A couple of years ago, a talented group of legal professionals began working on a competency model that reflects and fully captures the skills of 21st century legal practice — a daunting task, but perhaps one ideally suited for a patience, persistent, multidisciplinary team.  In today’s feature post (125), the group shares their work product, which is called the Delta Model.

In my research and in my work with law firms, I have been exposed to a large number of competency models. Yet I’ve never come across one as compact, relevant and durable as the Delta Model.  In addition to describing the skills needed to succeed in modern law practice today, the model is versatile enough to encompass how the practice is likely to evolve over the next generation.

The Delta Model’s most compelling feature, however, is its simplicity, which reduces 21st century lawyering its essential component parts. Indeed, I can’t identify a meaningful omission. Likewise, they seem to have hit the limit of less is more. To the Delta Model working group, all I can say is “Bravo!”

The Delta Model working group is pictured above. Below are their current titles and affiliations:

  • Natalie Runyon, Director, Enterprise Content, Talent, Inclusion & Culture, Brand Marketing at Thomson Reuters.
  • Alyson Carrel, Clinical Associate Professor of Law & Assistant Director, Center on Negotiation and Mediation at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
  • Cat Moon, Director of PoLI Institute and Innovation Design, Program on Law & Innovation, Vanderbilt Law School.
  • Shellie Reid, Student at Michigan State University College of Law & Community Leader/Student Rep at LexBlog.
  • Gabe Tenenbaum, Professor of Legal Writing, Director of the Institute on Law Practice Technology & Innovation, Director of the Law Practice Technology Concentration, Suffolk University Law School.

Now please enjoy Post 125 on the Delta Model.