AltaClaro Unveils BenchMark360: Personalized, Data-Driven Feedback for Associate Legal Training

Feedback on simulated assignments, based on standardized rubric and core competencies, empowers associates to identify their strengths and weaknesses

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- AltaClaro, the leading provider of interactive experiential legal training, today announced the launch of BenchMark360, providing associates with personalized feedback on their simulated legal assignment submissions.

Based on a standardized rubric and core competency frameworks, this feedback empowers associates to quickly identify their strengths and weaknesses.

The cutting-edge, data-driven dashboard combines AltaClaro’s proprietary AI-powered assessment engine with its highly-vetted practitioner instructors to deliver objective, personalized performance insights to associates and give law firms the data they need to optimize internal mentoring and training programs.

"We believe in equipping lawyers with the knowledge and skills they need to take charge of their professional growth," said Abdi Shayesteh, AltaClaro CEO. "Just like pilots receive data-driven feedback on their simulated flight assignments, AltaClaro’s BenchMark360 provides individual, data-driven feedback on simulated assignments that allows associates to address gaps early in their careers, helping them hone their skills to professional standards."

Upon completing one of AltaClaro's simulated legal assignments—which challenge associates to navigate real-world-like scenarios and apply their legal knowledge in a controlled, yet dynamic, environment—associates receive a personalized report detailing their strengths and areas for improvement, as well as an anonymized comparison against their peers at their firm and other Am Law 200 firms.

These simulations often involve incomplete client information, requiring participants to identify missing facts, business issues, loopholes, gray areas, and practical considerations, mirroring the complexities of actual legal practice.

The assessment is based on a standardized rubric that uses an objective point system to evaluate core competency themes such as attention to detail, client-needs analysis, risk allocation, economic terms, and drafting techniques. By requiring associates to "get their hands dirty”–making informed decisions and marking up documents as if they are preparing a work product for a client or partner–AltaClaro's simulations go beyond rote memorization, fostering the critical thinking skills essential for success in the legal profession.

The standardized assessment rubric for associate evaluation addresses a common law firm challenge: the time-consuming and inconsistent nature of individual partner feedback. Benchmark360 provides feedback at scale, helping young attorneys develop faster and ensuring firms remain competitive in training and mentorship.

Additionally, Benchmark360 offers a fair, objective resource for professional development discussions, fostering a space for more productive and targeted conversations between associates and mentors, as well as the firm’s internal training programs

"Feedback is crucial, but it's often delayed and inconsistent, especially at firms with large workloads that are moving fast," Shayesteh continued. "With Benchmark360, firms can quickly identify areas where associates need support and provide additional guidance sooner, ensuring a more effective, targeted training approach."

Earlier this year, AltaClaro piloted BenchMark360 with select Am Law 200 firms that praised the platform's ability to provide timely, detailed feedback and to serve as an early indicator of associate engagement, performance, and learning mindset. Professional development managers noted that the tool facilitates early feedback, promoting associate self-awareness and targeted skill development. Partners appreciated the insights into associate performance, enabling them to focus their mentoring and training efforts.

“We invest heavily in recruiting and training extremely talented associates, with the goal of them becoming successful lawyers. BenchMark360 provides invaluable insights into the specific skills where associates may need additional support, which is crucial for their development and integration into the team,” said Kirstin Salzman, Partner and Chair of the Corporate Group at Husch Blackwell, one of the pilot firms. “As partners, we have numerous demands on our time, and foundational skills training can sometimes take a backseat. Partnering with AltaClaro and leveraging BenchMark360 allows us to efficiently address this challenge, freeing up our time to focus on other priorities while ensuring our associates receive the training they need to excel, and empowering us to provide more targeted mentoring and support where it's needed most.”

Amandeep Kaur, Associate at Husch Blackwell, recently participated in the pilot program, and stated: “The feedback was the most beneficial part of the entire training because it was immediate feedback throughout the assignment document that showed where you could improve. You may think you understand a concept, but don’t exactly understand the implications of it when you’re doing the simulation. The personalized feedback shows your areas of weakness so you can reach out and ask someone for help on how to improve in certain areas.”

BenchMark360 is now being used by more than 20 Am Law 200 firms including Husch Blackwell, Orrick, K&L Gates, and Taft, and is available to all new and existing AltaClaro clients. For more information visit www.altaclaro.com
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About AltaClaro
AltaClaro is the leading experiential legal training platform, offering simulation-based courses legal professionals love and training insights law firms and departments need. With more than 60 courses across practice areas such as M&A, Corporate, Capital Markets, Lending, Real Estate, Technology Transactions, Emerging Growth/Venture Transactions, Litigation, Legal Writing and Generative AI, AltaClaro helps legal professionals hit the ground running and helping law firms and legal departments train their teams at scale. For more information visit www.altaclaro.com

Jessi Adler
Plat4orm PR
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