Excellence in Learning and Development 2012

Winner

The Clifford Chance Academy
Clifford Chance recognises that technical knowledge and ability are only part of a successful lawyer's skill set. The Clifford Chance Academy uses video to capture the business acumen and tactical knowledge of its senior leaders and cascade this throughout the global firm. They've seen a great take-up, reaching over 6000 staff in 24 countries, with excellent feedback from their team.

Highly commended

Hugh James Academy
The Hugh James Academy serves a dual purpose, engaging firm staff and offering training for clients. Courses are open to all staff and clients on employment law, HR skills, personal and management development, risk management, business development and IT. Academy success has led to partnering arrangements with Community Housing Cymru, TSW Training, Wales Council for Voluntary Action and the Wales Quality Centre. Each firm partner now offers a tailored, sector-specific service to their extensive membership databases.

Hogan Lovells Litigation Foundation
The Hogan Lovells Litigation Foundation is a new training initiative that takes a fresh approach to contentious legal training, designed to prepare newly-qualified solicitors for a career in litigation. The Litigation Foundation immerses newly-qualified lawyers in a real-time simulation of the litigation process from end-to-end. The course includes daily hour-long client conference calls and an interim hearing, culminating in a full mediation led by a qualified external mediator.

Shortlisted

Brethertons LLP
Brethertons run a range of forward-thinking development programmes, including 360 degree appraisals for partners, a management development training programme and a development course for would-be partners. In 2012, the firm reached a gold standard with Investment in People, and created a sales conversion training programme, which has pushed conveyancing sales from the initial enquiry stage to over 80 per cent conversion.

DLA Piper's Finance and Projects Academy
DLA Piper's Finance and Projects Academy is an experiential learning programme that aims to develop technical and professional business skills. Lawyers work in cross-border teams, acting as borrowers or lenders in a simulated environment. The programme reported great results and excellent feedback from the team.

DWF LLP Talent Development programme
The DWF Talent Development programme launched in December 2010. The year-long programme includes participation in leadership development activities, one-to-one sessions with a personal performance coach, a partner/director level mentor, and a mock assessment. The next stage uses an assessment centre specifically designed to support the firm's core competency framework.

Gordons LLP
In 2011 Gordons launched the legal sector's first apprenticeship scheme. The scheme directly addresses social mobility issues in the sector, offering a platform to a legal career for school leavers from underprivileged backgrounds. The apprentices train as chartered legal executives, through a mix of practice training and study. The firm funds their studies, as well as paying a salary, an investment ensuring they will qualify without a huge burden of student debt.

Holdens Solicitors
Holdens Solicitors' learning and development programme provides a framework for a new firm culture that values staff contributions at every level. Sessions, including fee earners, administrative and legal secretarial staff, helped to build a shared understanding of the firm's development needs, including the introduction of Bighand Voice Recognition technology. The process was supported by mentoring, presentations, away-days, and daily reinforcement, using management information as a development tool.

Michelmores
Michelmores pride themselves on supporting a diverse workforce through a bespoke approach to learning. Their structured development programmes encourage staff to take ownership of their own learning in a supportive and collegiate environment.

Roberts Jackson Learning to Care Programme
This innovative training programme encompasses all aspects of learning at Robert Jackson, a niche industrial diseases practice. Learning to Care has resulted in a high level of specialist knowledge in this complex area of law, with a positive impact on the success of cases and an excellent level of client care.