Professional support lawyer: Difference between revisions
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→Background: The previous version compared the role of PSLs to paralegals, when in reality PSLs are usually senior qualified lawyers (e.g. ex senior associates) who manage a practice area knowledge function |
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{{short description|Law firm assistant}} |
{{short description|Law firm assistant}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} |
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The '''professional support lawyer''' (PSL) has its origins in the [[United Kingdom]] and is |
The '''professional support lawyer''' (PSL) role, also known as Knowledge Lawyer role, has its origins in the [[United Kingdom]] and is a non client-facing resource to provide complex problem solving, research, training, and strategic market positioning within a given practice area in support of fee-earning lawyers. PSL's often advise fee-earning lawyers on complex matters and frontier legal developments; design and deliver training for fee-earners on legal theory, precedent, and trends; and prepare articles and client-briefs to both support business development and keep internal and external clients appraised of major new trends. |
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==Background== |
==Background== |
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The idea of professional support lawyers began in the 1990s in |
The idea of professional support lawyers began in the 1990s in English law offices.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.totallylegal.com/article/professional-support-lawyer-job-description|title=Professional Support Lawyer Job Description|website=TotallyLegal}}</ref> PSLs, usually former senior fee-earners, are tasked with managing the knowledge function of a legal practice area and leading the learning and development of their practice group. PSLs are non-fee earning, providing technical expertise and experience to fee-earners to help enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of fee-earning work. This can include helping fee-earners to problem-solve on complex legal matters within frontier areas; aiding fee-earning lawyers to stay up-to-date with legal developments; helping to assess risk on fee-earning matters; providing training for fee-earning lawyers at all levels; and externally facing knowledge products (client briefs, workshops, trainings etc.) to support business development. The role of PSL has evolved significantly since its origins in Magic Circle firms in the UK, and is often considered a prestigious alternative to fee-earning work for senior, actively-registered lawyers, who are deemed to be technically excellent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.garfieldrobbins.com/advice-centre/guide-to-working-as-a-professional-support-lawyer.aspx|title=Guide to working as a Professional Support Lawyer ('PSL')|website=www.garfieldrobbins.com}}</ref> |
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==Job description== |
==Job description== |
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The role of the PSL in law firms is similar to analyst who advises lawyers, trains people, communicates with clients and runs seminars.<ref name="Milton">{{cite book |last1=Milton |first1=N. J. |title=The knowledge manager's handbook : a step-by-step guide to embedding effective knowledge management in your organization |date=2019 |publisher=Kogan Page |location=London, United Kingdom |isbn=9780749484613 |page=171 |edition=Second |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nyCyDwAAQBAJ&dq=Professional+support+lawyer&pg=PA171}}</ref> The role was initially a low-profile position providing support to attorneys. A law firm can only have a finite number of partners and that is one reason the position was created. The role is evolving and the PSL can specialize in different areas of the law.<ref name="McFarlane">{{cite news |last1=McFarlane |first1=Kirsty |title=Kirsty McFarlane: Why professional support lawyers are growing in importance |url=https://www.scottishlegal.com/articles/kirsty-mcfarlane-why-professional-support-lawyers-are-growing-in-importance |access-date=29 April 2023 |publisher=Scottish Legal News |date=29 November 2018}}</ref> In larger law firms a PSL might be specialist in one; for instance providing precedents to lawyers rather than dealing with clients.<ref name="Schopflin">{{cite book |last1=Schopflin |first1=Katharine |title=A handbook for corporate information professionals |date=2014 |publisher=American Library Association |location=London |isbn=9781856049689 |page=170 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w-EqDgAAQBAJ&dq=Professional+support+lawyer&pg=PA170 |access-date=30 April 2023}}</ref> |
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The role of a PSL is different from firm to firm. Common responsibilities include: |
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* 1) Legal Research: PSLs often lead complex legal research, analysing legal matters and developing legal strategy to support fee-earners on difficult issues within specific matters, and to provide guidance to fee-earners on the evolution of legislation, case-law, and legal trends. |
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* 2) Strategic Client Support: PSLs often provide advice and training to clients to keep them appraised of industry insights, legal developments, and legal trends, serving as a means to show that the firm at the cutting edge of the practice of the law.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/practice-management/how-to-become-a-professional-support-lawyer/5055735.article|title=How to: become a professional support lawyer|first=Marialuisa Taddia13|last=June 2016|website=Law Gazette}}</ref> |
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* 3) Training and Professional Development: PSLs are responsible for developing and delivering training programmes (on the substance of their practice area) to lawyers at all levels of the firm. This can include organising seminars, workshops, and webinars on foundational legal topics, industry trends, and practice-specific updates.<ref name="auto"/> |
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* 4) Legal Writing and Publication: PSLs often are responsible for preparing the contribution of the firm to legal journals and publications, sharing insights and analyses on legal trends and developments, as well responding to consultation processes (with government or supra-governmental actors) within their practice area. Internally, they often also lead the preparation of practice guides and legal templates to support fee-earners.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thelegists.co.uk/professional-support-lawyers-all-you-need-to-know|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230905141125/https://www.thelegists.co.uk/professional-support-lawyers-all-you-need-to-know|title=Professional Support Lawyers: All You Need to Know |
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|first=Zoe|last=Morrison|archivedate=2023-09-05|website=The Legists}}</ref> |
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* 5) Quality Control and Risk Management: PSLs are sometimes tasked with reviewing and validating legal documents, ensuring high quality standards and ensuring compliance. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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|isbn=9781783583485 |
|isbn=9781783583485 |
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{{refend}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[https://lawcareerplus.com/could-becoming-a-professional-support-lawyer-be-your-ideal-next-move/ Could Becoming a Professional Support Lawyer Be Your Ideal Next Move?] |
*[https://lawcareerplus.com/could-becoming-a-professional-support-lawyer-be-your-ideal-next-move/ Could Becoming a Professional Support Lawyer Be Your Ideal Next Move?] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Region-specific legal occupations]] |
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[[Category:Paralegals]] |
[[Category:Paralegals]] |
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{{legal-stub}} |
{{legal-stub}} |
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Latest revision as of 11:49, 20 September 2024
The professional support lawyer (PSL) role, also known as Knowledge Lawyer role, has its origins in the United Kingdom and is a non client-facing resource to provide complex problem solving, research, training, and strategic market positioning within a given practice area in support of fee-earning lawyers. PSL's often advise fee-earning lawyers on complex matters and frontier legal developments; design and deliver training for fee-earners on legal theory, precedent, and trends; and prepare articles and client-briefs to both support business development and keep internal and external clients appraised of major new trends.
Background
[edit]The idea of professional support lawyers began in the 1990s in English law offices.[1] PSLs, usually former senior fee-earners, are tasked with managing the knowledge function of a legal practice area and leading the learning and development of their practice group. PSLs are non-fee earning, providing technical expertise and experience to fee-earners to help enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of fee-earning work. This can include helping fee-earners to problem-solve on complex legal matters within frontier areas; aiding fee-earning lawyers to stay up-to-date with legal developments; helping to assess risk on fee-earning matters; providing training for fee-earning lawyers at all levels; and externally facing knowledge products (client briefs, workshops, trainings etc.) to support business development. The role of PSL has evolved significantly since its origins in Magic Circle firms in the UK, and is often considered a prestigious alternative to fee-earning work for senior, actively-registered lawyers, who are deemed to be technically excellent.[2]
Job description
[edit]The role of a PSL is different from firm to firm. Common responsibilities include:
- 1) Legal Research: PSLs often lead complex legal research, analysing legal matters and developing legal strategy to support fee-earners on difficult issues within specific matters, and to provide guidance to fee-earners on the evolution of legislation, case-law, and legal trends.
- 2) Strategic Client Support: PSLs often provide advice and training to clients to keep them appraised of industry insights, legal developments, and legal trends, serving as a means to show that the firm at the cutting edge of the practice of the law.[3]
- 3) Training and Professional Development: PSLs are responsible for developing and delivering training programmes (on the substance of their practice area) to lawyers at all levels of the firm. This can include organising seminars, workshops, and webinars on foundational legal topics, industry trends, and practice-specific updates.[1]
- 4) Legal Writing and Publication: PSLs often are responsible for preparing the contribution of the firm to legal journals and publications, sharing insights and analyses on legal trends and developments, as well responding to consultation processes (with government or supra-governmental actors) within their practice area. Internally, they often also lead the preparation of practice guides and legal templates to support fee-earners.[4]
- 5) Quality Control and Risk Management: PSLs are sometimes tasked with reviewing and validating legal documents, ensuring high quality standards and ensuring compliance.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Professional Support Lawyer Job Description". TotallyLegal.
- ^ "Guide to working as a Professional Support Lawyer ('PSL')". www.garfieldrobbins.com.
- ^ June 2016, Marialuisa Taddia13. "How to: become a professional support lawyer". Law Gazette.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Morrison, Zoe. "Professional Support Lawyers: All You Need to Know". The Legists. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023.
Further reading
[edit]
Look up professional support lawyer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- Bateman, Julia; Battersby, Karen; Hall, Lucy; Hamilton, Amanda; Clark, Clare Harman; Hart, Catherine; Hogan, Ailish; Lang, Katherine; Pigott, Charles; Russell, Hélène; Shenkman, Evan J; Troostwyk, Lucinda (2018). The Evolving Role of the Professional Support Lawyer. London: Globe Law And Business. ISBN 9781783583485.
External links
[edit]
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