In today's competitive legal landscape, attracting and retaining top talent is crucial for law firms' success. Leading firms are implementing innovative training initiatives to nurture the next generation of legal professionals. Law firms say that developing essential skills such as adaptability, commercial awareness, and technological proficiency is key to preparing new lawyers for the evolving demands of the industry.
WHAT TRAINING INITIATIVES HAS YOUR ORGANISATION ESTABLISHED TO ATTRACT LAW GRADUATES, AND WHICH ESSENTIAL SKILL SETS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE NEW GENERATION OF LEGAL PROFESSIONALS?
RACHAEL GUAN, graduate recruitment and development manager, Mayer Brown: When we meet candidates, we want them to visualise training with us. And so we start from the earliest touch points. For example, when running an event for law students, we’ll offer an interview skills workshop. That way, they meet us but also expand their own personal toolkit. For any young lawyer, a personal toolkit is key to flourishing in today’s evolving legal services landscape.
When trainees join us, we introduce our Associate Competencies with a hands-on exercise to bring them to life. Trainees learn that clients, communications, knowledge, people, performance and stewardship are not abstract concepts, but something to practise now. For example, for clients, a trainee can achieve this by building rapport. Whereas a Senior Associate is encouraged to develop longer-term relationships. So, the expectations grow as you grow.
How to get there? We’ve embedded Development Centres. For example, juniors get to look at how to define themselves as a lawyer, network and connect with a mentor. At mid-level, how to build ongoing client relationships and negotiate. For Senior Associates, business development tools and business plans.
Today’s legal market is competitive. To help our people thrive, we empower them to own the skills they need.
TRUONG NHAT QUANG, managing partner, YKVN:
With a vision of being the premier law firm in Vietnam, YKVN is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of legal professionals. We actively seek bright, dedicated law students and professionals with a strong work ethic to join our team, reflecting our commitment to excellence and unmatched legal expertise in the region.
Our comprehensive training typically begins with a compulsory program for associates across all offices. It covers legal fundamentals, ethics, soft skills, client management, and specialised practice areas such as M&A, banking, and arbitration. This foundation ensures our associates are well-equipped to handle diverse legal challenges from the start of their careers.
We offer regular internal insight seminars, led by senior experts, to explore complex legal issues and stay abreast of industry developments. Additionally, we invite external professionals to deliver essential skills training, providing a well-rounded learning experience. To further broaden our associates' expertise, we actively support their attendance at events hosted by legal authorities and professional organisations both locally and internationally.
Finally, YKVN provides substantial academic and financial support to law students, demonstrating our commitment to fostering legal talent from the ground up. We award the prestigious YKVN Scholarship each year to promising law students, recognising academic excellence and potential. In addition, we collaborate closely with prestigious universities to provide valuable internship opportunities to qualified students. YKVN also proudly supports international moot court competitions, encouraging students to hone their advocacy skills on a global stage.
SILVIA ON, head of Hong Kong office, CRS: To attract the brightest law graduates, our firm offers a range of training opportunities that emphasise early talent and diversity. Many of our training programmes have a strong focus on Pro Bono and Responsible Business activities. This hands-on experience is pivotal for fostering a sense of social responsibility and legal acumen among our trainees. We provide a practical learning environment where emphasis is given to early responsibility and supervised client contact, encouraging our trainees to develop key legal and business skills.
The Charles Russell Speechlys Business School is also central to our approach, offering a tailored programme to all early talent. Our Business School helps individuals to develop essential professional and commercial skills, from personal organisation to understanding the firm’s financial performance. Our commitment to personal growth extends through every career stage, ensuring continuous development and alignment with the firm's ethos from the most junior levels to the most senior.
Understanding the importance of diverse perspectives, we have implemented both traditional and reverse mentoring schemes, underpinning our diversity and inclusion objectives. At the start of 2024, we launched the ‘Russell Up’ scheme, a brand-new programme designed for our trainee solicitors which will see them deliver four innovation projects during their two-year training contract. The scheme was put in place to introduce our trainees to new ways of working and ensures that, as a firm, we are building an innovation culture from the ground up. All of the options are also legal in their nature, so our trainees have the opportunity to build subject matter expertise as part of the project.
These initiatives reflect our recognition of the essential skill sets required for the new generation of legal professionals: adaptability, technological savviness, and a robust ethical foundation.
CYNTHIA CHUNG, partner & head of human resources and pensions practice, Deacons: Deacons has always been at the forefront of nurturing future legal talents. To attract and develop law graduates, we have implemented a wide range of training initiatives. Our trainee programme epitomises this commitment, offering hands-on experience through seat rotations across our diverse practice areas. These rotations help our trainees comprehend the multifaceted legal landscape and develop into well-rounded professionals. Our trainees work closely with acknowledged solicitors in their fields, many of whom began as interns or trainees at our firm and understand what it takes to thrive.
Alongside on-the-job training, we offer a structured curriculum through Deacons Academy to build skills in areas like people management, commercial acumen, and topics on emerging legal trends. We also encourage participation in conferences and forums to broaden legal knowledge and networking skills.
Mentorship is another cornerstone of our training strategy. Each trainee is paired with a graduate recruitment partner, providing real-world insights and fostering professional growth. With our scale, culture, technology and range of support, our learning solutions help young professionals develop indispensable skills.
When it comes to essential skills for new legal professionals, Deacons recognises that technical legal knowledge alone is not sufficient. We regard a drive for results, commercial awareness, teamwork, critical thinking, and communication skills as fundamentally important.
We also value multiple perspectives, rapport-building, and the ability to handle stress professionally. In today’s fast-paced digital world, technological proficiency and adaptability are becoming even more important. Nevertheless, high ethical standards remain the bedrock of legal practice, underpinning the profession’s credibility.
