Legal Director - Private Client

We have a fabulous opportunity for an experienced and highly motivated Private Client Legal Director (Solicitor or FCILEx with a minimum of 10 years PQE) to join our friendly and professional team in our East Midlands region based from either the Leicester or Nottingham hub. This fantastic opportunity requires a passionate and technical operator with a wealth of experience advising on taxation issues, trust creation and administration, wills and powers of attorney, and dealing with the administration of estates. There is also the opportunity to help shape the direction of the team moving forwards and supervision of a junior team of lawyers will be a requirement of the role. You’ll be a natural networker and keen to be involved with regional networking, identifying and securing new business opportunities.

The team undertakes high quality, high profile and complex work dealing with all aspects of private client law. 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
• 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.

What you will be doing:

• Provide high-quality private client advice to all clients to include advising on inheritance tax and succession planning, preparing Balfour type reviews of businesses to ascertain the trading status of the client’s business and advising on ways in which this can be improved, drafting wills, trusts, letters of wishes and powers of attorney including business powers of attorney.
• Develop and maintain good client relationship skills, gaining clients’ confidence and that of other professionals.
• As a senior member of the team, you will help to supervise and mentor junior Solicitors.
• Participate in the growth and development of the department/firm by attracting additional business from new and existing clients.
• Undertake legal research to ensure accuracy of advice and procedures.
• Supporting internal procedures and systems including file/case management and time recording.
• To be able to demonstrate that technical expertise and competence across a sufficiently wide area.
• Willing and able to work without significant supervision.
• The flexibility to work outside normal office hours may be required from time-to-time.

What you will need:

• A good solid background in all areas of private client work – including the production of Trust and Estate Accounts and Tax Returns.
• Developed a particular strength and reputation in your work area demonstrating technical excellence but equally important, you will be commercially aware with strong business development skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• You 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 levels.
• A demonstrable track record of managing assigned tasks in an assertive, efficient and timely manner with excellent attention to detail.
• Be able to multitask and keep calm under pressure.
• We expect you to be able to use your initiative, and be a forward-planner, anticipating the needs of your clients and colleagues wherever possible.
• STEP qualified or willing to study for it.
• There will be a requirement to travel so a full clean driving licence is required.

Benefits, Agile Working and Additional information:

We 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 the following hubs across the UK: Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, London, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Sheffield, Solihull, Stratford upon Avon & Tunbridge Wells.

Shakespeare 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. 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.