LaDonna M. Cousins: Leading with Empathy and Inspiring Excellence in Law
In the ever-evolving landscape of law and leadership, there are a few very rare individuals that are not only marked by their skilled proficiency in the field, but by the long-term impact that they have on all with whom they come into contact. Their presence is experienced in their teams, clients, and communities, setting the standard for professional excellence and genuine service. One such legend is a Partner at Williams Law Group, LLC. She is none other that LaDonna M. Cousins, whose life story serves to affirm the power of purposeful leadership, integrity, and empathy to transform.
Roots of Leadership: Early Influences and Family Legacy
LaDonna’s leadership style owes much to the values and principles her parents, the Rev. Dr. Michael Harriott and Mrs. Pamela Harriott, instilled in her. A world in which leadership was not theory but practice, in the very fabric of home and community life around her in the first decades of her life. Her father, the community leader and pastor, was compassionate in equal measure, balancing the competing stresses of public service against uncompromising loyalty to family. Whether mediating Superior Court of New Jersey cases or serving on township commissions, he demonstrated leadership of the highest order founded on selfless service and availability.
Her mother, a caring teacher and director of the church music ministry, embodied the caring element of leadership—encouraging students and church members alike, and catalyzing growth with humility and joy. In their own lives, LaDonna’s parents showed that leadership is not so much a matter of title or celebrity but rather creating space for others to thrive, open communication, and abundant contribution to the greater good. These were the pillars upon which LaDonna based her leadership philosophy: grounded, people-focused, and purpose-led.
Developing Leadership: Instinct, Experience, and Intentionality
LaDonna’s leadership is a dynamic combination of experience and instinct that is constantly renewed through learning and growth. She knew right from the start of her professional career that each individual brings their own special contribution to a team, and therefore there is a culture of self-leadership and autonomy, not just encouraged but embraced. She has tried harder over the years to be more reflective, focusing on open communication, ongoing feedback, and flexibility in responding to the changing needs of the individuals on her team. LaDonna is extremely attuned to the cultures she brings in as a business partner in a thriving law firm. She understands that leadership isn’t about controlling people but inspiring them to have the same intent and trusting them to rise up and push themselves.
Her emphasis on leading through example, giving feedback that offers assistance, and encouraging psychological safety has rendered her a better and more empathetic leader. Leadership, she believes, is both an art and a talent—one that calls for ongoing learning and self-examination. A turning point in her career that came relatively early reaffirmed the importance of communication. An unpleasant experience reminded her that costly miscommunication can result, and that real clarity is not in what is said but in what is heard.
That awareness changed her style, becoming more deliberate in her listening, communication, and attempts to provide spaces where individuals feel safe to be truthful without fear of being judged. The result is a leadership style of empathy, simplicity, and unwavering commitment to the establishment of trust.
Compassion and Excellence: Balancing Results with Empathy
LaDonna’s natural empathy doesn’t conflict with her requirement for results—it’s their impetus. In the highly competitive arena of family and matrimonial law, where clients are faced with some of the most challenging moments of their lives, LaDonna understands: outcomes matter.
But she also believes that superior performance is unattainable unless teams are fostered, appreciated, and celebrated. She believes in the joy of her colleagues because she understands that high standards and empathy are complementary but not mutually exclusive notions.
By fostering a culture of recognition and respect, LaDonna encourages her workers to take the initiative and perform to their highest levels. She promptly thanks her coworkers, rewards them for their efforts, and promises them that they are the company’s most valuable resource to achievement. The people-first strategy builds trust, performance, and a stable foundation for excellence. As LaDonna would explain, “When people know they matter, they rise to the occasion.”
Mentorship and the Power of Example
Throughout her journey, LaDonna has been influenced by a star-studded cast of mentors, each one making an imprint on her model of leadership.
From the fearless advocacy of Calvin W. Sharpe, Esq., to the diplomacy of Sandra Marroquin, the high standards and integrity of the Honorable Susan F. Maven, the unflinching authenticity of dear Cara Corbo, Esq., and the clarity and assertiveness of Allison Williams, Esq., LaDonna has been guided by a diverse set of leaders.
What they share is the courage to arrive complete and unbroken as they are, an example of integrity and encouraging others to do the same. LaDonna is dedicated to passing this mentoring on, especially as a judge for high school and college mock trials. She looks for that glimmer of potential in youth, allowing them to speak their truth, boosting their self-esteem, and equipping them with the skills, criticism, and care to grow.
She wagers on their potential, being compassionate, and providing them with space to discover the leader in themselves. In this way, she honors the traditions of her own teachers, raising up a next generation of authentic, genuine leaders.
The Power of Identity: Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion
Being a Black woman attorney, LaDonna’s identity is power and illumination to others. She claims her lived experience as strength, adding knowledge, empathy, and common ground to the work.
Her presence is reassuring to clients who recognize themselves in her, reminding them that they are not alone in having to navigate the intricacy of the law.
LaDonna’s understanding of her clients’ worlds enables her to speak truths for them with power and conviction, standing in for those whose voices are stifled far too frequently. To LaDOnna, diversity and inclusion are not matters of just representation—but a matter of perspective, participation, and innovation.
She goes out of her way to seek inputs from her employees, leveraging the diversity of thought, experience, and background they bring to the table. Inclusion, to her, is creating space where everyone feels safe enough to offer what they can give, try on ideas, and sense that their voice is not merely embraced but necessary. Inclusive leadership isn’t merely an ethical imperative—it is a strategic imperative to good decision-making and real innovation.
Faith, Family, and Service: Anchors Beyond the Profession
The success of LaDonna’s business cannot be separated from the anchors that keep her grounded: faith and family. Her two boys, Austin and Levi, and husband Andrew are her pride and joy, giving her the love and support that keep her grounded in the midst of her business demands. As a unit, they stand together, with her steadfastly planted in the things that really count—compassion, integrity, and service.
Service is an ongoing theme in LaDonna’s life, one which extends well beyond the years she spent practicing law. She is an active member of Bar Association community functions, an active church volunteer, and a regular visitor to activities that benefit her community. By doing so, she keeps her mind centered on the causes and people that stir her, reminding herself that she is to be an instrument of good.
Practice of Family Law: Advocacy Based in Empathy
Family and matrimonial law is a practice that not only necessitates knowledge of the law, but also considerable strength and empathy.
LaDonna is never more driven than she is by her clients, whose strength and resilience in the face of adversity encourage her to bring the same strength and empathy to her work.
It is a privilege to be given the chance to speak for the voiceless and the vulnerable, to advocate for those whom society too easily forgives. For LaDonna, authenticity is being herself in all her strengths and weaknesses, and leading with honesty, humility, and compassion. Whether she is working with her clients, colleagues, or staff, she strives to create spaces where individuals feel seen, heard, and valued. Authenticity lies at the core of her leadership that enables her to remain grounded, inspired, and effective at all that she does.
Authenticity in Leadership: A Call to Courage and Clarity
LaDonna’s leadership philosophy is a call to what’s real. She invites others to be present, question and challenge their own assumptions, listen with ferocity, and be fiercely committed to their values. Leadership has nothing to do with being tidily qualified or checking the boxes for her; it has everything to do with showing up with courage, clarity, and heart. “It has everything to do with making a real difference in the people we touch every day,” says LaDonna.
“Lead from who you are, not from whom you think you should be,” LaDonna invites. She believes that authenticity is our greatest strength and a superpower that releases others to do the same. Leaders set the platform for lasting impact and sustainable change when they lead authentically.
A Vision for the Future: Lasting Impact and Continued Growth
In the future, LaDonna aims to maintain a focus on her own leadership development and continuous development of others. Her position is that leadership is a dynamic process and that it is one in which there is continuous learning, reflection, and openness to hearing various perspectives. Her dream is to achieve lasting influence—forging teams and communities in which people can lead with passion, compassion, and integrity.
LaDonna’s legacy will be measured not only in terms of her professional success, but also in terms of the people whose lives she touched, the leaders she helped guide, and the communities whose lives she enriched. Her legacy speaks volumes about what leadership is all about: service, trust, and deep commitment to the well-being of others.
The Enduring Power of People-First Leadership
LaDonna’s life is an example of leadership for our time—one based on people, respectful of diversity, and using authenticity as power. Her relentless devotion to service, her enduring compassion, and her unbending drive for excellence have established the benchmark for leading with integrity and purpose.
In a world where sometimes, outcomes seem more important than relationships, LaDonna is an inspiring example of human-centric leadership, demonstrating the greatest long-term achievement is built on trust, compassion, and the genuine nature of doing good for others. Her tale is not merely of success as an individual, but of a testament to a strong and lasting contribution to the profession, community, and lives of all those who are blessed to know her.
