The programme of webinars kicks off on 17 April with a half hour session on Managing your personal development, looking at how you can meet the competence expectations of your employer and the SRA. As I have remarked before the SRA regime reinforces the need for individuals to take responsibility for their competence and professional development. It should encourage the adoption of development plans within legal teams which deliver benefits to individuals as well as the collective team. Agenda items at team meetings which develop individuals as well as sessions run with business colleagues can qualify as ways in which development plans are implemented. There is much greater scope for varied sources of development – they no longer need to be SRA accredited.

Whilst the study of Emotional Intelligence may not be top of everyone’s list of development needs, there is no denying that the key elements of EI – Self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills – are helpful when Building relationship and credibility with business colleagues (to be broadcast on 17 May) and Getting and providing support within the legal team (to be broadcast on 14 June). It is all too easy to behave in a way in which the supposed delight of business colleagues generates dismay on the part of legal colleagues!

In the autumn we will look at how decisions are made and how we might be able to contribute to better decision making (to be broadcast on 27 September). In-house lawyers can benefit from a better understanding of how decision making can be flawed so that they can contribute to a better outcome, without usurping the decision maker. Given one of the essential elements of effective legal risk management is a level of legal awareness on the part of business people, the final broadcast on 18 October will explore successfully designing and running a session to raise legal awareness.

Whilst the broadcasts have standalone content, attendees will benefit from the cumulative guidance which will be shared. Each broadcast will be relevant whatever level of experience attendees have.