June 16th, 2026, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode Brought to You in Cooperation with the National Association for Court Management When former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, real estate executive Gloria Caulfield, and music executive Scott Borchetta praised artificial intelligence during recent commencement addresses, graduates responded not with applause but with boos. For a growing number of … Continue reading Justice by Algorithm? AI, Job Anxiety, and the Future of Courts
Creating the Future
I have always been a “big picture” person, focusing more on the macro rather than the micro aspects of life. Early in my career I heard a speaker talk about the need for strategic thinking and it really resonated with me. The biggest takeaway I got from this session was the need to think big … Continue reading Creating the Future
The Eight Tasks of Leadership
When we think about leadership, what comes to mind? Usually, we focus on what are the best attributes and skills of an effective leader. These include such things as emotional intelligence, resiliency, modeling behaviors, accountability, competency, leadership styles, etc. Leaders need to be capable of using all these skills well.[i] Sometimes, though, we lose sight … Continue reading The Eight Tasks of Leadership
Performance Previews, NOT Reviews
Employee performance management is a fundamental component of leadership and directly supports the judiciary’s mission to uphold the rule of law. After all, employees are the backbone of the court. To that end, in my career as a court administrator I made improving employee performance a high priority. In that time, I learned a lot … Continue reading Performance Previews, NOT Reviews
AVA and the Courts: What Can We Learn from Alaska’s Bold Experiment with Artificial Intelligence?
February 17th, 2026, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode Brought to You in Cooperation with the National Association for Court Management Alaska has quietly become a brave path-finder in court-based artificial intelligence. Last month, the state released the Alaska Virtual Assistant (AVA), an AI chatbot designed to help court users navigate the probate court system. The path … Continue reading AVA and the Courts: What Can We Learn from Alaska’s Bold Experiment with Artificial Intelligence?
Workplace Mediation: Can It Change the Way We Handle Conflict? What Courts Need to Know
January 20th, 2026, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode Brought to You in Cooperation with the National Association for Court Management Workplace mediation is rapidly becoming an accepted management tool across the U.S. Organizations facing rising conflict, legal exposure, and employee burnout are increasingly turning to mediation to resolve disputes and restore working relationships. In fiscal year … Continue reading Workplace Mediation: Can It Change the Way We Handle Conflict? What Courts Need to Know
Can Hiring a Court Manager Be Merit-Based?
December 16th, 2025, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode Brought to You in Cooperation with the National Association for Court Management There are strong arguments favoring selection of court managers based on objective merit-focused criteria. While there is little desire to expand the “merit system” to the managerial level, hiring and promotion decisions rooted in proven … Continue reading Can Hiring a Court Manager Be Merit-Based?
Court Leadership and Professional Competencies, Issue #11 – Six Essential Leadership Skills
This issue includes six essential leadership skills.
2025 WJP Rule of Law Index
The 2025 Rule of Law Index of the World Justice Project paints a dismal picture of the state of the Rule of Law around the world. We need to take action to reverse the downward trend in far too many countries.
Fulfilling the Public’s Trust: Competency
Competency is the sum of the knowledge and skills required for effective performance.
Court Leader 