Structuring Firm Strategy

Course Overview

All law firms should be looking to grow their business and enhance their footprint in what is an increasingly competitive market. Each firm is different, and growth strategies that have proved successful for one firm may not be suitable for another. Strategic thinking involves making decisions about what actions your firm or practice can take in order to be more successful.

Through a series of real-world, African case studies, this course will explore and examine the planning tools that can assist you in unlocking the strategic growth of your business in the short-, medium- and long-term. You can use the downloadable templates and strategic thinking methodologies to begin to develop the foundations of a formalised process that you can apply year-on-year in order to grow your business.

You will also be provided with a number of downloadable tools, templates and practical guidelines that you can use in practice to:

Review some common strategic thinking tools that you can rely upon in planning your business strategy;
Develop your short-, medium- and long-term goals that are applicable for your firm;
Analyse some common pitfalls of expanding your business and how to overcome them; and
Design a structured strategic plan that you can implement in your firm in order to grow your business.

Is this course for you?

The course is designed for lawyers and legal professionals at any level – the tools, templates, methodologies and case studies are broadly applicable to all lawyers.

Strategic thinking is a skill that is critical for lawyers of any experience level. Junior lawyers will gain a valuable skill that will assist them in growing their own practice and thereby adding benefit to their firms; more experienced lawyers can apply the learning to enhance their current approach to strategic planning and growing their business.

The strategic tools and templates that are provided will not replace engagement with strategic consultancies, but will allow any lawyer or leader within a firm to be able to begin to define their own strategy for growth.

Your course instructor

Iain Sim is a qualified solicitor, based in Glasgow. Since 2003 he has taught, coordinated and examined a range of business and commercial subjects at both the University of Strathclyde's School of Law and Strathclyde Business School. He has delivered at MSC, MBA and exec level not only in the UK, but also in the Middle East and Far East. He is the co-author of the textbook Commercial Awareness for Lawyers and has also written many articles for various legal journals.

Away from law, Iain is the Chairman of Friends of TS Queen Mary, a registered charity that owns and is restoring TS Queen Mary. Under his leadership, the charity has structured some £3.85m of cash and in-kind support into the project and was awarded the Great Scot Charity Award in 2016.

This course has been developed by the City of Glasgow College in collaboration with the Africa Legal Learn team.

At the heart of Glasgow’s Learning Quarter, and spanning the River Clyde, City of Glasgow College is the largest and most diverse tertiary education establishment in Scotland. We are proud of our historic industry links and valued reputation for developing professional skills for modern industry across many specialisms, with over 100 international partners across 28 countries.

The College is committed to the education and industry of the future, ready to adapt to the changing needs of this and future generations. In supporting this vision we strongly believe that high quality, affordable and relevant online education and training opportunities are critical in opening educational opportunities to our global students across Africa.

To meet this ambition, City offers a wide range of educational, technical and training opportunities at levels ranging from foundation courses through to Higher National Diplomas and degree programmes, in association with our Higher Education partners.

This course is eligible for 3 CPD points from the United Kingdom CPD Standards Office, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or associated with, professional bodies.

This course includes:

90 mins worth of learning with resources for additional study;
Discussion forums – meet colleagues from around the world;
Apply your learning through real-world case studies and scenarios;
Option to save data – switch off the video and download or read the transcript;
Points towards continuous professional development;
Completion certificate and CDP accreditation certificate; and
Ability to access this self-paced course wherever and whenever it suits you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What web browser should I use?

The Open edX platform works best with current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, or with Internet Explorer version 9 and above. See our list of supported browsers for the most up-to-date information.

Who should take this course?

This course is aimed at law students, graduates, lawyers and legal professionals at any level in Africa, for strategic thinking is crucial for all business-minded lawyers. The strategic thinking tools and methodologies unpacked throughout the course will be particularly relevant to those lawyers looking to define their strategy in order to grow their firm moving forward.

How long will it take me to complete the course?

The course should take you about 90 minutes, not including optional activities, discussions and extra reading materials. Once you are enrolled in the course you can work through the content at your own pace. Feel free to access any part of the content at any time.

How do I access the course?

You need to purchase a seat on the course. To do this please sign in to Africa Legal. If you don’t yet have an account with Africa Legal follow the steps to sign up and then press the enrol button.

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Is your employer paying for the course?
Get in touch with our corporate team by emailing sales@africa-legal.com