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About the event
Annual Law Firm Partner Retreat
Annual Partner Retreat
Keynote Speaker Recommendations
June 5–7, 2026
Charleston, South Carolina
Equity & Contract Partners (Approx. 160 Attendees)
Keynote + Q&A | Morning of Day 2
Event Snapshot
- Audience: Equity & Contract Partners (+ spouses)
- Approx. 160 attendees
- Three-day retreat | Keynote scheduled for Morning of Day 2
- Desired format: 60-minute keynote + Q&A
- Themes under consideration: Service Leadership, High-Performing Culture, Trust, Difficult Conversations, Brave Leadership
- Budget Range: $20K–$30K
Why These Speakers
The Annual Partner Retreat represents a unique moment in the firm’s calendar — a room of leaders who shape culture, steward client relationships, and define what partnership means in practice. Whether framed as service leadership, high-performance culture, or brave leadership, the underlying question remains the same: how do partners take ownership of the firm’s environment and elevate it intentionally?
The three speakers below approach that challenge from distinct but complementary lenses — military leadership and service under pressure, trust-driven performance in high-stakes environments, and bravery in decision-making within partnership models. Thomas Kolditz aligns directly with the originally articulated focus on servant leadership. Jason O. Harris expands the conversation into trust and accountability under pressure. Jim Moorhead speaks the language of law firms and executive risk. Each offers a credible, high-substance keynote appropriate for a partner audience.
Brigadier General (Ret.) | Leadership Thought Leader | Social Psychologist | Author
Thomas A. Kolditz is a retired Brigadier General, social psychologist, and globally recognized leadership expert who has spent his career developing leaders in high-stakes environments. He founded and led the Ann and John Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University and previously founded the Leadership Development Program at the Yale School of Management. For twelve years, he led the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at West Point, where he was later named Professor Emeritus.
General Kolditz served in the Pentagon as a leadership and human resources policy analyst and developed the concept of “in extremis leadership” while deployed in Iraq — a model now used in military academies across the United States, United Kingdom, China, Israel, and Japan. He is the recipient of the Army’s Distinguished Service Medal and the prestigious Warren Bennis Award for Excellence in Leadership. He has ranked globally in leadership coaching by Global Gurus and was selected by Thinkers50’s Marshall Goldsmith 100 as the #1 University Coach in the world. He has authored more than 75 books, chapters, and scholarly articles, and his work has shaped leadership development programs across higher education and enterprise institutions worldwide.
- Fee: $20,000
- Travel: $2,250 flat travel fee (covers airfare, ground transportation, meals, incidentals)
- Hotel: Up to two nights at a 4–5 star hotel, booked and paid by client
“You were outstanding, really made us think and your presentation sparked much conversation in the remaining time we had together. Thank you again for inspiring us to think more systemically about leadership development and how we might improve.” – The Conference Board
“General Kolditz is an engaging speaker who is able to make real-world connections between extreme military operations and leading in a corporate environment. His presentation was truly inspirational and insightful. The universal principals of leadership that Gen. Kolditz has researched and presented can certainly be transferred to a global company such as Siemens.” – James E. Whaley, SVP, Communications and Marketing, Siemens Corporation
Speaker Highlights
Speaker Reel - https://youtu.be/fAs1PDGOivg
Gravity Speakers Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/thomas-a-kolditz
Speaker Website - https://tomkolditz.com/
Why Thomas for Wiggin & Dana
Thomas aligns directly with the original request for service leadership and brings unmatched credibility in developing leaders responsible for mission-critical outcomes. A partner audience will recognize the rigor behind his framework — not motivational theory, but tested leadership principles drawn from military command, higher education reform, and executive coaching at scale.
For a partnership model built on shared responsibility and client stewardship, servant leadership reframed through accountability and performance becomes especially relevant. Thomas’ experience building leadership systems at West Point and Yale positions him well to speak to leaders who must model culture rather than simply manage it.
His credibility markers include:
- Retired Brigadier General with command-level leadership experience
- Founder of leadership institutes at Rice University and Yale School of Management
- Developer of the “In Extremis Leadership” crisis leadership model
- Thinkers50 Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coach
- Warren Bennis Award recipient
Topic
Leading by Serving: The Principles of Servant Leadership
While traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the top of the pyramid, “servant leadership” is different. The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first, and helps develop the team to perform as high as possible. In this keynote, Brigadier Gen. Tom Kolditz outlines the most prominent servant leader approaches, and how all leaders can adopt servant-leader behaviors to impact the growth and well-being of other leaders, team members, and the organizations to which they belong.
Highlights
- Developed leadership frameworks used in military academies globally
- Recipient of the Army’s Distinguished Service Medal
- Founder of the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University
- Recognized globally by Thinkers50 and Global Gurus
- Extensive experience advising executive and institutional leaders
Decorated Combat Leader | Trust & Leadership Advisor | Creator of No Fail Trust®
Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Jason O. Harris is a decorated U.S. Air Force combat leader, best-selling author, and leading authority on trust and performance in high-stakes environments. A fourth-generation military service member, Jason served nearly three decades in the Air Force, flying over 2,000 combat hours and completing 470 combat sorties across 11 deployments. He culminated his service as a Boeing KC-46 Squadron Commander.
Jason’s experiences in life-or-death operational environments led him to develop his proprietary No Fail Trust® methodology, a framework designed to cultivate accountability, empowerment, and peak performance within organizations. He is the lead researcher and author of The National Study on Elevating Trust and Performance in the Modern Workforce and has delivered keynote programs for Cisco Systems, Caterpillar, Ford, and Lockheed Martin. His expertise has been featured in Forbes and on the History Channel.
- Fee: $20,000–$25,000
- Travel: $2,000 flat travel fee [to cover RT Airfare, RT Ground, Meals and Incidentals]
- Hotel: In additional, booked by and billed to client master account
“Jason O. Harris does not disappoint.His high-energy message of No Fail Trust® highlighted how we can expand our knowledge and perspectives, build trust, and enhance our ability to deliver products to our customers. One of our teams gave us the best feedback, ‘Just watching this presentation has made me a better person!’" - Michelle Proctor, Chief of Staff, Risk Research & Quantitative Solutions, SAS
Speaker Highlights
Speaker Reel - https://vimeo.com/851540677?fl=pl&fe=sh
Gravity Speakers Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/jason-o-harris
Speaker Website - https://jasonoharris.com/
Why Jason for Wiggin & Dana
Military leadership has historically resonated within the firm, and Jason’s approach translates operational trust into a practical leadership framework. In a partnership model where performance, accountability, and client trust are non-negotiable, No Fail Trust® provides a structured way to think about culture under pressure.
Jason brings immediacy and operational credibility — not abstract theory. For partners navigating complex client demands, generational workforce shifts, and evolving expectations, trust becomes both a cultural and performance imperative.
Credibility markers include:
- Nearly 30 years of military leadership
- 2,000+ combat hours and 470 combat sorties
- Creator of the No Fail Trust® methodology
- National researcher on trust and performance
- Keynote speaker for Fortune 500 organizations
Topic
No Fail Trust®
The Flight Plan To Cultivating a High-Performance Team
This transformative keynote empowers leaders and teams to deliver consistently excellent results through a culture of No Fail Trust®. Jason shares tactics, techniques, and practical tools for navigating the inevitable turbulence of life and cultivating high-flying levels of empowerment, commitment, and accountability across your organization.
This program is perfect for leaders and teams:
- Seeing a lack of engagement and trust but unsure how to foster greater connection and collaboration
- Struggling to improve their team’s performance and productivity (or their own!)
- Needing practical strategies for navigating the ever-changing challenges of life and business
The audience will leave with:
- A new understanding of the critical role trust plays in improving engagement, collaboration, and performance
- A clear framework for cultivating unparalleled trust and enabling greater empowerment, commitment, and accountability
- Practical techniques for adapting to unexpected conditions and challenges while maintaining a high level of trust
Highlights
- Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and Squadron Commander
- Creator of a proprietary leadership framework
- Nationally recognized researcher on workplace trust
- Speaker to Fortune 500 audiences
- Media features including Forbes and History Channel
Investment Banker | Federal Prosecutor | Major Law Firm Partner | Crisis Advisor
Jim Moorhead is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, major law firm partner, investment banker, start-up CFO, and crisis communications advisor to Fortune 500 companies, private equity firms, and law firms. He has built a career at the intersection of law, business, and leadership under pressure. As a federal prosecutor, he led and won every criminal prosecution he brought to trial, helping more than one hundred witnesses overcome fear and testify successfully.
Jim later served as a leader in the crisis practices of two major U.S. communications firms and founded STAND BRAVE™, advising executives and organizations on taking decisive action amid uncertainty. He is the author of The Instant Survivor: Right Ways to Respond When Things Go Wrong and a frequent legal and business commentator on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and Court TV.
- Fee: $20,000
- Travel: $2,000 flat travel fee [to cover RT airfare, RT ground transfers, meals and incidentals]
- Hotel: Booked by and billed to client master account
"Jim connects deeply as a Speaker. He sweeps you up with his smarts, enthusiasm, bravery, energy and caring. I value so much the guidance he provided to me and my company" - Loren Nix Farquhar, former Vice President, Marketing Communications at Luminis Health
Speaker Highlights
Speaker Video - https://youtu.be/muIHbkNXJu0
Speaker Website - https://www.jimmoorhead.com/
Why Jim for Wiggin & Dana
Jim speaks the language of law firm partners because he has lived it. His experience as a major law firm partner, federal prosecutor, and crisis advisor gives him credibility within the exact ecosystem in which Wiggin & Dana operates.
Bravery in a partnership model is not abstract — it manifests in difficult conversations, client decisions, strategic risks, and cultural leadership. Jim’s STAND BRAVE™ framework addresses how leaders move from caution to calculated action without compromising standards or integrity.
Credibility markers include:
- Former Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Major law firm partner
- Crisis advisor to Fortune 500 and private equity firms
- National media legal commentator
- Author of The Instant Survivor
Topic
Stand Brave™
Invent a bold future by taking positive action in the face of fear, uncertainty and change.
Companies are often trapped in a play it safe culture. Their teams don’t offer their best ideas, solve problems quickly and create leading-edge products and services. They will succeed when they are encouraged and supported to take positive action in the face of fear, uncertainty and change.
The STAND BRAVE™ framework provides a practical and effective way to unlock steady bravery in leaders, teams, and the organization. Participants learn why they want to and must be brave and how they can take brave action now and steadily going forward. They will learn how to build brave team and company cultures.
Your audience will leave understanding:
- Why your company and employees resist being brave
- What motivates leaders and employees to take calculated risks and make brave decisions in the face of fear
- The tools for building brave teams
- Why bravery will transform your employees and your company
- The three-step STAND BRAVE™ framework built on brave moments, rituals and systems
Your organization will achieve:
- Clarity around what bravery means, what holds people back from being brave, and what motivates them to be brave
- Embedding bravery into leaders and their teams
- An organization of brave leaders who move faster and are eager to share ideas and make deeper connections with colleagues and customers and create cutting-edge products and services
Highlights
- Former Assistant U.S. Attorney with undefeated trial record
- Former major law firm partner
- Crisis advisor to global enterprises
- Founder of STAND BRAVE™
- National television legal and business commentator