Law Society Skillnet has three programmes beginning in the coming weeks, as it continues to add to its CPD schedule for 2024.

The upcoming schedule includes a course aimed at providing solicitors with the skills to manage a legal practice, while others cover inter-personal skills and ESG (environmental, social and governance).

The Diploma in Legal Practice Management is a hybrid course, to be held through Zoom and in-person at the Law Society.

It begins on 20 March (2pm) and ends on 18 December (5pm).

The course will enable participants to understand every aspect of the establishment and operational management of a legal firm in Ireland from a business, human-resources, and financial-management perspective.

Workshops for leaders

A course on inter-personal skills for leaders and managers begins on Thursday 7 March (9.30am-12.30pm).

The course consists of three workshops that are designed to complement each other. The other workshops are on 11 April and 2 May.

These workshops will highlight the skills a leader needs to successfully juggle the demands of their team, tasks, and the individual.

They are aimed at in-house solicitors and sole practitioners leading or managing teams, and at practice managers and team leaders working in law firms.

The course is worth three professional-development and solicitor-wellbeing CPD hours (by group study) per workshop.

ESG Masterclass

An ESG Masterclass also begins on 7 March (3-6pm).

The masterclass format includes a workshop element to gain a practical and applied understanding of this developing area of law.

The topics covered reflect the practical implications of this complex and emerging practice area.

This masterclass will be hosted on an online learning platform (Moodle). There will be two live in-person lectures and five pre-recorded lectures. One interactive workshop will be held onsite in-person, and one (21 March) will be live online via Zoom.

This course is worth six general and 3.5 professional-development and solicitor-wellbeing CPD hours.