Leading a law firm during a time of rapid technological change and heightened political and cultural tension requires balancing innovation with stability, and progress with principle. Managing partners must modernize their firms while at the same time navigating a polarized social climate that affects clients, employees, and the public at large. Decisions are no longer just about business strategy, but about values, ethics, and maintaining trust in an era where missteps can quickly become headlines.
As Brazilian philosopher Marilena Chauí reminds us, the word derives from the Latin colere, which means "to take care of." In that sense, agriculture means taking care of the soil, while religious cults are the care of the gods. At its core, culture is the creation of symbolic universes, expressed through different languages, including architecture, that weave connections across time.