Leading the success of others
Craig Hudson was recently appointed regional managing attorney, Florida offices for the law firm Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, in Fort Lauderdale. Hudson, who has been with the firm for over 30 years, has benefited from its culture of mentoring and providing professional development, he says. Starting with Marshall Dennehey’s Philadelphia office in 1993, he had the opportunity to step into numerous management roles: overseeing the law clerk program and getting involved in attorney recruitment. Over time, he worked his way up to shareholder and eventually to supervisor of the professional liability department for the state of Florida. In 2016, he was elected to the firm’s board of directors. Hudson is a good fit for the regional position he says because of the relationships he has built with attorneys firm-wide.
On the job
My job: I’m responsible first and foremost to ensure our clients receive the services and legal representation they expect and deserve; and internally, for the professional development of the more than 50 attorneys in Florida.
What’s new: the speed in which cases develop. It is not unusual to receive an inquiry from a client, opposing counsel or some other party to which they expect a reply within an hour. Additionally, the process of revenue collection has changed greatly, with many of my time entries being audited by third party vendors and not the actual clients for which I do the work.
Strategies
Career-building: When I was starting my career I worked with senior lawyers that taught me a great deal about the practice of law. As I became more involved in the management of the firm, I had the opportunity to work closely with its leaders who taught me how to deal with a wide variety of non-legal issues.
Wisdom: I learned from my father that the key to being a good manger is not your success but the success of those you are charged with the responsibility of managing.
Advice to young professionals: This is not a 9-5, five-days-a-week job. Meeting your clients’ needs and expectations should be your No.1 priority. Also, get yourself away from your phone and email. Talk to people — clients, other lawyers — in person as much as possible.