Centre for Legal Leadership and ULaw launch new course to 'empower' senior lawyers

The Centre for Legal Leadership (CLL) has teamed up with the University of Law (ULaw) to launch a new course aimed at developing senior in-house lawyers.

Starting in September 2022, the Lead In-House Lawyer Course will develop personal leadership skills for anyone looking to step up to or who is currently in a Head of Legal role, so that they can thrive at this senior in-house level. 

The course marks a milestone for ULaw – the UK's largest law school - as the first senior course to be developed by CLL and specifically tailored for the in-house lawyer and legal professional.

Founded by international law firm RPC in 2017, CLL provides education, coaching, mentoring and related career support services for in-house lawyers.

Spread over 10 months, the online course aims to narrow the gap between being a lawyer and becoming effective counsel, through the first-hand insights of guest lecturers who are General Counsel in international companies.

Participants will engage in seven sessions on such varied topics as how to understand people and influence others; manage and retain a strong legal team; become more commercially minded; strategic planning; stakeholder relationships; risk management; and understanding financials.

Jeremy Drew, RPC's head of commercial, said: "I'm delighted that RPC is so involved with CLL's ground-breaking collaboration with The University of Law.  It's easy to take for granted the dedicated L&D teams and other support structures of life in Private Practice.  In-house counsel often comment on the fact they have a bit less to lean on. We want to bring that to them".

"This collaboration has been built with the detailed input of the in-house community and by applying true inclusivity to help meet the development and leadership skills needed to excel in-house. 

"Combined with the added benefit of the networking support provided through CLL this collaboration should offer something for everyone."

Richard Macmillan, General Counsel and Company Secretary at Moorfields Eye Hospital, who attended the launch event held on 10 May, said: “Sharing knowledge and expertise is vital for the future of our profession.  In my view we have a professional obligation to ensure that the future GCs/Heads of Legal have the right skills to be able to develop into leaders.  

"The Centre for Legal Leadership helps achieve that and therefore courses such as these are absolutely vital.  They help bring to life the role of a GC, so that senior lawyers who want to develop are prepared.”

Chris Fowler, General Counsel at BT, added: “Initiatives like this are essential if the profession is able to best equip lawyers for the changes they need to embrace if they are to be effective and deliver in senior level roles where the demands are very different.”