Alexia Maas, author of “Stealing Back Time”, a guide on leadership in law, and founder of Maas Leadership, to explore the evolving nature of leadership in the legal profession. Maas, who brings 30 years of legal experience spanning both private practice and in-house roles, shared invaluable insights on navigating technological transformation whilst maintaining authentic leadership principles.

The Evolution of Legal Leadership

Maas outlined her journey from 15 years in private practice to becoming a Chief Legal and Financial Officer, most recently with Volvo Financial Services. This transition revealed a fundamental shift in legal leadership expectations. “When I moved in-house, I faced a whole new level of accountability,” Maas explained. “You become entrenched with the business—it’s not transactional anymore.”

Modern legal leaders must embrace business acumen alongside traditional legal expertise, with continuously expanding responsibilities requiring both breadth of knowledge and strategic thinking capabilities.

Learning from Technology Implementation

A central theme emerged around parallels between the legal tech revolution and today’s AI transformation. Maas candidly shared her initial failures when implementing legal operations tools, attributing them to rushing in without proper assessment. “I hadn’t really taken the time to understand the business we were serving or the operations of my team,” she reflected.

This experience yielded crucial lessons about avoiding “shiny object syndrome.” Maas advocated for understanding business needs first, starting with pilot projects, and focusing on integration rather than mere implementation.

The “Achieve More by Doing Less” Philosophy

Central to Maas’s leadership philosophy is achieving more by doing less—a deliberate counterpoint to the traditional “do more with less” mantra. This approach requires strategic thinking and critical assessment of priorities. “You have to get really strategic about what you are doing, what the business needs to do first and why,” Maas emphasised.

She warned against pressure to keep up with perceived industry standards, noting that much apparent progress in AI adoption is “smoke and mirrors,” with many organisations doing less than they claim publicly.

Embracing Excellence Over Perfection

Maas advocates for starting small with pilot projects, expecting and learning from initial challenges rather than viewing them as failures. “You can be excellent without being perfect,” she stated, emphasising that integration and adoption matter more than perfect implementation.

This approach recognises that successful technology integration requires cultural change and behavioural adaptation—areas where traditional legal training may not adequately prepare leaders.

The Heart of Legal Leadership

Perhaps the most striking insight concerned the emotional dimension of leadership. Maas challenged the legal profession’s data-driven comfort zone, arguing that effective leadership requires connecting with hearts, not just minds. “No amount of rhetoric, KPIs, or black and white letter of the law is going to motivate and inspire people,” she observed. “You motivate and inspire from the heart.”

This emotional intelligence becomes particularly crucial when managing intergenerational teams. Maas expressed enthusiasm for younger lawyers’ technological familiarity whilst emphasising the value of experience from senior practitioners.

Strategic Timing and Business Understanding

The conversation explored the critical importance of timing in leadership decisions. Maas’s successful second attempt at team transformation came when business disruptors created natural openings for change. “Timing is everything,” she noted, describing how the FinTech revolution provided the perfect moment to drive organisational change.

This success required deep business understanding—what Maas calls the “360 view” necessary for strategic leadership. Modern legal leaders must be embedded within their businesses, understanding strategic directions and market pressures beyond legal requirements.

Conclusion

The session reinforced that effective legal leadership requires a blend of traditional legal expertise, business acumen, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking. Maas distinguished between operational management and true leadership, positioning the latter as strategic and purpose-driven. “Leadership is about why we’re doing what we’re doing,” she explained.

Through her book “Stealing Back Time” and consulting practice, Maas continues to help legal professionals develop these essential leadership capabilities, recognising that the future of legal practice depends on leaders who can navigate complexity whilst inspiring their teams and serving clients effectively.

✨ To dive deeper into Alexia Maas’ insights, purchase her book Stealing Back Time