JOB DESCRIPTION: -

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes), one of Canada’s largest and most successful law firms, is
currently looking for a Learning & Development Specialist to join the Human Resources team in
the Toronto office. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Professional Development & Learning, this
role is involved in all facets of Learning & Development (L&D) from needs analysis and
instructional design to facilitation and training. This role supports all personnel from technical
to soft skills training to behavioural change management as well as professional development
programming for legal personnel.

Primary responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:

 Contributing to the broader strategic Professional Development & Learning needs

analysis and prioritizing training needs for individuals across all Firm roles
 Facilitating various types of in-class and web-based training sessions, including new hire
orientation, software rollouts, monthly refresher training and soft skills training
 Supporting the sourcing, contracting and delivery of externally developed learning
programs
 Analyzing and continuously improving user adoption of Firm applications and learning
concepts by developing supporting learning material, including reference guides,
handouts and FAQs
 Creating e-learning content using Captivate, Camtasia and other applicable
software/authoring tools to supplement in-class training and promote a blended
learning environment
 Providing desk-side coaching and floor support for major firmwide rollouts or training
initiatives as required
 Providing testing support for software rollouts to ensure proper functionality in Blakes
environment
 Developing and maintaining curriculum and program calendars
 Supporting the planning and execution of professional development programming for
legal personnel

Qualifications

Education/Experience:

 College or bachelor’s degree in a related field is required

 Minimum of five years of experience in the development, facilitation and delivery of
training in a blended learning environment or equivalent experience
 Legal/professional environment experience is considered an asset
 Sound understanding of instructional design principles is considered an asset

Skills/Abilities:
  Creative mindset with the assertiveness to voice opinions and make suggestions that
will positively impact the learning landscape at Blakes
 Comfortable adjusting presentation style and managing a learning environment for a
diverse audience with varying and competing needs
 Excellent written and oral communication skills needed to effectively convey learning
content in a polished, tactful and diplomatic manner
 Ability to design, develop and deliver training programs for the Firm’s applications and
learning programs and initiatives
 Adaptable, patient and identifies as a change champion
 Working knowledge of Adobe Captivate or other e-learning authoring tools
 Knowledge of Intapp, SharePoint, Nuance, Workshare and eDocs DM
 Ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively
 Sound judgment and decision-making skills when identifying training needs and
selecting methodology for training programs and the creation of supporting learning
material
 Tech-savvy with demonstrated aptitude to learn and teach how to use technical
applications
 Comfortable consulting with department leads and key stakeholders to determine gaps
or suggest suitable training options
 Ability to analyze data to identify gaps and trends and ROI of learning programs and
make recommendations for improvements

Who We Are

At Blakes, we are all about our people. We are committed to not only providing exceptional
client experiences, but also fostering an open and inclusive workplace culture for legal
professionals and administrative professionals. As a winner of the

Canada’s Best Diversity Employers award, as well as the Greater Toronto’s Top Employers
award, we know that diversity and inclusion are not simply initiatives on the perimeter of our
business — they are the core of our success. We understand the importance of cultivating an
environment that brings out the best in each person. Our success as a Firm starts with the
hiring, development and retention of top talent.

Blakes welcomes applications from all qualified applicants. The Firm is committed to
maintaining an inclusive work environment comprised of people with diverse perspectives,
backgrounds, identities and cultures.

The Firm provides accommodation for applicants with disabilities and in respect of other
protected grounds during the recruitment process in accordance with applicable laws. Please
contact us to request accommodation.
  Imagine the firm is planning a major roll-out of a new soft skills training program for all
personnel. However, there is significant resistance to change among some team
members who prefer the old methods. How would you address this situation and ensure
the successful implementation of the new training program?
 Imagine you are responsible for improving user adoption of a critical firm application.
You notice that many employees are not using it to its full potential. What steps would
you take to analyze this issue, design a strategy for improvement, and track the results
to ensure that user adoption increases over time?
 Describe a situation where you needed to facilitate a challenging in-class training
session. How did you handle resistance or difficult participants? What strategies did you
use to ensure that the training session achieved its goals and maintained a positive
learning environment?
 Tell me about a time when you had to design a training program for a diverse group of
individuals with varying learning needs. What challenges did you face, and how did you
address them to ensure the training was effective.
 Can you describe a time when you had to collaborate with multiple stakeholders, such
as department leads and key decision-makers, to identify gaps in training or professional
development needs? How did you ensure effective communication and alignment of
objectives to develop suitable training solutions?
 How do you prioritize competing training needs when resources are limited, and there is
a tight schedule to follow? Can you provide an example from your past experience that
demonstrates your ability to effectively manage and allocate resources for various
training programs?
 In your opinion, what role does ongoing professional development play in the success of
legal professionals and their clients? Can you share your personal philosophy regarding
the importance of continuous learning in the legal field?
 What do you believe are the key emerging trends and challenges in learning and
development within the legal industry? How would you proactively address these trends
in your role as a Learning & Development Specialist?

Reverences: -
https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/learning-and-development/interview-
questions-for-learning-and-development-professionals

https://www.aihr.com/blog/learning-and-development-manager-interview-questions/

https://www.boltjobs.com/blog/learning-and-development-interview-questions

https://ca.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/tell-me-about-a-time-you-had-a-conflict-at-
work?
aceid=&gclid=CjwKCAiAxreqBhAxEiwAfGfndNtTjODm0zr9c7JPWWyvuOIgBMGoDBQg0xhGHGP
MwqGNxdQEEFDKWRoCrBsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
1. Tell me about the most successful L&D program you’ve run.

Asking candidates to share an accomplishment provides valuable information about

their past performance and potential for future success. It also creates an opportunity
for candidates to showcase their abilities and strengths, which can boost their
confidence and engagement throughout the job interview process. Make sure you learn
about the candidate’s specific role in the program and how they contributed to its
success. While teamwork is an admirable quality, details about the candidate’s role and
responsibilities can help you better determine their level of impact and expertise so you
can give credit where it’s due.

2. Tell me about a time you implemented a new L&D strategy.

Effective talent development programs are constantly evolving to meet your

organization’s and team members’ needs. Asking candidates about new strategies and
tools they’ve implemented can demonstrate their ability to grow and fine-tune your
L&D program as needed. For example, expanding training methods to include things like
e-learning, role-playing, mentoring, and seminars can appeal to different learning styles
and encourage more team members to participate. Ask follow-up questions as needed
to learn how your candidate determined the need for a new strategy or
solution, attained stakeholder buy-in, planned implementation, and encouraged
employee adoption.

3. How do you see AI fitting into the role of L&D practitioners?

AI is a hot topic. Many L&D practitioners are already using AIin their daily work and it
has the potential to transform workplace learning. For example, AI can be used for
everything from content creation and learning program communication to adaptive
development plans and skills gap analysis. Learn how your candidates are embracing
this technology, how they intend to use it, and whether they can use it responsibly.
Candidates who feel comfortable harnessing AI can help you build a more efficient,
effective L&D function — and build training programs to help your entire company do
the same.
4. Tell me about a time you worked with a cross-functional team on employee training.

Employee training needs differ by organization and may include onboarding, sales
training, compliance training, skill development, and leadership development. Building
and deploying these training programs can require L&D professionals to work cross-
functionally with other departments, managers, and internal subject matter experts.
Learn about your candidates’ experience working with cross-functional teams and how
they’ve divided responsibilities to design and deliver effective training and development
programs. This question can be more specific if you’re focused on a particular area. For
example, you might ask the candidate how they’ve partnered with recruiters and hiring
managers on new hire training if that’s a focus area for your organization.

5. How do you measure the success of L&D programs?

Analyzing the impact of talent development initiatives is crucial to ensure alignment

with organizational goals, identify areas for improvement, and quantify return on
investment. Ask your candidates how they measure the success and value of L&D
programs. Ideally, they go beyond traditional learning and development metrics like
course completion rates to also include things like ramp-up time, employee retention,
and internal mobility. These key performance indicators enable you to tie learning
outcomes to overall business success.

6. Tell me about a time that you had an issue with an employee during training. How did
you approach and resolve the problem?

Conflicts between colleagues and coworkers can occur at work. When you go for an
interview, hiring managers may ask questions about how you might handle conflicts.
Knowing how to respond can help you demonstrate that you have good interpersonal
skills, which can be important for the job. In this article, we discuss how to answer the
question "tell me about a time you had a conflict at work," provide answers to other
similar questions and share tips for dealing with conflicts in the workplace.

7. Tell me about a time when you had to design a training program for a diverse group of
individuals with varying learning needs. What challenges did you face, and how did you
address them to ensure the training was effective.