Tips for Effective Delegation & Feedback
Chicago, IL | Thursday, January 29, 2026 | 1 Hour MCLE | Hybrid (In-Person + Zoom)
Tips for Effective Delegation & Feedback Session Overview
Date and Time: Thursday, January 29, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
In-Person: ISBA Mutual Insurance Company, 20 S Clark St #800, Chicago, IL 60603
Remote: Attend via Zoom
Effective delegation and meaningful feedback are two of the most essential skills in law-firm management. For Illinois attorneys starting a new practice or growing an existing one, building a strong supervision approach is key to maintaining quality, supporting staff development, and reducing the risk of mistakes that can lead to client dissatisfaction or malpractice exposure.
This session takes a deeper look at the nuts and bolts of supervising within a law firm. Attendees will explore practical, real-world strategies for assigning work, communicating expectations, and providing feedback that strengthens performance across paralegals, associates, and administrative staff. Delegation is more than simply handing off tasks; it is an intentional process that affects workflow management, client service, and a firm’s overall risk profile. When done well, it improves efficiency, builds stronger teams, and promotes professional accountability.
Participants will learn how to match tasks to the right team member, set clear and measurable expectations, and deliver constructive feedback that motivates improvement rather than discourages it. The session will also cover common pitfalls in supervision, how to maintain consistency across hybrid or remote teams, and ways to use delegation practices to enhance law-firm culture and employee retention.
Designed for both new and experienced supervising attorneys, this one-hour interactive course helps lawyers sharpen their leadership skills, delegate with confidence, and strengthen their firm’s internal systems. Whether you manage a solo practice with part-time support or a growing small firm, this session provides practical tools to improve oversight, enhance productivity, and support strong risk-management habits.
Meet Sarah J. Taylor, JD: Our Featured Presenter
Sarah J. Taylor, JD
Barrett, Twomey, Broom, Hughes & Hoke, LLP
Sarah J. Taylor has been an attorney with the Carbondale firm of Barrett, Twomey, Broom, Hughes & Hoke, LLP, since 2004. Her current areas of practice include adoptions, guardianships, serving as guardian ad litem for children and adults with disabilities, mediation and property tax appeals. Over the years, she has trained and supervised many associates, law clerks and paralegals. She also represented the State of Illinois Department of Transportation in eminent domain cases as a Special Assistant Attorney General for 18 years, and she has taught Client Interviewing & Counseling at SIU Simmons School of Law since 2010. She has been a Program Manager for the Public Interest Law Initiative, and a Research Attorney for the Illinois Supreme Court. She received a BA in Cinema and Photography from SIU-Carbondale in 1997 and a J.D. from SIU School of Law in 2002 and is admitted to practice in Illinois and the Southern District Court of Illinois.
Ms. Taylor is an active member of the Illinois State Bar Association, having served on its Assembly and several sections and committees. She is currently a member of the Standing Committee on Law-Related Education for the Public and the Rural Practice Section Council. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Dispute Resolution Institute, Inc. (DRI), a statewide mediation provider, and a volunteer mediator for DRI. She is a member and past president of the Jackson County Bar Association. She is also a past member of the Board of Directors of Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, and a longtime volunteer attorney on its pro bono roster.
What Illinois Lawyers Will Learn in This Delegation & Feedback Training
During this hybrid session, attendees will explore practical, real-world strategies for effective delegation and supervision in a law firm setting. The program breaks down the core skills Illinois lawyers need to manage staff, improve workflow quality, and reduce risk.
Principles of Effective Delegation
Understand how to assign work in a way that balances efficiency, accountability, and quality control. Learn why intentional delegation is essential to law-firm operations and malpractice prevention.
Matching Tasks to Team Strengths
Gain practical insight into evaluating staff skills, experience levels, and workloads so each assignment is aligned with the right team member. Improve productivity by leveraging individual strengths.
Setting Clear Expectations
Learn how to communicate deadlines, desired outcomes, scope, and decision-making authority to reduce confusion and prevent rework. Explore tools and templates that support consistent instruction across your firm.
Delivering Constructive Feedback
Develop techniques for providing feedback that encourages improvement rather than discouragement. Understand how to address performance gaps, reinforce positive work, and build trust through consistent communication.
Supervising for Risk Management
Explore how strong supervision reduces errors, improves documentation, and strengthens client service. Identify common supervision pitfalls that can lead to malpractice exposure and learn how to avoid them.
Real-Life Application
Review practical scenarios and examples that illustrate how effective delegation and feedback function inside busy Illinois law practices. Gain actionable strategies to integrate these habits into day-to-day firm management.
Register for the Delegation & Feedback MCLE Training
Do not miss this opportunity to strengthen your leadership skills and improve the way your law firm assigns work, supervises staff, and delivers feedback. This hybrid MCLE session gives Illinois attorneys practical tools to enhance workflow quality, support team development, and reduce the risk of avoidable errors or malpractice exposure.
Secure your spot now to elevate your firm’s management practices, stay aligned with ethical standards, and earn 1 hour of Illinois MCLE credit.