What is Legal Action Group Training?
Broadly speaking, legal action group training of lawyers at the legal clinic or community level is designed to provide individuals with greater advocacy skills in identifying and remedying problems, capacity, confidence and support in advocating on behalf of their clients and an enhanced understanding of human rights law and other legal mechanisms by which individuals may pursue justice and enforcement of their rights.
Legal action group training may be offered as a one time event, as a series of events or as a regular community meeting where advocacy skills are developed on an on-going basis. Training may consist of a number of components such as the development of impactful advocacy skills, how to leverage the media, how to engage effectively with public sector bodies, how to write submissions, how to make a submission to a parliamentary committee and how to organize and carry out lobbying activity. Training may be offered in the course of active campaigning, as part of the preparation for litigation or as a stand alone event. In all of these instances , it is critical that participants are provided with information about substantive law and the legal mechanisms which may be employed to further advocacy goals. It is also important that training is complemented by strategic advice from the outset, as this ensures that the training which is provided aligns with the contours of the broader strategic goals of the particular organization or group.
Key elements in delivering effective legal action group training include: clarifying the nature of the human rights issue being addressed – for example, is the group looking to raise awareness of a specific problem, lobby government for legal reform, open a dialogue with a particular state body or engage in litigation? Can advocacy efforts be complemented by a wider communications strategy which addresses the media and general public? Legal action group training should be grounded in an analysis of the legal parameters of the particular issue and should aim to be accessible so that non-lawyers can engage with it.
Essential Elements of Successful Training
When considering the blueprint for a successful legal action group training program, three major components emerge: curriculum, instructors and practical exercises. Without, at least, these three components in play, the likelihood is strong that a program will succeed.
Curriculum is the starting point. It is the foundation upon which everything else rests. Here, it is important to have a thorough understanding with respect to what is necessary to dominate the courtroom? What are the various legal action group participants currently doing and what is their level of competence? And, what gaps or deficiencies exist? Curriculum design and development provide the roadmap to bridging the gap.
When developing the curriculum, it is also imperative to consider the mix of participants. For example, in some cases, mid-level legal assistants may be in the same room as high-level legal assistants and paralegal participants. So a key question to ask, "Will this curriculum serve us on multiple levels?" For example, consider a curriculum for competent, medium to large firm high-level paralegals who do not have a great deal of courtroom experience and who believe they are ready for the next level of competence and responsibility. Hardly an easy group and one that would certainly be tough to teach.
Another aspect of curriculum development is the executive functioning role of paralegals. A substantial number of companies have identified this as an area of growth and development for the future. Moreover, they contend there is a growing need to attract and develop diverse talent and leadership in every aspect of the organization, including paralegals. In any event, whether to include that component was a key consideration in the design of the following curriculum.
With a solid curriculum developed, it is now time to find the talent to teach the course. Again, here is where it is important to have the right instructors. A person who is not too far removed from the practice of law can be intimidating to students. On the contrary, an instructor who is a highly respected paralegal (or other legal assistant) can be inspirational.
We all know from watching television legal dramas that reality in the courtroom may not be picture perfect. But at this program, the reality was outstanding, giving participants a chance to get close to the action as possible. For example, consider a mock trial where the courtroom was filled with the noises and distractions of a typical courtroom experience. And with instructors who had first-hand experience and were considered "bigger than life," it was an awesome experience.
In reading these components, the reader might think that it is now "enough already." But the surprise is that a phrase like "enough already" describes paralegals who are very selective about how they spend their continuing legal education dollar. They want courses that elevate their skill sets. They want to learn from the best and find out what they can do to develop their executive functioning.
Advantages of Legal Action Group Training
The benefits of Legal Action Group training are both broad and deep. By participating in a clearly defined process for responding to the particular type of problem that confronts them, legal action groups receive practical training on how to confront and challenge abuses in the administrative hearing process.
Lawyers in legal action groups have the opportunity to enhance their skills and hone their knowledge in other areas of the law through the lens of the work their legal action group has determined must be accomplished. They learn to work together with other groups to set goals, identify potential problems and develop solutions. The end result is an expanded knowledge base, a sharpened skill set, and a close-knit network of practitioners with a similar ideology.
Social Security Disability law practitioners, particularly appellate practitioners, have benefited from the availability of Lawline-approved seminars and webinars. Our training sessions, especially our disability seminars and webinars, have always been well attended by practitioners across the state. And while we have offered training to other types of advocates in other areas of administrative law, it has always been hard to procure enough attendees to cover at least half of the cost of conducting a session. There is a hunger out there among the ranks of Social Security Disability advocates for comprehensive, thorough and up-to-the-minute training. And those advocates know they have choices as to where to obtain their training. Suffice it to say that we should work hard to make every effort to give every practicing disability advocate in the State the opportunity to obtain practical, informative, accurate information on the current state of the law.
Trends in Legal Action Group Training Programs
Current Trends in Legal Action Group Training
The industry is starting to absorb and adapt to the implications of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which requires legal action group training in a comprehensive information security program, and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, which focuses legal action group training on rules for identity theft detection and prevention purposes. At the same time, a range of technology solutions are being integrated into legal action group training programs. For example, now-a-days, legal action group training programs often feature online multi-media programs through an employee’s intranet or through a third-party vendor’s website. There are also a number of online training programs that offer modules focused on FCRA and GLBA, so that legal action group training can be accomplished quickly if needed.
There are a multitude of hybrid models of legal action group training evolving, including in-person legal action group training workshops. The upside potential of online or blended legal action group training is that such programs can be deployed across multiple sites at the same time and can eliminate issues of travel expenses and time. Multinational organizations are quick to adopt these methods of legal action group training. On the other hand, impersonal legal action group training programs can be challenging to employees who have varying levels of computer knowledge or experience, and who are reluctant to raise technical questions.
During 2007 projections were that global legal action group training costs will be reduced by as much as 15% through the use of innovative technology. Additionally the use of technology in legal action group training is evolving as well. Currently technologies are being integrated into existing legal action group training programs, but are increasingly being used to develop whole new legal action group training programs.
For example, compliance for the protection of personal information across industry sectors is evolving, and a certification process is emerging. In response, it is possible that a future may lie ahead where employees are certified as having completed legal action group training programs for specific state and/or federal laws. In such a future, for example, employees could have their legal action group training results recorded and transmitted through their laptops, so they will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of regulated laws.
Evolving Challenges and Solutions
Challenges and solutions to legal action group training initiatives have mainly been due to changing regulatory requirements, continual service developments and changes in the legal environment. Many initiatives have been put in place by those responsible for legal aid supervision and by organisations responsible for monitoring services. However, this bespoke and task specific oversight can create difficulties when it comes to legal action group training as duplication is often the result. Some common examples of difficulties encountered are:
The above highlights areas that can, however, be circumvented through consultation with relevant stakeholders and guidance from the SRA. As an example, whilst there is a need for robust front line quality auditing across civil, criminal defence and family work, CAM already provides such a mechanism – as do the CAG, legal aid or otherwise.
A further example, albeit outside of the field of Legal Action Groups, is the implementation of the LSC (now LAA) Quality Mark in the late 1990s which, again, was highly recognised but did not compliment the CSA/NQA ISO 9000 scheme because the "processes" were not the same. This meant that a certified practice could spend a great deal of time crafting policies and processes to meet two separate certification criteria. We learned from this example of initiative duplication how best to address the problem.
Time was also wasted checking and cross-checking statistics and audit results where efforts could have , and should have, been better directed elsewhere. For many groups, time is the finite resource and, unless handled well, this along with poor communication between stakeholders can severely impede growth and development. SRA guidance on stakeholder inclusion begins from the outset when a Legal Action Group is being formed and the guidance is made available to all stakeholders at an early stage.
Communicating the business case is really important too, as is the need to ensure training is clearly aligned with common goals. These are all very common issues experienced within legal action group training initiatives.
Creating an open and honest, clearly organised and structured training strategy involving all stakeholders and other legal aid providers within the local community can reduce risk significantly. Keeping things simple whilst bearing in mind custodial limitation periods and financial restraints is essential to keeping costs down. A key component should be an executive summary, outlining objectives, timescales, points of intervention and who needs to be involved, as well as highlighting risk factors and areas which may require external support.
A further consideration is that of costs associated with the set-up and management of Legal Action Group training initiatives e.g., staff training, translation, printing etc. The way to combat this is by seeking external funding from the LAA or other providing agency with an explanation of what the money will be spent on.
Selecting the Ideal Program
When considering a legal action group training course, it is important to evaluate factors such as the content of the curriculum, the qualifications of the instructors, and the format of the course. The following are questions individuals and organizations should ask when evaluating potential programs. Organizations should also ensure that the organization through which they are choosing to take the legal action group training course can assist them in creating their own legal action group. A good teacher can be the difference between a strong legal action group at the end of the class and a weak legal action group afterwards. Do not simply look for a course that is nearby, make sure it is a quality course. It may be tempting to find the course with the lowest price, but the more expensive course may be the best value in the end. The quality of computer networks on the internet to aid in creating legal action groups does vary widely. Ask for personal recommendations for quality service providers. There must be trust in any type of service or product a legal action group requires. More importantly, make sure you trust the organization from which you are taking the legal action group course.
The Future of Legal Action Group Training
The future of Legal Action Group training remains bright with numerous prospects on the horizon. With the rapid pace of technological advancements, we can expect to see an increased integration of learning management systems and artificial intelligence. By utilizing AI and innovative digital platforms, Legal Action Groups can not only expedite the training process but also provide tailored learning experiences for different law areas and skillsets.
Personalized training modules can cater to specific learning styles and areas that need improvement, allowing for a more extensive and comprehensive knowledge base for group members. Furthermore, as legal regulations continue to evolve, training programs will need to adapt swiftly to incorporate these changes and ensure all members remain compliant with the latest standards.
Additionally , as the industry becomes more globalized, there will be a need for increased multilingual training programs, enabling Legal Action Groups to communicate effectively with diverse clients. The industry will also continue to look for ways to make Legal Action Group training more interactive and engaging, as well as more affordable and accessible.
Meanwhile, with the rise of alternative dispute resolution and online legal services, Legal Action Groups will require continued education on the latest technologies and practices in order to effectively serve their target markets. Overall, the future of Legal Action Group training is bright, as it will continue to develop to meet the evolving demands of the legal industry.
