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Dr. Ákos Fehérváry, Managing Partner of Baker McKenzie's Budapest office shared with us honestly and directly the turning points, challenges and successes of his professional career. The Leadership Club not only showed us the exciting side of the legal career, but also gave us an insight into the mindset of a leader whose daily work has a huge impact on his clients and his team.
Throughout his career, Dr. Ákos Fehérváry has focused on decisive decision-making, an innovative approach and an understanding of complex issues. It was clear from the beginning of the conversation that for him, being a lawyer is not only about applying legal knowledge, but also about finding solutions that people can understand and that are truly valuable. "The legal profession is more than just solving legal issues: it is also a vocation and a responsibility towards clients," he stressed. In this context, the importance of building relationships with clients was a particular focus. Ákos Fehérváry stressed that long-term client relationships are based on mutual respect and credibility. A well-thought-out strategy and continuous communication are essential to make customers feel that they matter and that their problems are really solved. "Customer focus is not only a business advantage, it is also a cornerstone of professional ethics," he said.
On leadership, Fehérváry stressed the importance he places on supporting and inspiring colleagues. He believes that a successful leader not only shows direction, but is able to listen and understand his team. "Building trust and creating shared goals is essential to a strong organisational culture," he said. During the discussion, he shared a number of concrete examples of decision-making situations and stressed that the human side, experience and teamwork are the most important support in such moments. "You can never achieve great results alone. A well-knit team can always outperform the individual," he stressed.
Ákos Fehérváry also spoke about trends and changes in the world of international transactions and how he is preparing for the challenges of the future. Among his advice to young lawyers was to always strive to seize new learning opportunities and dare to question the familiar solutions. "The legal profession is constantly changing. That is why those who can adapt quickly can have a successful career in the long term," he added. In addition to the challenges facing the legal profession, what are the opportunities of digitalisation and new technologies? He believes that these tools can not only make work processes more efficient, but can also open the way to even closer cooperation with clients. "Technological progress is not a threat, but an opportunity to provide better services and respond faster to change," he concluded.
By the end of the discussion, it was clear that Dr. Ákos Fehérváry is not only an outstanding legal professional, but also a leader who builds his work on values, respect and people-centredness in his everyday life. The conversation was an inspiration for all of us to build and move forward with similar principles in our own professional and personal lives.
