Professional Support Lawyer (PSL) - Construction

Wedlake Bell's highly-regarded Construction practice (L500 Tier 3, Chambers Band 4) are recruiting a Professional Support Lawyer (PSL) to join our leading team. This is a part-time permanent position, four days/week (flexible 80% FTE). The team are flexible in discussing alternative arrangements (e.g. 5x shorter days, or 3 days rather than 4).

The Construction team at Wedlake Bell has gone from strength to strength in recent years, advancing in legal rankings as well as achieving overall team growth. The team advises at every stage of the construction life cycle, from planning and design through to successful completion, and every stage in between. We work with a variety of leading clients across multiple industries (offices, logistics, retail, ports, healthcare, biotech, data centres, etc).

The Construction PSL role is a newly-created position in the Construction team, in line with the teams' overall growth, and you will be the team's first PSL. As such, you will be trusted to take the lead in establishing a new bank of precedents (having regard to the documents currently used by the team) and know-how materials for the team to use, in tailoring training and know-how sessions for the team (including the trainee solicitor(s) in the team) and in developing the relevant knowledge management processes needed to support the team as it grows. You will also play a key role in supporting the team's business development initiatives, and be a key touch-point for lawyers in the team for legal queries.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced PSL to join the team, or a fee-earner with strong practicing experience looking to transition to a PSL role. At Wedlake Bell we pride ourselves on offering a friendly and supportive environment, with great opportunities to develop your skills and progress within our market-leading firm.

Find out more about our Construction practice here.

About Us:

Located in the heart of the City of London, Wedlake Bell is a Top 100 law firm offering full services across Private Client, Real Estate, Business Services, and Disputes. The firm has 81 Partners and a total headcount of around 400. We have grown year-on-year, attributed to the continual success of our legal teams, and the dedication of our staff members.

Our culture is widely-recognised as one of the best in City law, built on trust, collaboration, and mutual respect. Joining us, you will be part of a firm which supports work/life balance, personal development, and building strong connections. With regular cross-firm socials and events (including our renowned yearly ski trip and walking trips!), you will quickly feel like part of the WB team!

Key Responsibilities:

Know-How

• Provide a support base for the fee earners and encourage the sharing of knowledge within the group and firm, including the mentoring of trainee solicitors and junior fee-earners where required, and to deal with specific queries when they arise;
• Keep the team up to date with the latest developments, including legislative and case law developments and the progress of draft legislation – such as developments with the BSA 2022;
• To keep up to date on financial, economic and market forces which might apply and have relevance to the work and business of the construction team; and
• Liaise with other PSLs, the learning and development team, and the wider knowledge community within the firm to ensure the team shares and gains best practices, and operates these effectively on a departmental level.

` Standard Forms and Precedents

• Take the lead in creating a new bank of construction specific precedents (to include, where applicable, precedent documents currently used by the Construction team). The scope of this will be agreed with the team (and will develop over time) but is likely to include amendments to the major standard form construction contracts, forms of consultant appointment, collateral warranties, ancillary documents (bonds, PCGs, escrow arrangements, assignments, deeds of novation etc), bespoke works contracts, optional clause drafting, development agreements, forms of notices etc.
• Improve and maintain (and, where relevant, develop) newly created and existing precedents, standard form documents and example documents relevant to the Construction team;
• Work alongside the other PSLs in the Corporate, Commercial Property, Residential Property, and Private Client teams where precedents and guidance etc. might be of wider relevance and application;
• Develop and maintain related guidance notes; and
• Keep precedents, example and standard form documents and guidance notes up to date, including ensuring that the relevant section of the intranet and knowledge database is maintained and kept up to date.

Resources, Tools, and Systems

• Consider, and if advised, assist to implement any additional tools, technology solutions or platforms which might assist the fee earners;
• Ensure fee earners’ knowledge of the KM content and systems is up to date, and manage and promote the use of those systems accordingly;
• Ensure that the Construction team has access to the legal information resources it needs; and
• Update and expand the Construction team's know how material available on the intranet and the firm’s know how database.

Team Support

Compliance

• To assist with and, where required, undertake compliance related work and liaising with the firm’s Compliance team (inc. the COLP and COFA) as necessary; and
• Assisting the team in keeping up to date SRA training records (e.g. by publishing lists of training received in a given period).

Training

• Design, organise (and where necessary deliver) internal training programmes (including trainee training and specialist construction training), including organising external speakers where appropriate;
• Provide input and leadership to the induction training of trainees and other new joiners to the team; and
• Develop and ensure greater use is made of the team's existing external resources (e.g. MBL seminars, Lexology, Practical Law).

Business Development

• To be fully conversant with the department’s (and firm’s) BD strategy and business plan and actively work with the relevant BD Managers and partners in meeting the objectives of the plans;
• Support fee-earners to write articles for publication and liaise with contacts with the editorial teams of relevant publications where possible;
• Support fee-earners in writing articles and periodic bulletins for circulation to intermediaries and clients;
• As appropriate, actively examine and promote the use of technology to improve the team’s client service and business development;
• Work with team members to plan and deliver seminars to intermediaries/clients and/or similar events (where appropriate);
• Work closely with the PSLs across Corporate, Commercial Property, Residential Property, and Private Client as regards to know-how and marketing, to ensure Construction is represented and opportunities to link approaches are capitalised on;
• Working with fee earners and partners to prepare high quality Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners submissions; and
• Identifying opportunities to raise the profile of partners and fee earners via awards and honours and preparing corresponding submissions.

Key Skills and Attributes:

• Be a qualified solicitor with a strong background in construction law and have a clear and developed understanding of its commercial application;
• Ideally, strong experience as a PSL in an established construction team;
• Ideally, a strong understanding in particular of the BSA 2022 developments;
• Excellent research and analytical skills, with a knack for digesting and simplifying complex legal information;
• Ideally, proven writing skills with some prior experience of drafting (and supporting fee earners to draft) articles, bulletins, know-how, or thought-leadership pieces in line with team's business development approach;
• A collaborative team player, adept at building relationships across the firm and contributing to a positive working environment; and
• A high level of professionalism and integrity.

Why join us?

• A competitive starting salary and bonus;
• comprehensive pension plan;
• 25 days paid holiday per annum, plus additional leave for significant life events;
• Option to purchase up to five additional days of holiday each year;
• Life Assurance and competitive income protection scheme;
• Access to Private Medical and Dental Insurance from day one;
• Enhanced parental leave policies;
• Employee Assistance Programme with face-to-face counselling services;
• Variety of staff wellbeing initiatives including Pilates classes and subsidised gym memberships; and
• A range of bonus schemes recognising referrals and client introductions.

We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, where every individual is respected and valued. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, irrespective of their background or personal circumstances.

If you are passionate about joining a busy team and are eager for a challenging yet fulfilling career, we encourage you to apply.