Whenever I need to learn something new or solve a problem for which I have no solution or experience, I use the “Bruce Jenner approach.”

Now, those of you younger than 50 or so or not sports fans might think I’m referring to the Bruce Jenner of reality television. I am not. I’m referring to the same Bruce Jenner, but as a younger man, when he won the gold medal in the decathlon during the 1976 Olympics, setting a new Olympic record during the event. Jenner won in part because he trained differently than the other decathletes. Instead of training with his competitors, he sought out and trained with the best athletes in each of the 10 sports that make up the decathlon.

Similarly, I try to learn from the best, in whatever field they may be and whatever size organization they represent. Then, I take what I can and scale it to the State Bar’s size and structure.

This approach is exactly what State Bar PINNACLE^™ will begin offering you in January with the launch of the first of seven monthly programs focused on various aspects of the business side of law practice. This series represents both a continuation and an extension of the Business School for Lawyers program, which was well received last summer and fall.

For two hours on the third Tuesday of each month from January through July, the Business School for Lawyers will present one-hour lessons with experts in entrepreneurship, business planning, operations, financial management, marketing plans, human resources, and law firm ethics. The first hour will be a discussion among the attorneys and the expert-instructors, and the second hour will provide a unique opportunity for one-on-one counseling sessions between in-person attendees and the experts.

From the entrepreneurship program, you’ll walk away with the knowledge of how lean startup methods can improve your practice; from the February program on business planning, you can walk away with an outline of your own tailored business plan. The one-hour-discussion session of each program will also be available by webcast and webcast replay, but only in-person attendees will receive the second hour’s counseling opportunity.

These programs all lead up to the full-day Business School for Lawyers programs this summer and fall, beginning with BSL 201, a re-presentation of the second planning program from August 2014, followed by a September program, BSL 301, on more advanced topics.

With this hands-on approach, or even if you can only spare time for the one-hour webcast, you will have the opportunity to train with some of the best so that you can successfully compete in that daily decathlon called your law practice.

For detailed information about these opportunities to improve your practice, visit Business School for Lawyers.