Kirsty McFarlane: Why professional support lawyers are growing in importance

Kirsty McFarlane

The professional support lawyer (PSL) used to be a lower-profile role than the traditional fee-earning associates or partners. But, in recent years, PSLs have developed a new identity for themselves – one that’s becoming increasingly important to the way many law firms operate.

Historically, PSLs were a dedicated support function working alongside fee-earning solicitors within different teams. Now, the role has evolved far beyond that. A PSL today will often have 10-20 years of fee-earning experience behind them, demonstrable expertise and knowledge in their respective fields, and are viewed as a critical part of their team’s strategic growth and performance.

The increasing depth of the role and growth in its popularity (within firms of all sizes) represents a break with the past and the lateralisation of the traditional legal career path. Typically a very linear trajectory – trainee, solicitor, senior solicitor, associate, partner – the growing importance and complexity of the PSL role suggests that legal careers are innovating and offering an alternative form of progression. Legal practices are now re-thinking the way that they work and what that means for their structure.

Indeed, whether by decision or design, the traditional path from trainee to partner isn’t for everyone. For some, other aspects of their lives may change and take the emphasis away from work. For others, the equity and liability responsibilities which go hand in hand with becoming a partner may be unappealing. Then there’s the fact that there are only a finite number of partners a firm can have, which sometimes hampers the growth prospects for associates.

This is where becoming a PSL can offer a genuine alternative for senior lawyers – it provides them with the opportunity to be an expert in their field, play a significant role in the growth and success of their team, and help to shape a firm’s strategy.

The remit of a PSL can be designed and tailored to suit the individual. They may find themselves focussing on how the wider economic climate may affect their team, or how political developments could influence future legislation. They may present at events and come up with new ways of sharing information, communicating important market updates within their firm to help solicitors stay ahead of the competition.

Otherwise, they may decide to be more focussed internally, looking at resource allocation, the adoption of new technology, or implementing training and skills. In that sense, they can take on a quasi-HR/IT role, acting as someone who members of the team can go to for advice or support and providing oversight.

These are just a few examples – the forms that this role can take are evolving all of the time. Business development duties have become another relatively common facet of a PSL’s role, along with acting in an account management capacity between lawyers and their clients. Many are also managing their team’s relationships with other parts of their firm.

The sheer variety of being a PSL may appear daunting – but it shouldn’t. No one can know every aspect of an industry inside and out, and so the skills required of a PSL are more about the ability to find out information, analyse it, make recommendations, and, perhaps most importantly, be flexible, adaptable, and proactive.

Having these new kinds of positions available is also a real positive for senior-level solicitors who are looking for progression and an opportunity to influence a firm’s direction without the need to maintain billable hour targets. The evolving scope of the role also suggests this structure could go even further in the not-too-distant future – we may have junior and senior PSLs, or they may be split into different areas. We could even see hybrid roles, combining them with other disciplines.

PSLs have come a long way in recent years. It’s not a support resource any more – it’s a much more complex and strategically important role - and its importance to the law firms which employ them only looks to increase.

Kirsty McFarlane is managing consultant – legal, HRC Recruitment