Professional Support Lawyer

At Adams & Adams, we pride ourselves on being an industry leader in Africa, driven by a commitment to client centricity and unparalleled service. We support an environment of trust, collaboration and personal growth for our people and our community.

Our success is built on attracting and nurturing exceptional talent while fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation. We are deeply committed to the development and well-being of our people, striving to create an engaging work environment where everyone can reach their full potential. By empowering our team to bring fresh ideas and innovative solutions to the workplace, we ensure that our clients receive the best possible service.

As a Professional Support Lawyer (PSL), in the Commercial and Dispute Resolution department, you will play a pivotal role in enhancing the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of our legal services. Leveraging your legal expertise, you will support our lawyers in delivering exceptional client outcomes through knowledge management, legal research, training, and the continuous development of best practice resources. As a non-fee-earning specialist, you will be instrumental in maintaining the firm's technical excellence, managing legal risk, and ensuring our teams remain at the forefront of legal and regulatory developments.

In this role, you will partner closely with Partners, Associates, and business support teams to drive legal innovation, strengthen technical capability, and optimise ways of working. By embedding best practices, refining legal processes, and championing knowledge sharing across the practice, you will help ensure our Commercial and Dispute Resolution teams consistently deliver high-quality, commercially focused legal advice, while remaining responsive to evolving market trends and client needs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Knowledge Management: Organize and manage the firm's internal knowledge resources, including legal precedents, research materials, and case studies. Ensure this knowledge is easily accessible to improve departmental efficiency;
• Legal Research & Insight: Conduct in-depth legal research, analyze complex legal matters, and provide research memos. Stay updated with changes in legislation, case law, and legal trends;
• Thought Leadership & Client Engagement: Support the firm’s market positioning as a knowledge driven, forward-thinking practice;
• Client Support: Assist in preparing standard legal documents such as policies and compliance materials. Provide clients with industry insights, legal updates, and practical guidance;
• Quality Control and Risk Management: Review and validate legal documents to ensure compliance and high standards. Identify and mitigate potential risks to reduce the firm's exposure to liabilities;
• Training and Professional Development: Develop and deliver training programs for lawyers, paralegals, and other legal staff. Organize seminars, workshops, and webinars on various legal topics and industry trends;
• Legal Writing and Publication: Contribute to legal newsletters, publications, and journals. Draft and edit legal templates and practice guides, sharing insights with colleagues and clients;
• Profile Building: Provide support in making submissions to peer-reviewed rating agencies, identify and assist in the preparation for speaking opportunities and profile building qualifications;
• Legal directory and tender submissions: Facilitate response to directory submissions (Chambers & Partners, Legal 500). Provide input on tender submissions;
• Legal Technology, Innovation & AI integration : Identify, implement and train staff on AI tools and legal technology to enhance legal processes and maximise efficiency;
• Collaboration & Internal Advisory : Working closely with Partners to understand knowledge priorities and capability gaps;
• Process Improvement & Best Practice : Improve legal processes, drafting standards and workflows, building consistent practices that improve speed and client value

Key Skills & Personal Attributes:

Skills

• Advanced legal research and analytical skills
• Legal knowledge management expertise
• Exceptional written, verbal, presentation, and drafting capabilities
• Learning, training, and capability development expertise
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills across all levels
• Strategic thinking with sound commercial and legal judgement
• Process improvement, legal innovation, and change management capabilities
• Quality assurance and risk management focus
• Strong project management, planning, and organisational skills
• Analytical problem-solving and decision-making ability
• Ability to identify legal and market trends and translate them into practical business insights
• Leadership capability with a passion for developing others and fostering knowledge sharing
• Proficiency in legal technologies, knowledge platforms, and emerging AI-enabled legal solutions

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about legal excellence and continuous learning
• Intellectually curious, proactive, and commercially aware
• Collaborative relationship builder with strong influencing skills
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to quality
• Engaging communicator and confident facilitator of learning
• Adaptable and resilient, with a positive approach to change and innovation
• Self-driven, credible, and trusted by colleagues at all levels
• Committed to developing others and fostering a culture of knowledge sharing

Education & Experience:

• Registered Lawyer with the South African Legal Practice Council (LPC)
• 5-10 years post qualification experience as a practicing lawyer, preferably in commercial and dispute resolution at a leading law firm

Why Join Us?

Work with a reputable legal practice at Adams & Adams where we are committed to being a responsible business, both in our internal management and in the delivery of client services. We aim to make a positive impact on our clients, colleagues, the profession, and the local community.