In this role, you will be joining an established and growing family team with plenty of support. You will be contributing to the already sizable success of a thriving Family team that deals exclusively with privately funded family matters. You will be working closely with the Partner dealing with a full range of family work including divorce, separation, cohabitation, prenuptials, civil partnerships, financial matters and private law children matters.
Ideally, you will be a Family Solicitor with over 3-4 years’ PQE and your experience will be of privately funded family work. Candidates with less PQE may be considered if you can hit the ground running with a caseload of family matters.
- You will be expected to handle a mixed caseload of family law related matters, including divorce, separation, cohabitation, civil partnership disputes, children issues.
- Dealing with enquiries, speaking with clients and other parties over the phone, in written correspondence and face to face.
- Drafting legal documentation to include Cohabitation Agreements and Prenuptial Agreements.
- Drafting various Court Applications.
- Assisting with growing the business, working with the team to develop new opportunities.
- You will be involved in writing articles for the website and publications to attending business networking events
Main Duties
- To manage all Client work allocated by the Head of Department or other Director in the Firm and in accordance with the detailed Policies, procedures, and departmental Manuals.
- To ensure that all Client work is progressed expeditiously, and that the Client is kept regularly informed on progress and on costs.
- At all times to exercise high standards of Client care in a professional and pleasant manner.
- To ensure the confidentiality and security of the Firm’s and of Client documentation and information.
- To achieve agreed levels of billing and time recording.
- In close liaison with the Head Legal Cashier, to have overall responsibility for credit control on own matters.
- To comply with the Solicitors Accounts Rules and the Rules on the Professional Conduct of Solicitors
- To maintain clear and precise communications with other personnel of the Firm.
- To ensure good working relationships with external institutions and organisations.
- To supervise, support and develop immediate support staff.
- To take responsibility for and attend to self-development.
- In conjunction with the Firm, to comply with the relevant training requirements of the Law Society and to assist with in-house training as may be required.
- In liaison with the Head of Department and Directors, to be active in promoting the services of the Firm and its image and ethos.
- To take on cases as required.
- To maintain Client files in good order as required by quality standards.
- To provide advocacy services if and whenever required according to your specialist area(s) of expertise.
- To bill promptly and efficiently in accordance with the Firm’s procedures.
- Ensure that external fees are agreed in advance.
- To attend all requisite departmental meetings.
- Promptly to report all actual or potential claims or Complaints to the Chief Executive Officer.
- To diarise key dates, including limitation periods, in respect of all cases under your control.
- To assist other departments with enquiries specialist to your area of work.
- To be proactive in using the Firm’s internal and external Referral procedures where appropriate.
- Proactively to keep abreast of all developments and relevant legislation in your particular specialist area(s) of work.
- To take on any other responsibilities or tasks that are within your skills and abilities whenever reasonably instructed so to do.
- To instruct and train all paralegals, trainees, and newly qualified Solicitors under your purview.
Required Qualifications
Law Degree or Management/Business Degree (E)
Practising Certificate (E)
Admission to the Roll of Solicitors (E)
Minimum of three – four years’ post-admission experience in the relevant areas of law to your caseload (E)
Skills and Behaviours
Strong attention to detail (E)
Highly numerate (E)
Ability to work to deadlines (E)
Works well under pressure; Need to be self-motivated (E)
Excellent communication skills, both written and spoken (E)
Fully computer literate (E)
How to apply
To apply, please send a copy of your CV to the Head of HR, Jane Sheffield at jsheffield@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk
