Introduction to Legal Project Management

Course Overview

Legal Project Management (LPM) is the adaptation of project management techniques within a legal context. The International Institute of Legal Project Management (IILPM) defines LPM as "the application of project management to the delivery of legal services". Firms and in-house counsel have a lot to gain from applying legal project management principles in the completion of legal projects from start to finish.

Applying the LPM principles, tools, techniques and frameworks can assist you to:

Improve the management of cost, pricing, risk, resources and communication in the delivery of your projects;
Scope matters more accurately before starting substantive work;
Manage the execution of the work more effectively;
Control costs; and
Ensure you are able to meet the expectations of your stakeholders.

In this foundational course you will be introduced to the pillars of LPM, the roles and responsibilities of legal project managers, and will see why LPM could benefit your firm and practice.

Course Testimonial

"Yet another excellent free course from Africa Legal. I highly recommend that every lawyer, experienced or newly qualified, take time to complete this course which I personally rank as one of the most relevant. The course is delivered in a concise and clear manner, with stunning visuals which make the entire course incredibly enjoyable. Nicolene Schoeman-Louw is an extremely knowledgeable trainer and her expertise shines through in this short course.

At the end of the course you should be able to understand the foundations of legal project management, identify the roles and responsibilities of a legal project manager, highlight how the four-phased process to legal project management can drive efficiencies in a typical project lifecycle for legal matters, and apply some foundational project management templates in your firm or practice immediately.”

— Ronald Mutasa, Partner, Manokore Attorneys, DLA Piper Africa

Is this course for you?

This course is aimed at both in-house counsel and African lawyers looking to better understand the foundations of legal project management, find out how it can benefit them in practice, and who want to enhance and develop their management skills. The tools, templates, methodologies and case studies are broadly applicable to all lawyers irrespective of experience.

Africa Legal and City of Glasgow College understand that client pressures on lawyers (both within firms and in-house) are driving the need for a more proactive, disciplined or systematic way of taking those steps, so they have partnered to design three courses to upskill lawyers who need to strengthen this aspect of their business acumen.

Students who register and complete this course will be entitled to a 20% discount on all three courses in the Project Management For Lawyers suite of courses developed by Africa Legal in partnership with City of Glasgow College.

For more information on these courses, please see:

Your Course Instructor

Nicolene Schoeman-Louw

Managing Director of SchoemanLaw Inc

Nicolene Schoeman-Louw is the managing director of SchoemanLaw Inc based in Cape Town, South Africa. She holds an LLB cum laude and has obtained her LLM – both from the University of Free State. Nicolene is a legal project practitioner (LPP) and the accredited training provider for Africa as appointed by the International Institute of Legal Project Management. She is also an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa as well as a conveyancer, notary public and mediator.

This course includes:

45 minutes worth of learning with resources for additional study.

Discussion forums – meet colleagues from around the world and start to build your professional network.

Real-world case studies and scenarios – you will learn by example and have the opportunity to experience real-world scenarios in applying your learning.

Option to save data – switch off the video and download or read the transcript.

Ability to access this self-paced course wherever and whenever it suits you.

Certificate of completion.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What web browser should I use?

The Open edX platform works best with current versions of Chrome, Firefox, 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 and junior lawyers in Africa.

How long will it take me to complete the course?

The course should take you about one hour, 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?

This course is free to access. To access the course 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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ALS: ALL103
Introduction to Legal Project Management