Thought leader: The beginning of the end of PSLs?

Professional support lawyers provide know-how support to the practice and their numbers are increasing considerably across large and not so large firms. However, two recent developments lead me to wonder what the PSL role will be in five years’ time.

First, let’s consider the cost of PSLs. As the pressure to bring in fees increases for front-line lawyers, more PSLs are being called upon to justify their existence. At the same time, salary costs are rising as PSLs become more experienced and demand higher remuneration. In addition, there are now several salaried-partner PSLs. All of them need to provide support to the practice at such a level so as to justify their high salaries.

The second development is the emergence of the ‘virtual’ PSL. A growing number of information vendors, such as PLC and Lawtel, are delivering precedents and legal-alerting services. Now, if – and apologies to PSLs here – we liken PSLs to dinosaurs that are blissfully unaware of their impending fate, are these virtual PSLs the meteor that will consign them to oblivion?

Rather than harbingers of destruction, however, these developments could be golden opportunities to enable PSLs to enhance their role and standing. I believe the PSL partner role will develop to include more lobbying on new legislation and market standards, representing the firm on Law Society committees and industry bodies, and more highly evolved client-facing business development. This level of commitment to the firm and prominence in the marketplace will justify the high salaries.

What about the PSL who is experienced and a good technical lawyer but does not want a high-powered career? Will the virtual PSL – already stealthily insinuating itself into the hearts and minds of fee earners – usurp this traditional PSL for good? On the contrary, I believe we should view virtual PSLs as complementing rather than threatening the traditional PSL role. I think the PSL role will be more interesting if the more straightforward work is outsourced, while PSLs grasp the opportunity to develop their skills. The best PSLs understand the business drivers of their practice area and are alert to opportunities for business development arising out of their know-how work. Good PSLs will read an article about new legislation, write an article for the firm’s internal newsletter, adapt that article for the client newsletter and make a presentation on the item to the practice. They will also draft relevant precedent documentation, and then go one step further by thinking about how their work can be used for the business development of the practice by way of client seminars, presentations breakfasts, etc. This won’t make the PSLs fee earners again but will give an added client dimension to the PSL role that is currently lacking.

Ann Donakey is head of know-how at Linklaters. She can be contacted at: ann.donakey@linklaters.com