Collaborating With Consultants On In-House Training Programs

Foremost among them is the task of staffing in-house offerings with truly talented instructors. Firm attorneys or administrators are almost always the first choice of faculty for these sessions for any number of reasons. Firm members know their audience as no one else could and they have (we hope) the respect of their comrades. Many are great speakers and teachers as well. Also, teaching opportunities can offer firm members an opportunity to enhance presentation skills and professional visibility inside the firm. The challenges to using inside faculty include the fact that most are not professional presenters and may be more or less effective in meeting training objectives, their schedules can be difficult to work with and training may not be their number one priority, and that, sometimes, the phrase “familiarity breeds contempt” holds true because their colleagues wonder how he or she can be “expert” enough to act as the instructor.

The second choice is to hire an instructor from outside the firm. The benefits of using an outside trainer include the possible introduction of fresh ideas and sharing of expertise gleaned from working with many different firms, an opportunity to tap the knowledge of someone who is devoted to a particular subject area, and a chance to take advantage of the “expert effect” bestowed upon consultants by the mere fact of their being outsiders. The downside is that they cost money, have other engagements that will have impact on scheduling, may have limits on the extent to which they are willing to customize their materials, and they will inevitably need some of your time to provide insights on the firm. The trickiest part of choosing outsiders is finding professionals who will resonate with your audience and produce the desired training outcomes. Difficulties associated with begging partners and associates to act as trainers or facilitators without offending those whose skills lay elsewhere not withstanding, the task of choosing a professional trainer can be a frustrating experience. Compare it to car shopping – you don't relish the task, but know you need to do it – you want something good, but not too flashy and you've been burned by shady operators in the past. Suffice it to say that in many firms use of outside trainers is the option of last resort, but a fact of life nonetheless.