Professional Support Lawyer

Byrne Wallace Shields LLP; Dublin; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Byrne Wallace Shields LLP is seeking a Corporate PSL with strong drafting, research and commercial acumen. The role focuses on maintaining knowledge assets, developing precedents, and supporting fee-earners with complex corporate/M&A matters.

The candidate should have a minimum of 4 years’ relevant experience in a large Irish or international corporate law firm, with proficiency in legal writing and client‑facing knowledge delivery.

Qualifications

• Excellent drafting and writing skills with experience in drafting legal agreements.
• Strong legal research and analysis capabilities with attention to detail.
• High degree of commercial and technical judgment in corporate/M&A contexts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication/presentation abilities.
• Proactive with ability to work on own initiative.
• Motivated with strong organisational and project management skills.
• Ability to develop and maintain excellent working relationships across levels.
• Demonstrable interest in learning and development (L&D).
• Familiarity with legal technology and innovation in a legal services environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and improve best practice processes for knowledge capture, curation and dissemination.
• Review and update precedents and know‑how to reflect market practice and regulatory developments.
• Contribute to knowledge management via position papers and practice notes.
• Coordinate internal CPD programs and knowledge projects; participate in external CPD events.
• Prepare and deliver client-facing knowledge materials and briefings for BD or marketing use.
• Support fee-earners and clients with complex legal research on emerging topics.
• Explore innovative approaches to knowledge management in collaboration with ICT teams.
• Deliver client training and contribute to team goals.

Skills

Drafting and writing

Legal research and analysis

Commercial/technical judgment

Interpersonal/communication skills

Proactive/initiative

Organisational/project management

Teamwork

Interest in L&D

Legal technology interest

Education

Law degree

Job description

This position involves a variety of PSL duties, detailed further below, and demands strong, up-to-date expertise within Corporate / M&A and wider legal market. Exceptional drafting and communication skills, a genuine interest in legal technology and innovation, and a solid academic background are essential. In return, we offer high-quality work, a competitive salary and benefits package, flexible working arrangements, and a friendly, collaborative and supportive culture.

Key experience and skills required

• Minimum 4 years recent relevant experience as corporate/M&A practitioner or Corporate PSL in large Irish or international corporate law firm with demonstrably strong knowledge of relevant practice area.
• Excellent legal drafting and writing skills and experience in drafting legal agreements.
• Excellent legal research and analysis skills and attention to detail.
• High degree of technical knowledge and competency within Corporate / M&A practice area and a practical and client-centric focus.
• Ability to identify and focus on key issues and exercise a high degree of commercial as well as technical judgment.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication / presentation skills.
• Demonstrate interest in L&D.
• Pro‑active with ability to work on own initiative.
• Highly motivated with strong organisational and project management skills.
• Keen understanding of the commercial market in which the Firm operates and familiarity with recent market trends.
• Ability to develop and maintain excellent working relationships with colleagues at all levels.
• Willingness/ability to work as part of a highly motivated, efficient team.
• Driven to consistently provide a highly professional service which aligns with needs of team.

Other key areas of responsibility

• Responsibility for developing/improving best practice processes for creating, capturing, curating and disseminating knowledge and supporting the team.
• Review, creation and updating of teams’ precedents (including precedent legal agreements) in line with market practice and legal/regulatory developments and development / maintenance of the Teams’ precedent bank.
• Review, creation and updating of the teams’ know‑how in line with market practice and legal/regulatory developments and development / maintenance of the teams’ know‑how database.
• Review, creation and updating of team position papers and practice notes on various relevant corporate and commercial law issues in line with market practice and legal/regulatory developments.
• Co‑ordinate and organise the teams’ internal CPD Programme, including knowledge projects (and involvement in external CPD events for alumni or clients).
• Promote legal awareness via the preparation and delivery of legal briefings to fee‑earners about relevant legal and market developments (including as part of Team or Firm CPD Programme).
• Ensure timely dissemination of relevant knowledge materials and legal updates within the team.
• Generate timely and insightful articles, briefings, newsletters, e‑zines, client e‑bulletins or other materials for circulation to clients or wider publication (including online and print media publication) for knowledge, marketing or BD purposes and co‑ordinate / support generation of such content by fee‑earners.
• Act in an advisory capacity in supporting fee‑earners and clients with complex legal research queries, particularly regarding new or emerging topics, issues or areas of law.
• Identifying and delivering innovative approaches to managing and sharing knowledge for the benefit of fee‑earners and clients, including working with wider knowledge and ICT teams for this purpose.
• To extent required, preparing, delivering and managing client‑facing knowledge and training initiatives.
• Contribute to continuing development of role and actively participate in the development of the Team’s goals.