Solicitor - Court of Protection (Health & Welfare) in Manchester

EMG Solicitors is an award-winning Legal 500 law firm with offices across the North but acting nationally, specialising in Court of Protection, Deputyships, Mental Health Law, Family Law and Mediation, Residential Conveyancing, Dispute Resolution, Employment Law, Education Law and Wills, Trusts & Probate services. Our mission is to provide the legal support our clients require in order to achieve anything from their basic needs to their wildest dreams and everything in between. We pride ourselves on being a supportive, down-to-earth firm where people can grow their careers while doing work that genuinely matters.

We are looking to appoint a Solicitor or CILEX (up to around 3 years’ PQE) to join our Court of Protection Health & Welfare team. While experience in Health & Welfare work is welcome, we are equally open to individuals from related areas such as family law, mental health, or Court of Protection (Property & Affairs) who are interested in developing their expertise in this field. If you have experience supporting vulnerable clients, managing sensitive situations, or working in a people-focused area of law, we encourage you to apply. Full support and supervision will be provided as you develop your knowledge and confidence within this specialist area.

This role will be based from our Manchester office, but we would expect you to travel and work from other offices from time to time. This is a full-time role which is 35 hours per week, however at EMG Solicitors we work flexibly; it’s not a 9 to 5 role, but we do expect the work to be done, when you do it can be largely up to yourself, your Team Leader and the requirements of your clients.

In this role, you will join our Court of Protection Health & Welfare team, supporting individuals who lack capacity to make decisions about their care, treatment and living arrangements. You’ll help clients and families navigate capacity issues, best-interest decisions, and Court of Protection applications where complex or disputed matters arise. You’ll act as a clear and reassuring point of contact for clients and professionals, working closely with health, social care and rehabilitation teams to ensure needs are fully understood. The caseload is meaningful and varied, spanning both Legal Aid and private client matters as the team continues to grow. You’ll be part of a collaborative department with strong peer support and opportunities to develop specialist expertise in an important and rewarding area of law.

We expect you to generate work through a mixture of delegation and self-generated opportunities. We encourage all our team members to win work, which can be achieved in a variety of ways, including:

• Becoming known as a go-to specialist in a field, including writing articles and speaking at events, both external and internal.
• Attending networking events and promoting EMG Solicitors.
• Developing relationships on a one-to-one basis.

Each of these methods is equally valid and we will support you in making a plan that works for you and the firm, providing any additional training you may need.

You should be passionate about providing support to your colleagues, undertaking your duties professionally and with the utmost skill and care, and always putting clients first while respecting their confidentiality. You will need to work both independently and as part of a team.

In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring that your work contributes directly to the profitability and success of the department. This will involve:

• Confidently corresponding with clients, courts, third parties and the Legal Aid Agency.
• Knowledge of legal aid applications and use of the legal aid portal.
• Building referral sources for health and welfare and mental health work.
• Attending upon clients in hospitals to take initial instructions and attend CPA meetings.
• Conducting fee earning work and providing a profitable contribution to the department.
• Ensuring excellence in technical advice, client service, and user-friendly language.
• Meeting client needs promptly and addressing any issues that arise.
• Participating in business development and marketing activities.
• Managing financial control, including taking fees and disbursements, recording time accurately, and billing matters promptly.

To perform this job, you will ideally have up to three years’ PQE, with experience in Court of Protection, mental health, family law, safeguarding or other work involving vulnerable clients. Direct Health & Welfare experience is advantageous but not essential. A Law Society Mental Health Accreditation is a plus, but not essential - we will support you in obtaining it. You will need to be an excellent communicator, possess effective time management and organisational skills, and be able to work under your own initiative to meet tight deadlines while adhering to the firm's procedures and respecting client confidentiality.

We are looking for someone who aligns with our core values of cooperation, courage, excellence, integrity, and kindness. We want someone who will work proactively to deliver exceptional client service through the knowledge and skills they bring to the role.

What you can expect from us:

• Firm wide annual bonus scheme, in addition to a competitive salary.
• 4% Pension employer contributions offered through Standard Life.
• 25 days holiday entitlement per year (FTE) with an additional three days off at Christmas.
• 5 extra days paid leave on your 5-year anniversary – (and every 5 years thereafter).
• Life Assurance providing your loved ones with a 3x salary death in service benefit.
• Employee Assistance Program – a Freephone number for personal, legal and financial issues; to arrange counselling and a GP helpline.
• Free annual flu injection.
• EMG Rewards – Vivup well-being & Tastecard apps offering discounts across a large number of retailers & restaurants.
• £50 Gift card on your birthday as well as a late start or early finish.
• £50 Gift card at Christmas plus Christmas closure (subject to variation).
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Salary Sacrifice Electric Car scheme.
• Fruit and refreshments in each office.
• Two passes for Beamish open air museum for family or friends.
• Opportunity to join EMG working groups, such as our Green Team, Better Health at Work Team, Empowerment, Diversity and Inclusion Team & our Community Team.
• Regular surveys to understand issues our team care about, including guest speakers on a wide range of topics.

EMG Solicitors are an equal opportunities employer. To apply for this role you must have the right to work within the UK.