The University of Law (ULaw) will deliver a novel Legal Operations graduate programme created to accelerate the development of a pipeline of junior talent in legal operations for a consortium of international law firms, CMS UK, Dentons, Norton Rose Fulbright, Herbert Smith Freehills, Linklaters and Slaughter and May.
The four-week course, commencing in January 2022, will bring together graduates in the Legal Operations teams at the Consortium firms. Additional participants who currently work in the firms’ Legal Operations or other related teams may also be invited to join nominated elements of the Legal Operations Programme.
The University of Law (ULaw) and Positive Pricing have been selected as the programme’s exclusive partners, working alongside the Consortium to lead the design and delivery of the curriculum, in what should be the first iteration of a longer-term, established training approach.
Jim Moser, Director of Professional Development, The University of Law, said: “This course is truly unique in the training and development of legal operations professionals and will be a fantastic launchpad for talented individuals from different backgrounds to contribute directly to the business of the Consortium firms with the high level of understanding and relevant core skills needed to work in a fast-paced City law firm environment.”
Stuart Dodds, Principal and Co-Founder of Positive Pricing, added: “We are delighted to be partnering with the Consortium firms and ULaw to deliver this ground-breaking initiative and help develop the legal operations teams of tomorrow.”
Richard King, Chief Legal Operations Officer, Herbert Smith Freehills, said: “Sitting at the junction of the business of law and the practice of law, the legal operations function continues to play an increasingly important role in the delivery of legal services. We are all committed to attracting and developing the brightest talent in this field who will in turn drive value and innovation for our clients. This is an exciting initiative that we hope will establish an industry standard for training and development of graduates in Legal Operations.”
Participants on the course will study the changing face of the legal market, understanding their firms’ legal practice, innovation, automation, legal tech, process design, legal project management and the core skills of legal operations professionals.
Supported by a faculty of expert tutors, high quality face-to-face training and online resources, participants will network with their peers from other Consortium firms. Some sessions will be co-facilitated by members of the Consortium firms and their legal operations teams to provide an induction and insights into each firm.