Beyond box-ticking

Training is one of those topics on which every solicitor has a view. Yet few firms approach it in a compelling manner. Melissa Hardee’s handbook is a timely corrective to that sector-wide challenge.

What sets this book apart is that it opens with the business case for training in law firms. That is the right starting point, strengthening the persuasiveness of subsequent chapters. Hardee articulates the investment ethos required of firms and in-house teams to develop their people and, in turn, their businesses. Anyone justifying a training budget to a sceptical finance partner will recognise the value of this framing. 

The book’s appeal is broad. Whether you are a sole practitioner, a head of knowledge, or the managing partner of a large international firm, there is much to assist you here. The breadth of the book is impressive. Topics include developing a training strategy and the regulation of training, including the maze of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination and qualifying work experience. Ongoing training and the continuing competence regime are also covered.

Each section of the book stands alone and can be dipped into for a specific knowledge check. That makes it a genuinely useful resource, rather than a tome to sit unread on a shelf.

Hardee’s book is outstanding in three distinct respects: it builds a persuasive case for training in firms; it guides the planning of that training; and it addresses its effective delivery. Those three elements, done well, are the difference between training that ticks a box and training that genuinely develops the firm’s people, adds value and creates a return on investment.

Every professional with any responsibility for their firm’s training should read this book. For those of us who advise on regulation and guide management teams more generally, it is a welcome and practical addition to the shelf.

Paul Bennett is a legal services, partnership and regulatory partner with Bennett Briegal