Diploma in In-House Practice

This course is designed to provide in-house lawyers or aspiring in-house lawyers with a comprehensive understanding of the varied, challenging, and stimulating work that confronts those working in business and in the public sector. The in-house role has evolved from a traditional role of ‘head of legal’ to a more dynamic, high-level and business-oriented position. Feedback confirms that the in-house lawyer is obliged to ‘wear many hats’ and negotiate with a variety of stakeholders. Participants will recognise the varied role of the in-house lawyer and the many business and interpersonal skills that the position requires, and they will assess how to best manage business expectations while juggling the competing interests of various stakeholders.

The course examines a number of substantive legal topics that confront in-house counsel, such as setting up and managing an in-house function, ethics, privilege, commercial contracts, employment, compliance, governance, procurement, and data protection.

Module 1: The role of the in-house lawyer – risk, privilege, strategy

• Introduction to the role of in-house lawyer,
• Setting up an in-house function,
• Mixed role of in-house lawyer,
• Ethics,
• Legal risk,
• Privilege in an in-house context,
• Use of external counsel and budgets,
• In-house data protection issues.

Module 2: Essential negotiation and commercial contracts

• Essential negotiation and commercial contracts,
• Negotiating contracts,
• Best practices and pitfalls in commercial agreements,
• Fundamental legal contract provisions,
• Drafting contracts,
• E-Commerce and software contracts,
• IP in the in-house context,
• Dispute resolution,
• Procurement law and practice.

Module 3: Compliance

• Compliance,
• Directors’ duties,
• Role of the ethics officer,
• Role of compliance officer,
• Effective drafting of policies and procedures,
• Compliance and the company secretarial function,
• Public bodies,
• Company law overview,
• ESG reporting,
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion.

Module 4: Technology and AI

• Technology & AI,
• Transforming legal operations,
• Future of legal practice.

Module 5: Employment law and litigation

• Employment law and litigation,
• Human resource management,
• Commercial Court,
• Discovery.

Visit the course webpage.