Learning and Development for Law Firms (eBook)

A Practical Guide

Phil Gott (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2009
335 Seiten
Globe Law and Business Ltd (Verlag)
978-1-78742-730-3 (ISBN)

Infos

Law firms are right to expect high performance from all their partners and professionals. But what can you do to bring this about?Forward-thinking firms know that a sound learning and development (L&D) strategy chosen to meet the unique needs of their firm is a vital component to their business success. Managing Partner's new report on Learning and Development in Law Firms provides an in-depth look into successful L&D strategies in the current legal market. It examines what works in different sized firms and provides vital guidance on how to select and implement the right approach for your own firm. Specifically, this report will demonstrate how you can:Use L&D to bring about real performance improvements;Win new business through focused training;Attract and retain talent through exceptional development opportunities;Prepare employees for progression through integrated development programmes;Apply the right kind of learning and development at every level;Maximise the effectiveness of informal learning and knowledge sharing;Use technology and new media such as e-learning, webinars, social networks, wikis, blogs and virtual academies;Use feedback from clients as a powerful catalyst for development;Bring about effective learning and development on a tight budget;Justify the investment in learning and make sure you get the best return. Featuring real-life practical case studies and examples from top firms including: Clifford Chance, Hammonds LLP, Berrymans Lace Mawer, SBKG & Associes, Kester Cunningham John and more... You will gain valuable insight into how firms are successfully using L&D to deliver the high levels of performance required to remain competitive in the current business climate. PLUS... within the report you will find a useful appendices packed with worksheets and templates to work from immediately, including:A multi-dimensional career model;Development and evaluation methods;Coaching and facilitation tips;Appraisals and perception surveys;A sample survey for assessing your firm's cultural values;And, a practical diagnostic tool to help you assess performance and pinpoint specific areas for action that will deliver the best results for your firm.

Inhalt

Executive summary............................................................................................................VII

About the author................................................................................................................IX

Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................XI

Part One: Putting Learning and Development in the Right Context

Chapter 1: Preparing people for a changing world............................................................. 3
How the world of legal services is changing and how law firms have to change ........................ 3

Chapter 2: The law firm balancing act – Clients and people............................................... 5
What drives your clients?....................................................................................................... 5
What drives your people?...................................................................................................... 6
The shifting emphasis of L&D................................................................................................. 7

Chapter 3: L&D in the context of improving law firm performance.................................... 11
The importance of managing performance ........................................................................... 11
It starts with recruiting the right people ................................................................................. 11
A virtuous circle of high performance ................................................................................... 13
Acknowledge and reward performance................................................................................. 16

Part Two: Using L&D to Meet the Challenges

Chapter 1: Helping people to learn.................................................................................. 21
Training versus L&D............................................................................................................. 21
How people learn ............................................................................................................... 23
Building on strengths or overcoming weaknesses................................................................... 28

Chapter 2: L&D to help people advance their careers....................................................... 29
Why it should matter to firms............................................................................................... 29
How firms can help their people to advance their careers ...................................................... 31
Alternative career models .................................................................................................... 32

Chapter 3: The L&D tool bag ........................................................................................... 37
Classroom learning............................................................................................................. 37
Use of technology to aid learning ........................................................................................ 39
Action learning ................................................................................................................... 42
Managing people to develop them....................................................................................... 42
One-to-one........................................................................................................................ 45
Formal feedback processes.................................................................................................. 45

Chapter 4: Using L&D to achieve specific business outcomes............................................ 49
The need for law firms to win more work .............................................................................. 49
Improving financial performance.......................................................................................... 50
Improving teamwork within a practice group or other team? .................................................. 51
Changing an inappropriate or weak culture.......................................................................... 52

Chapter 5: L&D – Worth the investment............................................................................ 55
Using success stories........................................................................................................... 55
Cost-effective L&D .............................................................................................................. 56

Chapter 6: Achieving results from your L&D strategy ........................................................ 57

Part Three: Case Studies

Case study 1: Clifford Chance – Maintaining a clear focus on L&D ................................... 63
Where is L&D placed in the overall context of the firm? ......................................................... 63
To what extent is L&D considered as driving business performance?........................................ 63
How is L&D structured within the firm?.................................................................................. 63
How has the recession affected L&D?................................................................................... 64
How do you ensure L&D supports desired business outcomes?............................................... 64
How is L&D used to help people advance their careers?........................................................ 65
How is the firm using technology to assist learning? .............................................................. 65
In what other ways are you using L&D innovatively? .............................................................. 66
How is feedback used to help people develop?..................................................................... 66
How do you measure the effectiveness of L&D?..................................................................... 66
How do you use external providers?..................................................................................... 66
What are your aspirations and future challenges in L&D? ...................................................... 67

Case study 2: SBKG & associés – Mutual commitment is key to L&D ................................. 69
Where is L&D placed in the overall context of the firm? ......................................................... 69
How is L&D structured within the firm?.................................................................................. 69
How has the economic downturn affected L&D?.................................................................... 69
To what extent is training compulsory or voluntary?................................................................ 69
What is your firm doing well in L&D? ................................................................................... 69
What other L&D approaches have you used?........................................................................ 70
How is L&D used to help people advance their careers?........................................................ 70
What are your aspirations and future challenges for L&D? ..................................................... 70
Learning and Development in Law Firms – A Practical Guide

Case study 3: Moses & Singer LLP – Training and reward are closely linked ...................... 71
Where is L&D placed in the overall context of your firm? ....................................................... 71
How is L&D structured within the firm?.................................................................................. 71
How has the recession impacted L&D in the firm? ................................................................. 71
How do you ensure that people have the development they need to support business
outcomes? ......................................................................................................................... 71
How is L&D used to help people advance their careers?........................................................ 72
What approaches to L&D have you used and what is your firm doing particularly well?............ 73
How is feedback used to help people develop?..................................................................... 74
How do you measure the effectiveness of L&D?..................................................................... 74
How do you use external providers?..................................................................................... 74
What are your aspirations and future challenges in L&D? ...................................................... 74

Case study 4: Matthew, Arnold & Baldwin LLP – L&D is critical to the firm’s future............. 75
Where is L&D placed in the context of your firm? .................................................................. 75
How are you using L&D to bring about the required cultural changes? ................................... 75
How do you ensure that L&D supports desired business outcomes? ........................................ 75
How is L&D structured within the firm?.................................................................................. 76
How did your firm respond to the recession and how are you preparing for post-recession?..... 76
How does your firm see L&D in the context of performance management?.............................. 76
How is L&D used to help people advance their careers?........................................................ 77
What approaches to L&D have you used and what is your firm doing particularly well?............ 77
How do you measure the effectiveness of L&D?..................................................................... 78
How do you find and use external providers?........................................................................ 78

Case study 5: Kester Cunningham John – Transferring learning........................................ 79
Where is L&D placed in the context of your firm? .................................................................. 79
How did the recession affect L&D? ....................................................................................... 79
How is L&D structured within the firm?.................................................................................. 79
In what ways is L&D helping the firm achieve specific business outcomes?............................... 79
How does L&D support the career success of your people?.................................................... 80
What approaches to L&D have you used and what is your firm doing particularly well?............ 80
How is feedback used to help people develop?..................................................................... 81
Is KCJ doing anything noteworthy in L&D?............................................................................ 81
How do you find and use external providers?........................................................................ 81
How do you measure the effectiveness of L&D?..................................................................... 82
What are your aspirations and future challenges in L&D? ...................................................... 82

Case study 6: Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP – Keeping L&D close to business needs ............ 83
Where is L&D placed in the context of your firm? .................................................................. 83
How is L&D structured within the firm?.................................................................................. 83
How did the recession affect L&D? ....................................................................................... 83
How do you ensure that L&D is focused on achieving business outcomes?.............................. 83
How does L&D support the career success of your people?.................................................... 83
What approaches to L&D have you used and what is your firm doing particularly well?............ 84
How are you using feedback to aid development? ................................................................ 84
Have you found ways to deliver effective L&D on a budget?................................................... 84
Are you doing anything noteworthy at different levels? ........................................................... 85
How do you ensure that L&D is worth the investment? ........................................................... 85
To what extent do you use external providers and how do you find the right ones?................... 85

Case study 7: Hammonds LLP – L&D is the key to achieving the firm’s strategic aims ........ 87
Where is L&D placed within the overall context of your firm?.................................................. 87
How is L&D structured within the firm?.................................................................................. 87
How has the recession affected L&D in the firm? ................................................................... 88
What do you regard as particular achievements in the firm’s provision of L&D?....................... 89
How is L&D used to help people advance their careers?........................................................ 89
What other approaches to L&D are you using? ..................................................................... 90
Is L&D compulsory or voluntary at the firm? .......................................................................... 90
How do you ensure that L&D is worth the investment? ........................................................... 91
How do you find and use external providers?........................................................................ 91
What are your aspirations and future challenges in L&D? ...................................................... 91

Part Four: Appendices

Appendix 1: An analysis on the changes affecting the legal profession........................ 95
Appendix 2: A diagnostic .......................................................................................... 101
Appendix 3: A multi-dimensional career model......................................................... 107
Appendix 4: Development methods – Advantages and disadvantages ....................... 111
Appendix 5: Coaching tips ........................................................................................ 115
Appendix 6: Appraisals ............................................................................................. 117
Appendix 7: Perception surveys ................................................................................. 121
Appendix 8: Tips on effective facilitation.................................................................... 123
Appendix 9: A sample survey for assessing a firm’s cultural values ............................ 125
Appendix 10: Dealing with individual under-performance ......................................... 127
Appendix 11: Evaluating L&D.................................................................................... 129

Index ............................................................................................................................. 131

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 31.12.2009
• Verlagsort: London
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Recht / Steuern ► Allgemeines / Lexika
• Themenwelt: Recht / Steuern ► EU / Internationales Recht
• Themenwelt: Recht / Steuern ► Privatrecht / Bürgerliches Recht ► Berufs-/Gebührenrecht
• ISBN-10: 1-78742-730-7 / 1787427307
• ISBN-13: 978-1-78742-730-3 / 9781787427303