Interesting headline - having spent 37 years at Allen & Overy, it sounds more like an epitaph! Hopefully, I won't need it just yet - I still have much to do!
Given that most European jurisdictions are Civil Law countries and the UK (or, more accurately, the England & Wales jurisdiction) is common law based, I imagine the roles in each are very different.
From a Litigation Support Manager's viewpoint in England & Wales, my typical working day (and many sleepless nights!) revolve around my role of advising clients and lawyers on what they need to do to meet their disclosure obligations. I have the advantage of having been part of the judicial working group that drafted the relevant Practice Direction and accompanying Questionnaire.
Another chunk of my time is spent assisting on the numerous other procedural and/or technological aspects of litigation, including trial preparation and management and document management generally - including implementing our innovative, award winning Suite of Options approach to document management, which I had a big hand in pulling together. This is exciting work and includes our foray into the world of offshore outsourcing of document review.
I also assist with arbitrations, regulatory/internal investigations and work with some of our other legal practices when they encounter document management issues.
Additionally, I participate in business development activities and pitches to clients and potential clients, internal training and I am a member of our Alumni Advisory Board.
Oh yes, and as a founder member of LiST (Litigation Support Technology) Group and, of course, a very proud member of our Peer Group Steering Committee, I get to spend time interacting with my peers, for whom I have the utmost respect.
Spare time? That would be when I enjoy speaking at numerous conferences on the global circuit.
So, in a nutshell, that is how this particular Litigation Support Manager experiences life in a UK law firm - at least, so far…