Colorado Supreme Court
Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel
Promoting Professionalism. Protecting the Public.
OARC
attorney graduates from COBALT
Catherine Shea, one of only 20 attorneys
in the state chosen for this year’s highly selective leadership program, says a
leader isn’t always the one out front.
By JAMES CARLSON
Fall
2015
Sometimes
the best leaders are the ones that take a step back.
That’s
something Catherine “Cat” Shea learned this year at the Colorado Bar
Association Leadership Training program, also known as COBALT.
“I
came away with the idea of the servant leader,” she said. “Instead of imposing
your personal views, you guide and facilitate others to get where they want to
go.”
Shea,
an Assistant Regulation Counsel in the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel,
was one of just 20 attorneys chosen this year for the prestigious COBALT
program, which brings together acknowledged leaders in the profession to build
on their leadership skills and promote new leadership experiences. It seeks to
foster professional relationships, promote professional ethics and community
service, and raise awareness of the issues facing the legal profession and the
overall justice system.
It’s
not an easy program to get into. Since its inception in 2007, COBALT has
trained just 100 attorneys across the state. Shea is the second attorney from
the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel to graduate. Former OARC attorney
Adam Espinosa graduated in 2014. Espinosa joined the Denver County Court bench last
year.
Shea
already had experience in leadership positions. She’s on the board of the
Colorado Women’s Bar Association, is co-chair of the Denver GLBT Commission,
and is on the Gender Identity Center of Colorado’s Board of Trustees. But she
said COBALT pushes participants to be introspective and consider different leadership
styles. Shea was drawn to the concept of servant leadership.
Traditional
forms of leadership involve the wielding of power. Servant-leaders share power,
building up those around them and fostering an environment where others develop
and perform to their highest potential.
“That
really resonated with me,” she said.
Each
participant of COBALT commits to at least a day of training every month for six
months in places across the state. Shea said the immersion was one of the best
parts of the program. The sessions allowed the attorneys to forget their normal
stresses and focus on the program. It also gave her the opportunity to bond
with her 19 classmates on a level regular CLE programs don’t allow for.
“It’s
one of the best things I’ve done in my career.”
James Carlson is the Information
Resources Coordinator for the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel.