Law360 Canada (May 30, 2024, 4:02 PM EDT) — So far in this leadership
series and speaking directly to you as the law firm leader or managing
partner, I have covered building your team around your strengths, hiring
strategies and onboarding. This article will focus on training and
development for your newly hired lawyers.
This learning and development program outline for newly hired lawyers is
designed to integrate them seamlessly into the firm’s culture, enhance
their legal skills and prepare them for a successful career. The program
focuses on building foundational skills, providing practical experiences and
offering continuous support and mentorship. It’s another vital step in the
formula that will increase retention and morale, improve your ability to
further attract talent, better serve your clients and, ultimately, increase profits.
Gary Mitchell
Effective learning and development programs should focus on three key elements: legal skills and
experience, technology and people skills. These elements ensure that your people remain competent,
adapt to technological advancements and enhance their interpersonal interactions, thereby
contributing to their overall success and satisfaction in their roles. Here are the components to
consider.

1. Legal skills training

• Research and writing: Workshops on legal research methods, drafting legal documents and effective writing techniques.
• Client interaction: Training on client communication, interviewing and counselling.
• Litigation skills: Where applicable, practical exercises in courtroom procedures.
• Transactional skills: Practical exercises in negotiation and contract drafting.

2. Mentorship program

• Assigned mentors: Each new lawyer is paired with an experienced attorney for guidance and support.
• Regular meetings: Scheduled meetings to discuss progress, challenges and career development.
• Feedback and evaluation: Constructive feedback on performance with actionable advice for improvement.

3. Professional development

• Continuing legal education (CLE): Access to CLE courses to stay updated with legal developments and maintain licensure.
• Workshops and seminars: Participation in workshops and seminars on emerging legal topics and industry trends.
• Individual coaching: Having an independent and impartial partner to bounce ideas off of and support your people through practising new habits and strategies is invaluable. I suggest the following:
  • . Practice management: Training in time management, organizational skills, docketing and stress management.
  • Soft-skills development: Training in leadership, teamwork, communication and emotional intelligence.
  • Business-development skills: Coaching and training in business development.

4. Performance monitoring and feedback

• Regular reviews: Periodic performance reviews to assess progress and identify areas for improvement.
• Goal setting: Setting short-term and long-term career goals with actionable steps to achieve them.
• Continuous improvement: Encouragement of a growth mindset and continuous learning through feedback and self-assessment

5. Networking and collaboration

• Internal networking: Opportunities to connect with colleagues across different practice areas through social events and collaborative projects. Also, include your juniors and new hires in
• client functions to further develop client relationships and give your new lawyers a sense of being a part of the team.
• External networking: Encouragement to join professional associations, attend industry conferences and engage in community service

6. Technology and Innovation

• Tech training: Training on the latest legal technology tools and software used in the firm.
• Innovation initiatives: Encouragement to participate in innovation projects and contribute to
  the firm’s technological advancements

Program Benefits:

• Enhanced skills: Development of both legal and soft skills essential for career growth.
• Career guidance: Continuous support and mentorship to navigate career paths.
• Integration: Smooth transition into the firm’s culture and work environment.
• Professional growth: Opportunities for continuous learning and professional development.
• All of the above: Lead to improve retention and your ability to continue to attract top-level talent.

Conclusion

This learning and development program outline for newly hired lawyers is a comprehensive approach
to ensuring they are well-prepared, confident and capable of contributing effectively to the firm. You
can greatly enhance your lawyers’ ability to adapt to new challenges, enhance their expertise and
thrive in an ever-changing legal landscape.
By investing in their growth, the firm not only enhances individual performance but also builds a
strong, competent and competitive team ready to tackle future challenges. When effectively
executed, this will increase your firm’s profitability. Up next in this series will be creating incentives
and rewards for your people.

This is part four of a series. Part one: Law firm leadership, start here! Make ’24 the best year ever;
part two: Law firm leadership part two: Hiring; part three: Law firm leadership part three:
Onboarding.
Gary Mitchell has tailored his coaching practice exclusively to lawyers since 2005. He has three books
published, his latest, Growing a Law Practice During COVID-19, was published by LexisNexis in 2021.
Recently, Mitchell launched a new app to help lawyers grow their practices, The Law Practice Builder
App™. He now hosts The LawBiz Podcast™, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. He
can be reached at gary@cohanleon.saimrasool.com.
The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the
author’s firm, its clients, LexisNexis Canada, Law360 Canada or any of its or their respective
affiliates. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be
taken as legal advice.
Interested in writing for us? To learn more about how you can add your voice to Law360 Canada,
contact Analysis Editor Yvette Trancoso at Yvette.Trancoso-barrett@lexisnexis.ca or call 905-415
5811.