Professional Development for Lawyers

Reviews / Votes

BOOK REVIEW PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR LAWYERS By Rachel Brushfield The Ark Group ISBN: 978 1 908640 59 8 (hard copy) www.managingpartner.com LOOKING TO BUILD A MORE FULFILLING LEGAL CAREER? ACCESS THIS EXPERT ADVICE FROM ARK An appreciation by Phillip Taylor MBE and Elizabeth Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers Like so many of the other Ark publications targeted at the professions, this latest book by Rachel Brushfield contains expertise, insights, commentary and advice that can only help you advance your career as a legal practitioner in today's increasingly competitive global business environment. Produced in accessible management report format, the book focuses on professional development for lawyers. While the book is not necessarily CPD-specific, it provides excellent background for further CPD involvement, especially in the light of Brushfield's comment that 'CPD around the world is being reviewed and updated to ensure that lawyers possess the new "world order" of skills - putting clients at the heart of their approach and providing added value and exemplary customer service'. Brushfield, who works with such clients as Clifford Chance, is an acknowledged expert in professional development, having founded EnergiseLegal and Energise, the latter being an official partner of the Telegraph Media Group. Among an amazingly wide range of themes discussed -- including online methodologies and CRM (customer relationship management) approaches -- is the fairly frequent emphasis on developing 'support to enable fee earning at an earlier stage in a career', motivated by inspired and knowledgeable leadership, which inevitably influences a law firm's ethos and activities. The book is divided into parts, with Part I taking a methodical and practical approach to presenting systems, trends, aims and outcomes in professional development, from essential skills, to internationalism and ROI (return on investment). Part II contains nine case studies, which together provide a rich source of insights and innovations in professional development from, for example, several 'magic circle' firms. Check out Baker & McKenzie's 'Pitching to Win' article - Simmons and Simmons's MBA programme - or, the overview of the commercial and profit-generating benefits of CRM from LexisNexis. Logically structured, and with accompanying CD, the book is easy to navigate, with a detailed table of contents and index, together with useful references and suggestions for further research at the end of each chapter. If you're looking for a legal text that really delivers gains in knowledge, skill, and creativity, then this is the book for you. And yes, we think it fair to say that, once you've read and noted its contents, this book can really help you enhance your professional self confidence, as well as your business development skills, whether you're at the start of your career, or at senior partner level.
 
BOOK REVIEW PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR LAWYERS By Rachel Brushfield The Ark Group ISBN: 978 1 908640 59 8 (hard copy) www.managingpartner.com LOOKING TO BUILD A MORE FULFILLING LEGAL CAREER? ACCESS THIS EXPERT ADVICE FROM ARK An appreciation by Phillip Taylor MBE and Elizabeth Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers Like so many of the other Ark publications targeted at the professions, this latest book by Rachel Brushfield contains expertise, insights, commentary and advice that can only help you advance your career as a legal practitioner in today's increasingly competitive global business environment. Produced in accessible management report format, the book focuses on professional development for lawyers. While the book is not necessarily CPD-specific, it provides excellent background for further CPD involvement, especially in the light of Brushfield's comment that 'CPD around the world is being reviewed and updated to ensure that lawyers possess the new "world order" of skills - putting clients at the heart of their approach and providing added value and exemplary customer service'. Brushfield, who works with such clients as Clifford Chance, is an acknowledged expert in professional development, having founded EnergiseLegal and Energise, the latter being an official partner of the Telegraph Media Group. Among an amazingly wide range of themes discussed -- including online methodologies and CRM (customer relationship management) approaches -- is the fairly frequent emphasis on developing 'support to enable fee earning at an earlier stage in a career', motivated by inspired and knowledgeable leadership, which inevitably influences a law firm's ethos and activities. The book is divided into parts, with Part I taking a methodical and practical approach to presenting systems, trends, aims and outcomes in professional development, from essential skills, to internationalism and ROI (return on investment). Part II contains nine case studies, which together provide a rich source of insights and innovations in professional development from, for example, several 'magic circle' firms. Check out Baker & McKenzie's 'Pitching to Win' article - Simmons and Simmons's MBA programme - or, the overview of the commercial and profit-generating benefits of CRM from LexisNexis. Logically structured, and with accompanying CD, the book is easy to navigate, with a detailed table of contents and index, together with useful references and suggestions for further research at the end of each chapter. If you're looking for a legal text that really delivers gains in knowledge, skill, and creativity, then this is the book for you. And yes, we think it fair to say that, once you've read and noted its contents, this book can really help you enhance your professional self confidence, as well as your business development skills, whether you're at the start of your career, or at senior partner level.