Relying on Others Isn’t Enough
The grand goal of changing the world probably doesn’t call to mind such seemingly mundane matters as accounting and administration. Yet, having served as the ACLU’s national president and on the governing boards of the ACLU, Human Rights Watch, and several other civil liberties and human rights organizations, an essential aspect of my work has involved grappling with the full range of administrative and operational matters that all groups must address, such as budgeting, human resources, and strategic planning.
Lawyers are often tapped to serve on and even lead nonprofit boards because of our general analytical and advocacy skills, which certainly contribute significantly to any endeavor, even beyond our knowledge about pertinent legal issues. However, most of us graduate from law school without basic managerial skills such as budget-making skills or an understanding of fundamental financial documents. While we tend to be excellent readers of text, we’re often relatively innumerate.
To be sure, larger public interest organizations have staff members with specific managerial expertise. Nonetheless, for board members to fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities, they should have sufficient knowledge to exercise meaningful oversight and provide helpful advice to their staff colleagues. In smaller organizations, board members often have to carry out most or even all the group’s functions on their own.
Foundations and other funders understandably want assurances that their contributions are being wisely invested. It’s not enough that the donee organization has a laudable mission; it must also have an effective business plan for meaningfully pursuing that mission. This means that lawyers who serve as board members must know how to construct a business plan and how to implement it.
Business Skills Include Management Skills
Many lawyers who work for public interest organizations must shoulder not only traditional lawyering responsibilities, such as litigating and negotiating but also managerial responsibilities. For example, the ACLU employs a national legal director and several lawyers who oversee specific programs focusing on particular civil liberties issues—all of whom have significant managerial duties.
If you’re planning to pursue activism independent of established organizations—for instance, by starting your own law firm or nonprofit group—it becomes even more important that you have the same basic knowledge and skills that would be required of any small-business owner.
Law schools should offer and vigorously encourage students with a wide variety of substantive interests to consider taking courses in law firm management and accounting for lawyers. They should also offer internships and clinics that would allow students to develop these skills.
Another option you might want to consider is participating in relatively short, intense programs on general managerial and leadership matters that multiple business schools offer, including online. Another option is pursuing a joint JD-MBA program. Many MBA programs offer specialization in not-for-profit management.
I wish I’d have used my law school years to develop my understanding of not only legal doctrines and lawyering skills but also basic business and managerial matters. Fortunately, I’ve been able to learn those skills on the job. But with a head start in law school, I likely could have contributed more and sooner to the organizations and causes to which I’m committed.