Thomson Reuters, the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, today announced the introduction of a new professional skills training program for lawyers in India. The Legal Advancement Program, the first of its kind in India, is specifically designed to prepare newly qualified lawyers for Day One of their professional career.
The Thomson Reuters Legal Advancement Program offers a flexible, self-paced online training experience that provides new lawyers with the core practical skills they will need on a daily basis in their professional career. It enables candidates to put their theory of law into practice by using real-life legal situations, combined with innovative web-based training techniques.
The program builds on Thomson Reuters' position as a world leader in the legal information, software and services sector, and extends the company's presence in the legal sector in India. This includes its flagship online research product, Westlaw India - used by the top law firms, universities, and institutions across India - its legal publishing business, Sweet & Maxwell, and; the company's award winning legal process outsourcing (LPO) business, Pangea3, the largest employer of legal professionals in India.
"In India, as with many countries around the world, law graduates although academically sound, do not have access to the tools to develop the professional skills required in law practice," said Arvind Pachhapur, country manager, Thomson Reuters Legal business, India. "The introduction of the Legal Advancement Program is designed to meet this need and ultimately, to help the legal system to perform better."
"With nearly 60,000 students graduating in law every year in India, it's increasingly difficult to stand out in front of prospective employers. This new program is designed to help kick start a new recruit's legal career and enable them to quickly add value from day one," said Vasant Singal, AVP, Professional Training, Thomson Reuters, India.
The Society of Indian Law Firms' president, Lalit Bhasin, said: "Law firms in India have done well in the past, which is evident from the growth achieved in the last two decades. One of the constraints in rapid growth however, has been the availability of trained manpower, and the need for fresh law graduates in India to have practical skills before they can be productive. We welcome the launch of the Legal Advancement Program, which helps to support the trained manpower needs of India's law firms."
The Legal Advancement Program presents students with real-life legal situations that are typically faced by new practicing lawyers. In addition, live virtual classroom sessions hosted by renowned legal practitioners in India and the UK allow trainees to interact 'virtually' with leading experts and students across the country.
The program culminates in a rigorous examination, after which successful students receive a Program Completion Certificate. Those students scoring 90 percent or higher will receive a Distinction on the Completion Certificate, together with assistance in securing a legal internship.
Those completing the program will gain practical legal skills in five key areas;
-- Contract drafting: Understand client objectives and modify contracts. Critically analyse and amend contracts, and draft simple agreements in a clear, concise and accurate way.
-- Legal writing: Write clear and persuasive legal documents. Learn how to structure professional emails and prepare management reports and file notes.
-- Legal research: Maximise effectiveness of research. How to prepare search criteria, validate sources and summarize findings.
-- Trial advocacy: Gain deeper knowledge of interim advocacy and interlocutories. Prepare persuasive arguments, expose weaknesses in opposition's arguments and understand the correct etiquette in advocacy.
-- Civil procedure: Gain foundational knowledge of the civil procedure courts in India. Understand alternative resolution options such as arbitration, and the rules that govern all the institutions.
The Legal Advancement Program takes up to four months, or 80 hours, to complete. Applications to the program are open until 26th April 2012. To learn more about the program and eligibility, please visit: http://legalcareertraining.com/
Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial and risk, legal, tax and accounting, intellectual property and science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs approximately 60,000 people and operates in over 100 countries. For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com.
CONTACT DETAILS
Anish Borkataki, Text100 Global Public Relations, +91 8876016176/ +91 (22) 61379026
Paul Sandell, Thomson Reuters, +44 (0) 207 393 7386, paul.sandell@thomsonreuters.com
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Legal Advancement Program
