Denise Baker | Leading a Law Firm: Hot Topics, Tough Calls, and Leadership Lessons

Denise Baker is a Co-Managing Partner of one of Canada’s oldest and most prestigious firms, WeirFoulds. In addition to that role, she advises on complex municipal and land use planning law issues that appear before multiple courts and tribunals. She also participates in mediations and negotiations to effectively resolve disputes before they get to court. Denise chairs numerous land use and municipal law-related committees, including serving as a past chair of the municipal law section of the Ontario Bar Association. She speaks frequently for organizations like the Law Society of Ontario, the Ontario Professional Planners Institute, and the Ontario Bar Association, and has been teaching land use law for years. She’s repeatedly recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada, in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, and is ranked by Chambers Canada. WHAT’S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT LEADING A LAW FIRM As a managing partner of a law firm who still maintains a busy legal practice, you often have to wear many hats, such as leading your firm, making critical decisions, managing different personalities, and ensuring top-tier client service. Connecting with peers who share similar challenges can be invaluable. This is what drew Denise Baker to the Managing Partner Forum’s conference at the end of 2024, where she and Elise Holtzman, the host of The Lawyer’s Edge podcast, met as faculty members. In this episode, Elise speaks with Denise about the pressing issues, tough decisions, and key leadership lessons she has encountered as a law firm leader. Denise discusses the challenges of training and motivating lawyers, the evolving role of AI in legal practice, the decision to adopt a co-managing partner structure, and the critical importance of addressing toxic behavior within a firm. 3:36 – Key issues that managing partners and law firm leaders face today 6:13 – Use of AI and the importance of carefully weaving it into legal practices 11:48 – Why WeirFoulds decided to adopt the fairly new co-managing partner framework 15:41 – The importance of balancing management responsibilities while in a busy practice 17:28 – How Denise has evolved as a leader since becoming co-managing partner 19:56 – The challenge of managing difficult people and why dealing with toxic behavior in your firm is a necessity 31:01 – Denise’s final piece of advice that can pay dividends for your organization’s culture MENTIONED IN LEADING A LAW FIRM: HOT TOPICS, TOUGH CALLS, AND LEADERSHIP LESSONS Denise Baker (WeirFoulds LLP) | LinkedIn WeirFoulds LLP | LinkedIn | YouTube Managing Partner Forum | Conference Overview  Above the Law Get Connected with The Coaching Team at hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer’s Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE… Today’s episode is brought to you by the Ignite Women’s Business Development Accelerator, a 9-month business development program created BY women lawyers for women lawyers. Ignite is a carefully designed business development program containing content, coaching, and a community of like-minded women who are committed to becoming rainmakers AND supporting the retention and advancement of other women in the profession.  Early Bird Registration is now underway for our 2025 Ignite cohorts. If you are interested in either participating in the program or sponsoring a woman in your firm to enroll, learn more about Ignite and sign up for our registration alerts by visiting www.thelawyersedge.com/ignite.