Lauryn Haake
HBR Consulting
Excellence in Client Service
Over the course of her career, Lauryn Haake has worked in a law firm, corporate technology department, corporate legal operations, technology companies and, finally, for consulting firms. "I started in consulting when a friend and mentor recruited me, saying that the variety in my background and my ability to translate technology to lawyers uniquely qualified me for consulting," she says. "It turns out, she was right! For me, it has been professionally and personally rewarding, and I think my diverse experience has served my clients well."
Today, Haake is Managing Director in the Legal Technology practice within the Advisory business at HBR Consulting (HBR) and has over two decades of experience in technology, operations and consulting. She has worked in all facets of the business, from law firms to a Fortune 500 corporation, to legal software companies and consulting firms.
"I love engaging with people generally, so what I enjoy most about the work is the opportunity to engage with so many different people in a role where I can help them solve complex problems. I'm also there to help them feel like they're not alone with their problem," she says. "Chances are that I have worked with others who have experienced the same issues, and I can share proven solutions that have worked for others."
Haake says she has many great memories where she and her team achieved remarkable things, "but I think the most pivotal personal achievement was earning my master's degree while working full time and raising small children," she says. "I think back to that period and am so grateful for the education and all the doors it opened for me. I still rely on that training and recommend advanced education to everyone."
The world is in a tumultuous time, "so I'd say the thing I'm most looking forward to is to have COVID-19 under control," she says. "Its dramatic impact on the world will be felt for years to come. Beyond that, I look forward to expanding my knowledge in the technologies of Artificial Intelligence and Contract Lifecycle Management."
Asked if she's ever experienced unique challenges being a woman consultant in the technology field, Haake says yes. "I've had a prospective client address my male subordinate as the decision maker instead of me. I've had my comments go unheard until a man echoes the sentiment and is then credited with the thought," Haake says. "The advice I offer to other women in the field is to remember that being a woman is an asset; sometimes you just have to remind others of that fact."
As far as being recognized as one of Consulting's Women Leaders in Technology, Haake says that it's an honor not only to be nominated, but to win. "I want it to be a beacon for other women on this technology consulting path, and to help pave the way for me to help them achieve great success."
What's the best advice you've ever received?
Haake: "The best advice I ever received was from my mentor: find your 'why.' Whenever I made a mistake or a faulty assumption, she would always ask 'why' to help disrupt my thought pattern from focusing on what happened to why it happened. Finding my why helps me not just with mistakes and accountability, but also with goal setting, managing my team and setting career goals. If I can figure out why something happens or why I want something to happen, it helps me tune out the noise and focus on what I need to improve or enable."
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