Senior Associate Solicitor - Private Client in Oldham

We are seeking an experienced Senior Associate Solicitor to join our client's established Private Client team, at a firm with decades of history across Private Client, Residential Property and Family Law. The successful candidate will manage a varied caseload of private client matters, and will ultimately take a senior role in the business, with managerial aspects to the role for the right candidate. This role would be perfect for someone looking to settle into a role that will become part of the leadership team. I have hired into this firm a few times now and know it to be a genuine place to foster and develop a career for the long term. The leaders are very encouraging and fully supportive with this also. This role offers exposure to a broad range of private client work including wills, lasting powers of attorney (LPAs), estates and probate administration, estate planning and trusts. Salary competitive + hybrid working to be considered.

Key responsibilities:

• Manage a diverse private client caseload from initial instruction through to completion, ensuring timely progression, accurate documentation and clear communication with clients and third parties.
• Provide expert legal advice on wills, LPAs, trusts, estate planning, inheritance tax and probate administration, preparing and reviewing complex documents and bespoke client reports in line with firm precedents and best practice.
• Lead and supervise probate matters including obtaining and preparing probate applications, administering estates, preparing estate accounts, dealing with HMRC and distributing assets to beneficiaries.
• Draft, review and execute lasting powers of attorney and deputyship applications, advising clients on capacity issues, registration processes and ongoing duties of attorneys or deputies.
• Provide clear, pragmatic advice where necessary to deliver holistic solutions for clients.
• Ensure compliance with client verification, anti-money laundering (AML) requirements and firm file opening/closing procedures, maintaining audit-ready files and accurate financial records.
• Manage billing, fee estimates and client care letters, ensuring timely billing and supporting fee recovery in line with firm policies.
• Provide supervision, coaching and technical guidance to junior solicitors, paralegals and trainee staff, supporting training, performance management and the sharing of best practice across the team.
• Identify and implement process improvements, update precedents and support the adoption of technology and workflow enhancements to improve efficiency and client experience.

Key skills and experience required:

• Qualified solicitor (SRA), minimum 5 years PQE, with substantial post-qualification experience in private client law, preferably at senior associate level or equivalent within a law firm or private client practice.
• Proven experience handling wills, LPAs, trusts, estate administration and probate applications, with a strong understanding of inheritance tax and succession planning.
• Confident in managing complex matters and advising vulnerable clients, with a sound understanding of mental capacity issues and safeguarding considerations.
• Demonstrable ability to maintain compliance with AML and client identification requirements, keeping clear, audit-ready files and accurate client records.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise competing workloads, meet deadlines and maintain attention to detail across multiple matters.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, comfortable dealing directly with clients, family members, executors, trustees and professional introducers.
• Proactive, commercially aware and client-focused with a willingness to develop business, mentor colleagues and contribute to team strategy and improvement initiatives.
• Proficiency with case management systems and common office IT applications; willingness to learn firm systems and support digital working practices.