YOUR NEXT CAREER MOVE: HELP SHAPE LAWNET
Have a say in what goes into Singapore’s most-used legal research platform.
BY ASHUTOSH RAVIKRISHNAN
As LawNet shores up its content offerings in the coming months, the team behind it is looking for a Content Development Manager to shape the content hosted on the legal research platform. “In recent months, we’ve rolled out commercial precedents and pleadings to further meet the profession’s knowledge needs,” explains Ms Teoh Swee Leng, Deputy Director at SAL’s Legal Publishing and Knowledge Cluster.
But there’s more to come and as Swee Leng shares, the successful candidate will have a chance to chart what comes next. “Based on their experience in practice, research into existing and new ideas, and conversations with the market, they should have a sense of how LawNet can grow to meet the needs of its users,” she adds. “This could range from new content sets to the platform’s features and functionalities, which are developed in collaboration with the organisation’s tech team.” The advantage of doing this with SAL is its unique position as a statutory body, allowing it to take on projects that benefit the profession even if they are not hugely profitable.
Beyond proposing what should be on the platform, the candidate will also be able to shape how it’s presented. “It’s more than just deciding the content,” says Swee Leng. “It’s also about shaping how the content is used. The candidate would have a role in suggesting ideas such as drafting notes, clause banks, drop-down menus and other practical features.”
To add value in this regard, the team is looking for someone with some experience in practice or in-house. “Five years is a good enough time to develop the familiarity with the needs of those in practice and in-house. In that time, candidates would also have developed a wide network with their peers, which they will be able to tap on for focus groups and market research.”
For those starting out in their careers, giving up a life in practice might seem unfathomable. But as Swee Leng shares, a couple of years in a fast-paced firm can be draining. “We have former practitioners who have joined the team looking for a change of focus. They’re interested in trying something new while making use of their legal training and experience. This job allows them to do both.”
As well as a friendly team, candidates can look forward to working in an environment that encourages new ideas. “We’re not averse to charting new territory and adopt agile work practices that allow employees to adapt and pivot as the project progresses, thus creating a safe space for experimentation,” she says.
JOIN HER TEAM: The Singapore Academy of Law is currently welcoming applications for this role. Learn more about it here and if you think you’re a right fit, apply here.
