Training: innovative programme shows the impact of decisions on organisation's bottom line

National law firm Addleshaw Goddard has worked with in-house lawyers at some of the UK's top companies to create an innovative computer simulation package that trains its solicitors and corporate counsel to deal with business clients.


The firm devised what is believed to be the first business simulation programme, after feedback from in-house counsel indicated that lawyers who are in the know when it comes to providing commercial advice are the most sought after.


Teams are put into a competitive and unpredictable business environment. Lawyers who attend the day-long session work in teams with in-house and private practice lawyers from other firms and organisations, including multinationals such as Barclays and British Telecom, pretending that they are running a robot-manufacturing business. Lawyers put themselves in the roles of, for example, a managing director, a finance director, a sales director or a production manager, and have to trade their fictional company competitively for four simulated years. The team that makes the most money wins.


Dr Jim Hever, head of Addleshaw's client development centre, said: 'More than ever the legal function is under pressure to add value. In recognition of this, we have developed a unique business simulation programme for our own lawyers, as well as in-house counsel, with the help of eight FTSE 100 heads of legal. The programme demonstrates the impact of business decisions on an organisation's bottom line.'


Mr Hever explained: 'They have to make strategic decisions, solve legal and business problems that have no clear solution, and argue the business benefits of their proposed solutions. They then observe the consequences of their decisions over four years of trading with the help of expert business and in-house coaches.


'Working with their coaches, participants explore what they need to do differently at work, how they will align themselves with business units and become champions of staying close to their clients, in order to be perceived as real business partners.'