Syllabus Business Leadership Program for In-House Counsel A typical lawyer moving to an in-house counsel role brings strong legal training and experience, but often very little background in either understanding or managing the complexities of organizational life. The Business Leadership Program for In-house Counsel and subsequent CIC.C designation is designed to facilitate the successful transition to in-house roles and increasingly more senior roles within an organization by rapidly accelerating learning regarding the nature and functioning of businesses and the dynamics of complex organizations. The program achieves these objectives through a series of three intensive three-day courses supplemented by a self-paced online course focused on the following topics: 1. Understanding and Navigating Organizational Dynamics 2. Business Leadership Application 3. Developing as a Manager 4. The Effective General Counsel: From Manager to Leader
Course 1: Understanding and Navigating Organizational Dynamics The initial challenge for a lawyer moving in-house is to understand how organizations work how they are designed, structured, managed, and led. There is a language to learn as well as norms and cultures to understand. There are hierarchies and power structures to assess and new ways of working to master. In light of this, the first course of the CCCA program is designed to facilitate the transition to the in-house role by addressing topics such as: The role of In-House Counsel Understanding and setting expectations What management need from in-house counsel Providing value The complementary roles of governance and management in organizations The role of the board Interface between board and management Role of in-house counsel in managing board/management relations The nature of strategic management: What is strategy? What are characteristics of good strategy? How do organizations establish sustainable competitive advantage? Organizational structure and the evolution of design as organizations grow The nature and rationale of different organizational structures Understanding advantages and disadvantages of different organizational forms Why structure changes through different stages of organizational growth The causes and consequences of organizational culture What is organizational culture and why is it so important? How culture changes and adapts How culture can be shaped to enhance organizational effectiveness Effective problem solving and decision making When and why groups should (and shouldn t) be involved in decision making Common pitfalls in group decision making Team leadership skills to enhance the quality and impact of team decisions 2
Course 2: Business Leadership Application As a lawyer, an understanding of the law is expected. As in-house counsel, you are also required to apply this knowledge in a manner that will not only comply with all legal obligations, but will move the organization forward in a strategic fashion. This self-paced online program will facilitate the application of legal knowledge to business using case scenarios, discussion boards, quizzes and interactive activities. There are 10 topics in the online course. These topics are not designed to teach or assess substantive legal knowledge, but to provide practical guidance on typical business situations that may intersect with the law. Each topic is deliberatively focussed on 3-4 skills and competencies related to that topic area. These skills and competencies will be clearly listed in the learning objectives outlined at the beginning of each module. Readings and resources are provided as a starting point to complete the assignments and knowledge checks but may need to be supplemented by additional research on your part. Topics are: Governance Organizations need to adopt and implement a solid plan. This is done by creating carefully drafted programs and policies which are then communicated throughout the organization, monitored, and enforced. This course will enable In-house counsel to gain a better understanding of his or her organization s committees, including roles, mandates, and rules of conduct. This topic will also look at the role of secretary and the issues that may arise when that position is held by in-house counsel. Employment In-house counsel can provide great value to the management of employment and HR matters within an organization. Ensuring compliance with employment standards through audits, policies and employee education is essential. This course will provide in-house counsel with tools, templates and checklists to help with the management of these issues, as well as job aids to streamline procedures in the hiring and termination process. Business Communications In-house counsels main responsibilities are to provide legal advice to the organization and to advocate on its behalf. In order to provide such services to their organizations, counsel need to communicate clearly and effectively. Although reading, writing, and analyzing words are at the heart of a lawyer s training and skill set, effective business writing requires a shift in paradigm. This course will focus on drafting communications to be clear, while also ensuring that every reader not only understands the communication, but is sufficiently interested to take away the intended message. Insurance Insurance is an important part of any risk management plan. In order to provide valuable advice to their organization on the appropriate coverage, in-house counsel need to understand key insurance concepts, what coverage may be available, and be able to create protocols to deal with claims. With attention paid to a few specific types of coverage, this course will provide in-house counsel with the tools needed to plan an effective and efficient insurance program. Course 2 description continued on next page 3
Course 2: Business Leadership Application (cont d) Privacy Organizations collect, use, store and share a great deal of personal, confidential, and sensitive data and information. Policies, tools and processes must be implemented to comply with all legal requirements as well as to protect the organization s reputation. This course will look at the legislative framework which governs privacy as well as specific topics around privacy impact assessments, breaches, and privacy notices. Intellectual Property An organization may use logos, marketing taglines, designs and product names. It may also create innovative processes, products and formulas. All of these can constitute valuable assets for your organization. Learn when, why and how to register and protect assets, and when and why you should defend your organization s IP. Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and acquisitions are major projects undertaken by organizations. The law department is an important participant in the process and often responsible for managing the project. In-house counsel must partner with senior management and outside counsel to deliver successful results. Learn how to maximize results and organize the project. Insolvency All organizations deal with business partners and clients, either individuals or corporations. Such partners and clients may become insolvent, which can significantly impact the financial situation of your organization. It is important to understand how to protect the interests of your organization. Organizations may themselves become insolvent or face serious financial constraints. There are tools and preventive measures that an organization can take to avoid or minimize impacts, and to protect important assets or activities. Regulatory Compliance Organizations are faced with an increasingly large volume of laws, regulations, guidelines, policies, and best practices to respect. This course will instruct in-house counsel to identify measures to promote and monitor compliance and to respond in situations of non-compliance. Risk Management Risk management plays a significant part of the role of in-house counsel. It is essential that all in-house counsel have a full appreciation of risk assessment, control and management. This course will look at best practices in creating a framework for an organization s risk management program, which will align with organizational goals. 4
Course 3: Developing as a Manager The third course of the program addresses the challenges faced when the in-house lawyer moves from the role of individual professional advisor to that of manager. At that point the job of the in-house counsel changes from doing the work to getting the work done through others. The challenge of letting go and recognizing the new demands of the management role is often particularly difficult for highly trained professionals like in-house lawyers. This course focuses on these challenges, on the new skills that must be mastered to become an effective manager, and on the habits and practices that the in-house lawyer must be prepared to let go of if she or he is to be effective in managing legal work, not just doing it. The content of this course will be organized into three major topic areas, each of which will constitute a day of the course: The personal and organizational challenges of the transition to manager The challenge of letting go Learning effective delegation skills Combining effective delegation with clear accountability and follow-up Fundamentals of financial management Understanding the balance sheet and income statement Developing a budget Maintaining effective financial controls How organizations finance their growth Managing the unique challenges of the legal department Managing relationships with outside counsel Negotiating fees RFP management 5
Course 4: The Effective General Counsel - From Manager to Leader The final course of the program helps those aspiring to senior leadership responsibilities to begin developing their capabilities as a strategic leader. The first major theme is understanding the personal challenges involved in making the transformation from manager to leader. If the job of the manager is to plan, organize and control, the leader s job is to articulate a compelling vision of the future, align people behind that vision and motivate and inspire them to contribute to making the vision a reality. The second theme of the course is thinking and acting strategically. Senior leaders must think longer term and bring to bear their experience, knowledge and wisdom to help focus the entire organization on the key strategic factors that will determine the ultimate success or failure of their organizations. The final theme of the course is risk management, a topic of increasing importance and concern to businesses today. Participants will be provided with an overall framework for understanding enterprise risk management, as well as addressing the roles of board and senior executives in risk management, and understanding factors that impact the risk culture of their organizations. Specific topics to be addressed include: The journey from manager to leader The difference between management and leadership The changing demands of increasingly senior leadership roles The challenges of developing new capabilities and letting go of old habits Effective communication in the business environment Understanding the language of business Shaping communication to your audience Communicating for influence and persuasion Risk management: Establishing an enterprise risk management framework Understanding the organization s risk appetite / tolerance Risk monitoring and reporting The role of Audit and Risk Committees of the Board Anatomy of a risk savvy culture 2014. Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved. 6