Legal Director

Company : Shakespeare Martineau PQE : 5 years + Term : Permanent Team : Private Client The opportunityAll candidates should make sure to read the following job description and information carefully before applying.We have a fabulous opportunity for an experienced and highly motivated Private Client Legal Director (Solicitor or FCILEx with a minimum of 5+ years PQE) to join a friendly and professional team.Our Private Client team, including 13 members of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), provide a wide range of services and advice empowering families to define their unique long‑term goals and legacy.We offer advice on the following areas of Private Client law: Capital Tax planning including advising on the most appropriate structures via Wills, Trusts & Family Investment Companies, the creation and administration of Trusts including tax compliance, accounting services and professional Trusteeships, administration of estates (simple to complex), Lasting Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection work, the creation and administration of Charitable Foundations and personal tax advice and compliance. Our clients’ profiles consist of family business owners, landed estates, newly acquired wealth, private individuals with inherited wealth and their families and Trustees of substantial trusts.The team undertake high quality, high profile and complex work – there is opportunity to help shape the direction of the team moving forwards and supervision of an experienced team of lawyers will be a considerable element to the role.The work involves dealing with all aspects of private client law.The RoleTo provide a high‑quality private client advice to all clientsTo develop and maintain good client relationship skills, gaining clients’ confidence and that of other professionalsAs a senior member of the team, you will supervise and mentor a team of Solicitors.Participate in the growth and development of the department / firm by attracting additional business from new and existing clientsLegal research to ensure accuracy of advice and proceduresSupporting internal procedures and systems including file / case management and time recordingTo be able to demonstrate that technical expertise and competence across a sufficiently wide areaWilling and able to work without significant supervisionThe flexibility to work outside normal office hours may be required from time‑to‑timeWhat you’ll needYou will have a good solid background in all areas of private client work – including the production of Trust and Estate Accounts and Tax Returns.You will have developed a particular strength and reputation in your work area demonstrating technical excellence but equally important, commercially aware with strong business development skills.You will have excellent written and verbal communication skillsYou will be a self‑starter, able to demonstrate high levels of initiative and motivation, but also willing to work closely with other team members at all levelsYou will have a demonstrable track record of managing assigned tasks in an assertive, efficient and timely manner with excellent attention to detailYou must be able to multitask and keep calm under pressureWe expect you to be able to use your initiative, and be a forward‑planner, anticipating the needs of your clients and colleagues wherever possible.You may already be STEP qualified or currently studying for it. If not, we can support you in working towards qualification and membership.There will be a requirement to travel so a full clean driving licence is required.How we workWe embrace agile working and offer a blended approach to where and how we work.We appreciate that people have different needs and preferences and we’re keen to be flexible, after all, we value what you do, not where you do it.We have hubs in Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leicester, London, Lincoln, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Solihull, Stratford‑upon‑Avon and Sheffield. This role is hybrid working from our Birmingham hub.It’s the people at Shakespeare Martineau that make us so special. By understanding what our people want, giving them the support they need, recognising everyone’s contribution and realising the unique power of teams, together we win. As a firm we are focused on proactively building and developing diverse teams, bringing different backgrounds, personalities and perspectives together.We play to our strengths, pushing ourselves to be consistently better than yesterday and deliver amazing solutions for our clients. We empower our teams with a high degree of individual responsibility; we self‑manage and encourage everyone to be responsible for their own learning, knowing it makes us even better at what we doWe believe in trusting our people to make the right decisions for themselves, from whenand where you work, to how you dress; we focus on outputs.Additional informationDue to the nature of the work undertaken, confirmation of employment will be subject to a variety of checks which will be carried out once an offer of employment is accepted. Details of the checks can be found.Equal opportunitiesShakespeare Martineau is a committed equal opportunities employer. We seek to attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. We value and respect individuality and encourage a culture within our business where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths and experiences. xpwpeyx Everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, regardless of their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.