Leadership & Character | Raleigh, NC
A group of Wake Foresters, many of whom are Wake Forest School of Law alumni, gathered in Raleigh on November 1, 2017, to discuss leadership and character.
As our discussion evolved, we agreed that leadership and character are essential to society and to the legal profession. Character means staying true to what is right, owning one’s commitments, acting ethically (particularly when no one else is around) and being able to forgive and stand strong in the face of opposition or severe criticism.
As we shared our stories and the conversation unfolded, several themes emerged:
- Some of our peers have been corrupted by debt, money and power, which is a driver of many of our major problems today.
- While Wake Forest’s students and young lawyers seem to understand and model good character, it is the responsibility of alumni and faculty to mentor them and to model integrity, leadership and character if we expect to see it.
- Integrity and character are daily choices in the legal profession. The more one practices doing the right thing the right way, the more natural and consistent it will be.