What skills are required to become a Legal Project Manager?
A few days ago, I published articles explaining what Legal Project Management is and another discussing the benefits of incorporating it into our work as a work philosophy. Today, I intend to share with you, from my point of view, the key benefits of its implementation.
Among the necessary competencies required to become a successful Legal Project Manager, it is important to highlight both technical and personal skills.
Regarding technical skills, these include the ability to lead teams, estimate budgets, manage financial resources, use work plans, and estimate and manage deadlines.
On the other hand, personal competencies are equally crucial. These encompass the capability to be flexible in managing multiple and detailed tasks in multi-project environments, respond quickly and positively to constantly changing demands, prioritize and allocate available resources, proactively address issues, and resolve them in the most effective and efficient manner, while making necessary decisions.
Why do companies hire Legal Project Managers instead of lawyers?
The largest executive search firm worldwide, Michael Page, explains it well: “More and more companies are in need of in-house lawyers. However, when they hire a lawyer from a law firm, they often find that the lawyer requires a transition period of about six months to adapt to the company’s culture, work with a business-oriented approach, and manage projects independently from start to finish. On the other hand, the profile of a Legal Project Manager is familiar with providing comprehensive advice and managing projects, which allows them to adapt more quickly and work in alignment with the rest of the company’s teams.”
María Solana Seguí
Lawyer & Civil Mediator.
Legal Project Manager®.
PRINCE2®, SCRUM MASTER®, PM2 Expert.
Lecturer of Executive Education and Master´s degrees: Europa Business School Amsterdam, EOI, Miguel Hernández University.
Registered as Lawyer at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Member of the International Network of Jurists and Experts on Vulnerability (INJEV).
