Legal Director - Family in Kent

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals and over 600 staff based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client.

The Family team is a highly successful and entrepreneurial team at an exciting time of growth. We are proud to have one of the most respected and dedicated family law teams in the country, comprising 8 partners and 26 fee earners, including mediators, financial/children arbitrators, and 6 One Couple One Lawyer practitioners. We operate as a single, collaborative team across all locations, and are known for our innovative, supportive, and inclusive culture. In recognition of this, we were named LexisNexis Best Family Workplace of the Year 2024.

This is a rare opportunity to join Birketts’ growing Family Team in Sevenoaks at a pivotal moment in our expansion. You will work directly with leading lawyers who are nationally and internationally recognised in their fields, gaining hands‑on experience from day one.

Birketts are seeking a Legal Director to contribute to the dynamic growth within the Family Department. You will be managing a varied workload, controlling risk management and developing relationships across departments and offices, as well as interacting with other law firms and professionals. Responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Managing your own caseload with appropriate delegation to trainees and paralegals.
• Supporting the Team Head and senior team members on complex and high‑value matters.
• Delivering outstanding client service, including direct client engagement and expectation management.
• Monitoring and managing budgets and fees effectively.
• Contributing to business development initiatives and helping to grow the team’s profile and client base.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

We are seeking a Legal Director who ideally has gained experience within a regional, national or City firm with a well‑developed knowledge in some or all of the following:

• Nuptial agreements and cohabitation agreements
• Child arrangements cases including court proceedings
• International cases (languages not essential but helpful, particularly French)
• Modern families (surrogacy, adoption, fertility law)
• Alternative dispute resolution experience if possible but not essential

You will be active in marketing and business development in order to expand this area of work and gain new clients, building good relationships with referrers in the local area. The successful candidate will also be involved in team leadership and supervision of junior members of the team, also supporting the leadership teams across all offices.

A minimum of 6 years PQE in a professional legal environment is required, along with an established client base or network (preferred but not essential) and experience building credibility and trust through effective relationships. To be competent in using Microsoft Word, Excel, time recording software, case management, Outlook and digital dictation.

Birketts has designed a 'Talent Management Framework' which provides a career structure that will help us develop, retain and reward talented people. Promotion is based on assessment of your performance, competency and achievements. Our Talent Management Framework will see you joining as a Senior Associate at 6+ years’ PQE, with the opportunity to be promoted to Legal Director following this.

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile, and part‑time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.

As a Birketts colleague, you will be eligible to receive a wide range of benefits:

• Long Service holiday award - 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
• Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme
• Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
• Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
• Paid CSR Day
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Subsidised gym membership
• Electric car scheme
• Dress for your Day Policy

At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth. Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.