Hogan Lovells enhanced its training by engaging newly promoted partners in computer simulations that allow them to test their skills at running a global law firm.

Pilot success

The firm launched a three-day pilot program in June last year, with 25 partners competing in teams to run their own fictional law firms. The program took place in Monaco prior to the firm’s global partners conference, and used case studies to teach partners to make strategic decisions on how to allocate resources and make staffing and operational choices, including making decisions around effective talent management and client engagement. Partners were scored on their fictional law firms’ profitability, leadership and satisfaction of their fictional customers and employees. Hogan hired a corporate training firm Simulation Studios to create the digital leadership development programme.

Enhanced programme

The training was the first for any new equity partner class and is part of the firm’s commitment to partner development on a global scale, Michelle Nash, Hogan’s director of learning and development, told Bloomberg Law. She explained the training also lets the participants work together without fear of failure, Nash said. She explained that in the real world there are many limitations and the pressure to succeed and the risk involved often causes attorneys ‘to stay inside the box,’ but the training sessions allowed partners to experience what it’s like to run a global firm in a low-risk environment. Last month, the program was named a finalist in the Financial Times North American Innovative Lawyer Awards for 2018, and the firm intends to enhance it for the 2019.