Best Practices for Managing and Leading In-House Legal

Course Overview: During this training course you will have the opportunity to critically analyse different legal department structures, models and objectives to enable you to determine what is best for your organisation. You will explore the evolving complex responsibilities of an in-house legal department and the importance of good people management and learn how to develop and implement a balanced and flexible remit which will enable you to respond rapidly to ever changing business demands while adding demonstrable value to the business. How this course will help you: In this intensive, practical and highly interactive two day training course, you will: Learn how to better manage the way you and your team work to succeed in an increasingly complex and demanding in-house environment Consider how the legal department partners with other functions within an organisation, including Compliance, Finance and Marketing Understand how to develop and operate within an effective risk management framework Assess independence and commerciality issues, including privilege, effective written communication, influencing decision-makers and communicating persuasively for business Learn how to recruit for success, retain and inspire staff Learn how to add value – and demonstrate it! Network and share your experiences with other in-house counsel Who should attend: In-house lawyers Legal Affairs managers Private practice lawyers looking for a first move in-house Supporting Partner: The International In-house Counsel Journal is concerned with the exchange of ideas of In-house Counsel representing commercial organisations from all sectors and jurisdictions around the world. The journal contains papers based on case study experience of In-house Counsel in the main disciplines of commercial law from different jurisdictions. The content of the journal is overseen by an editorial board that meets 4 times a year to discuss content and determine which papers are accepted for publication. The board is drawn from a range of industry sectors and jurisdiction with considerable international knowledge. The International In-house Counsel Journal is a peer reviewed journal published electronically 12 times a year and in print form 4 times a year, delivering papers written by In-house Counsel covering the major areas of law: Competition • Antitrust • Intellectual Property Employment • Corporate Governance • Taxation Commercial Litigation • Contracts • Data Protection Franchising • Product Liability • Insurance Health & Safety • In-house legal department management International In-house Counsel Journal Salisbury House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2LA United Kingdom Telephone: 00 44 (0) 203 09 29959 www.iicj.net
Day 1 Anatomy of an In-house Legal Department – The commercial context – Corporate culture – Business Strategy – Aligning legal services to business needs – Alternate structures – Objectives – Mission – Identifying and prioritising stakeholders – Protocols – Resources – Information – Governance Practical Exercise: Benchmarking your organisation and its current practices How to recruit for success, retain and inspire – Leadership – Mentoring – Goal Setting – Personal development – Empowering others Legal Team Building – Competency and skills mix – Seniority mix – Reporting lines – Geographic focus: global/regional/single or multi jurisdiction – Remote Working – Reaching full potential Relationships with External Law Firms and Other Service Providers – Value proposition: no hourly billing! – Tenders, Panels and Master Service Agreements – Volume discounts and other benefits – Outsourcing Cross-functional Integration: Managing Key Relationships – Compliance – Company secretariat – Finance – HR – Comms/Marketing – Procurement – Ethics & culture Metrics; KPIs and Efficiency – Current Practices – Management Information – Corporate memory, record keeping and internal knowledge management – Competencies frameworks and benchmarking – Performance Goals for external legal providers Day 2 Independence and Commerciality – Technical Adviser v Business Facilitator: maintaining credibility – Raising Commercial Awareness – Business Jargon – Influencing business and persuasive communication – How to write for business – Privilege Value Proposition / Centre of Excellence – Understanding your clients and the business needs – Networking / relationship building – “Selling” the service – messaging strategy – Ensuring a quality offering – Feedback on performance Cost reductions – Non-legal roles – Managed Services – Other Initiatives Raising the legal bar within the business – Training and education for non-lawyers – Negotiating and contracting guidelines – Recognising legal risks and responsibilities – Techniques Corporate Governance – Relationship with the Board and the Executive – Policies & procedures – Delegated authority – Signing protocols Risk Management – Risk Framework - roles and remit – Organisational Risk Appetite – Consistency – enhancing and standardising approach – Likelihood and Impact Assessment – Legal Risks – Organisational Risks – Risk Reporting – Mitigation and Escalation – Internal Audit Feedback and Close