Supervising Junior Lawyers Training
Our supervising junior lawyers training equips newly qualified and more senior lawyers with practical tools to consistently achieve high-quality work from their junior team members. Supervising effectively may seem straightforward, but it’s easy to get wrong. Many senior lawyers, often unintentionally, forget how long tasks used to take when they began their own careers. As a result, they underestimate the time juniors need or overlook the importance of explaining fundamental concepts. Without structured supervision, even basic legal terms can become stumbling blocks.
One of the biggest challenges with supervising junior lawyers is to give enough time to do it properly. This is one of those situations where if we don’t give enough time it takes more time to put things right.
Another challenge can be in deciding what level of detail and how much context to give. Whilst time pressures drive senior lawyers to treat tasks as discreet, giving context and detail can not only help motivation but also help the junior understand what is required.
Managing time and setting expectations
One of the most common challenges in supervising junior lawyers is carving out enough time to do it well. Paradoxically, when supervision is rushed or skipped, it ends up costing more time later to fix preventable mistakes. Additionally, deciding how much context to provide can feel tricky. Time pressures often nudge senior lawyers to treat tasks as standalone deliverables. However, when you provide clear context and background, you not only clarify expectations—you also increase junior lawyers’ motivation and understanding of the task.
Supervising junior lawyers
This supervising junior lawyers training gives lawyers a clear framework on how to get it right. We review the key processes, that is, what to do and when to do it. How to set up the relationship on solid foundation be establishing clear expectations. And we cover some of the key skills required. We also give a number of frameworks to use as tools to help with supervision.
What you'll learn
This interactive supervising junior lawyers training provides a clear, actionable framework to help lawyers supervise more confidently and competently. During the session, we walk through:
- When and how to apply key supervision processes
- How to build the supervisor-supervisee relationship on solid ground by setting clear expectations early
- Which core skills support effective supervision
- A toolkit of supervision frameworks that can be used immediately
Who should attend
This training is ideal for any lawyer responsible for overseeing less experienced legal professionals. We’ve delivered these sessions for:
- Solicitors supervising paralegals
- Associates supervising solicitors and paralegals
- Partners supervising across multiple experience levels
Workshops typically include up to 12 participants, but we also deliver the training in smaller group formats—or even 1:1 coaching—to suit your preferences.
Agenda - supervising junior lawyers training
Here’s a typical agenda, which we adapt based on participant needs:
- Introduction & session objectives
- Challenges of supervision: the senior lawyer’s perspective
- Understanding junior lawyer needs: what motivates (and de-motivates)
- Contracting: setting up a strong working relationship
- Identifying your team’s preferred work styles
- Delegating developmental vs. non-developmental tasks
- Understanding time requirements & the law of increasing return
- Core supervision skills
- How to deliver feedback constructively
- Coaching techniques for junior lawyers
- Practice with real-world and participant-provided scenarios
- Common pitfalls to avoid when supervising
- Workshop summary & personal action planning
Style of training
This training runs as a highly interactive workshop. From the start, we encourage participants to share real experiences and challenges. This open format helps ground the learning in your day-to-day reality, making it more actionable and memorable.
Pre-workshop activity
To provide personal context, each participant completes a brief (3–4 min) ITD Work Styles Model questionnaire. This helps explore how personality influences delegation styles. We also ask participants to reflect on current supervision challenges prior to the session.
Post workshop activity
After the session, we send personalised action plans and, if requested, can arrange follow-up 1:1 coaching to support implementation.
Key outcomes
By completing the supervising junior lawyers training, participants typically walk away with:
- A clear framework for supervising junior legal staff
- A deeper understanding of their current supervisory style
- Strategies to assess and meet junior lawyers’ learning needs
- A set of practical personal actions to improve daily supervision
Your Trainer
Our experienced trainer regularly works across a wide range of law firms—from global practices to boutique offices. He collaborates with everyone from paralegals to partners, tailoring his approach to reflect your firm’s unique dynamics. You can read reviews from past training sessions on our feedback page. Check out the reviews page for feedback we receive in our training sessions.
Duration
We offer flexible delivery formats depending on your needs:
- Seminar style (60–90 minutes): Great for introducing key ideas
- Workshop style (2–3 hours): Perfect for interactive, in-depth learning
- Two-part format (2 x 2–3 hours): Allows time for reflection and application between sessions
We take care to give every agenda item enough time so participants can fully absorb and apply the material.
Timing
This training can be run at your convenience by choosing a date and time that suits you.
Models used in our training
ITD Work Styles Model
Our personality Model is easy to apply to everyday supervision situations.
Contracting
Contracting is a simple model for establishing a strong foundation to working relationships.
Case Studies- Supervising junior lawyers training
Start the conversation on supervising junior lawyers training
Call us on +44 (0)800 804 8086
