing the firm today presents its own set of challenges. To meet them head on, and to leverage what we’ve learned from the pandemic, we have formed a Business Transformation Task Force charged with re-imagining ways to maximize the quality, efficiency, and profitability of our legal services without compromising our culture.”

Taylor also spoke on leadership lessons he is living by today including, “Surround yourself with people smarter than you, identify their strengths and delegate accordingly, giving them the authority they need to succeed; require excellence, but give grace for errors of effort; and communicate with your people as much as possible to engender trust and reinforce that they are an important part of something bigger.”

In addition, Taylor shared his favorite war story and advice for those starting their careers in law. He said, “Be hungry, teachable and entrepreneurial. Be proactive and take your career where you want it to go. Always prioritize client service — but at the same time, dedicate yourself to serving your colleagues and adding value to your team.”

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