Simmons launches promotions school for new associates

The first annual promotions school for managing associates was held over three days last week at the Ponsbourne Park Hotel, Hertfordshire, and was attended by 40 newly promoted managing associates from all over Simmons’ international network. The news comes after The Lawyer reported that the firm had rolled out the managing associate role firm wide (18 October 2012).

Further schools are planned for newly promoted associates and supervising associates – roles that have not yet been rolled out across the whole of the firm’s international network and so will only be held in the UK. These will also be held annually.

The programmes for more junior associates will focus on the technical skills of the job, while for managing associates the course is geared towards leadership skills in preparation for being made partner, as well as towards developing business plans in line with the firm’s strategy and sector focus.

According to the firm’s HR director Daniel Flint, the promotions school initiative had been discussed for around 18 months. The overall programme was curated by learning and development manager Maria Antoniou, with last week’s session sponsored by Germany country head Hans-Hermann Aldenhoff, who tended to its development.

Simmons already had a similar programme in place for newly promoted partners, which it referres to as an orientation school.