Commercial PSL

Professional Support Lawyer - Commercial Contracts/Data Protection | Manchester

There is a quiet revolution happening in how large law firms manage knowledge, and this firm is at the front of it. The old model, a PSL tucked away updating precedents and sending round a weekly email, is being replaced by something sharper. Here, the Professional Support Lawyer sits at the intersection of legal expertise, technology, and client delivery. AI is not a buzzword, it is a tool the firm is actively deploying, and you will help shape how it is used. If you want to step away from pure fee-earning without stepping away from influence, this is a role worth reading.

The practice
The commercial contracts and data protection team advises clients across the full spectrum of business law, from routine contractual matters to complex, multi-jurisdictional data privacy projects. The work spans retail, technology, financial services, insurance, and the public sector. The firm has invested heavily in its commercial and technology capability, and the PSL function is seen as central to maintaining quality, driving efficiency, and keeping the team ahead of legal and regulatory change.

The role
You will be the knowledge engine for the practice. Your work will fall into three broad areas:

• Know-how and insight - identifying key cases and legal developments, answering queries from fee earners, preparing consultation responses, and advising on the use of AI tools. You will curate precedents, practice notes, and working practices that help lawyers deliver their best work.

• Research and development - carrying out legal research, developing new precedents and procedures, contributing to the firm's intranet and knowledge systems, and working with IT and marketing to embed innovation. You will help shape how the firm captures and shares what it knows.

• Training and client engagement - identifying training needs, delivering sessions to lawyers and support staff, mentoring fee earners on content production, and producing client-facing briefings, articles, and newsletters. You will also attend and speak at external events, contribute to bids and tenders, and help arrange client training.

You will work closely with partners across the commercial practice, the L&D team, and the risk and compliance function. You will have autonomy, visibility, and the chance to make a genuine impact on how the firm operates.

About you
You are a solicitor with at least 5 years' experience, ideally in commercial contracts and data protection. You might already be a PSL looking for a bigger platform, or you might be a fee earner who has discovered that what excites you is not just doing the work, but improving how it is done. You are technically strong, well-organised, and a natural communicator. You enjoy writing, teaching, and solving problems. You are curious about technology and not intimidated by it. You want a role that blends legal rigour with creativity and collaboration.

What you'll get

• A strategic PSL role within a global firm that is investing in knowledge management and AI

• The chance to shape how a large commercial practice captures, shares, and deploys its expertise

• Flexible, hybrid working from Manchester

• Competitive salary and benefits, including structured career development and a firm-wide commitment to inclusion and wellbeing

• A platform that encourages fresh thinking and rewards initiative

Apply now for a confidential conversation.