Clifford Chance (CC) has launched a legal training academy in Singapore to support the firm's lawyers in the Asia-Pacific region.

The academy will provide technical legal training as well as offering courses designed to improve lawyers' business skills.

The magic circle firm already has training bases in London, Amsterdam and Africa after it launched the Clifford Chance Academy in 1999.

Based in its Singapore office, the centre will be open to the firm's 570 lawyers in the region as well as lawyers from its Asia-Pacific alliance firms.

CC's Singapore managing partner, Geraint Hughes, said: "The opportunity for our team to learn from, and collaborate with, colleagues across the region and globally, as well as the luminaries from outside the firm, will provide our lawyers at all levels with a world-class training environment and an extra edge in their technical legal and professional skills."

Courses on offer will include a senior associate induction programme and future leaders training, and will be run by a combination of external experts and internal instructors. Technical legal training will cover various topics from core legal skills to more specialised sector induction programmes.

The duration of courses will range from half a day to two days, depending on the topic.

In addition the firm will offer preparation for Bar exams in conjunction with the Singapore Institute of Legal Education, with 180 students signed up to undertake the training this year.

The academy will also host a lecture series including external speakers as well as senior members of the firm's network.