MDR Lab and Mishcon Academy have collaborated on a new Intrapreneurship Programme for employees, run alongside Linda Cheung of IntrapreneurNation.
Dating back to the 1980s, an intrapreneur is defined as an individual who take hands-on responsibility for creating innovation of any kind within a business, and takes the initiative to advance their company as a whole.
The programme, which took place over 10 weeks, took 14 prospective intrapreneurs through the process of pursuing their ideas - including new standalone products and changes to internal processes - culminating in a pitch day in front of a panel comprising members of the Mishcon de Reya senior leadership team, including Chief Brand Officer Elliot Moss, Chief People Officer Vanessa Dewhurst, Managing Partner James Libson, and Chief Strategy Officer Nick West. Groups of intrapreneurs presented their ideas, ranging from how to build a new transactional due diligence tool, to a more effective return to work for those who have taken parental leave.
The programme was open to all employees, regardless of seniority, length of service or department. The first cohort included fee-earners from trainees up to senior managing associates across seven fee-earning departments, as well as people from Business Operations, Communications, The Academy and People Advisory. Due to the initial popularity of the programme, MDR Lab and the Academy are starting to plan for the next iteration of the programme which will likely commence in the new year.
Dan Sinclair, Head of MDR Lab says: “Organisations are increasingly looking inward for new ideas and inspiration. This was one of the key reasons for launching the programme this year, to ensure that Mishcon de Reya was able to advance both internal and external innovation initiatives in tandem. Whilst intrapreneurship is still a relatively new concept, particularly in the legal sector, there is clear overlap with the core values of the Firm and our entrepreneurial culture.
Patrick Connolly, Head of Mishcon Academy says: “The Mishcon Academy is our in-house place of learning, our driver for growth and a platform for thought leadership. This intrapreneurship programme goes to the heart of why the Academy was established and we are already planning for future cohorts. It has already provided a platform for idea sharing, development and ultimately growth, and I look forward to seeing the results of our first cohorts' successful pitches.”
To see the full list of external Academy courses for the Summer Term, please click here.
Recent events include talks with Jodie Foster, Alastair Campbell and Harriet Harman.
The Academy designs bespoke learning for clients and would welcome partners to launch their own intrapreneur schemes. Please contact Academy@Mishcon.com for further details of how the Academy can support your organisation.