Job Description
Head of Family | North Yorkshire | Shape & Grow the Department
North Yorkshire | Multiple office locations
Salary | £60,000 - £70,000
Some Head of Department roles are really just senior fee-earning positions with a few extra meetings attached.
This isn't one of them.
QED's client is looking for an experienced Family lawyer to take genuine ownership of its Family department, with responsibility for the people, performance and future direction of the team across its North Yorkshire offices.
The firm has an established presence across the region and a strong reputation within its local market. This appointment is about taking the next step with the Family practice — making sure it performs well commercially, continues to deliver an excellent service to clients and has the right structure and people in place to grow.
You'll still be close to the legal work and clients, but you'll also have responsibility for the things that come with genuinely running a department.
That means:
- Setting the direction and strategy for the Family team and turning that into something practical.
- Managing departmental performance across billing, WIP, fees received, capacity and profitability.
- Supporting, developing and challenging fee earners to get the best from the team.
- Identifying recruitment and training requirements as the department develops.
- Maintaining oversight of risk, compliance, file reviews, claims and complaints.
- Improving processes and ways of working where they can be made more effective.
- Taking responsibility for departmental meetings, communication and engagement.
- Working alongside the wider leadership team on issues affecting the wider business.
- Developing relationships with clients and professional referrers and contributing to the growth of the Family practice.
There's also a clear people element to the role. You'll be expected to lead from the front, provide proper support and supervision, recognise where individuals need development and create an environment where people can perform well.
Commercial awareness is important. This isn't simply about hitting a fee target — you'll need to understand what is driving departmental performance, where capacity exists, where there are problems and what needs to happen to improve things.
Equally, you'll need the technical credibility to lead a Family team. We're looking for an experienced Family Solicitor / Family Lawyer with a strong privately funded background who has already taken on some level of responsibility for colleagues, clients or the performance of a team.
You might already be heading up a Family team and be looking for a different environment, or you could be a Senior Associate or experienced Family Solicitor who has reached the point where you want responsibility for more than your own caseload.
What matters most is that you can demonstrate:
- Strong technical Family Law experience.
- The ability to lead and develop other lawyers.
- Sound commercial judgement.
- Confidence dealing with performance, risk and difficult decisions.
- Excellent client and relationship management skills.
- A proactive approach to business development and referrals.
- The ability to operate across multiple offices and work effectively with a wider management team.
The firm is well established, but it isn't standing still. The opportunity is to have a genuine influence over how the Family department develops rather than simply stepping into a predetermined role.
For the right person, there is scope to shape the team, influence the strategy and build on an established North Yorkshire client base, while retaining enough involvement in the legal work to remain connected to the reason most of us got into the profession in the first place.
If you're an experienced Family lawyer who is ready to take ownership of a department — rather than simply add “Head of” to your CV — this is worth a conversation.
For a confidential discussion and to learn more about the firm behind the opportunity, please contact Eoghan at QED Legal Recruitment Ltd.
Head of Family | North Yorkshire | Shape & Grow the Department in Harrogate employer: QED Legal
Join an esteemed international law firm in Leeds, where you will thrive in a dynamic work culture that values collaboration and professional growth. With a robust client base and a steady flow of high-profile M&A deals, you'll have the opportunity to develop your skills while mentoring junior lawyers and expanding your practice. The firm offers unique benefits such as genuine international exposure through secondments, making it an exceptional place for ambitious corporate lawyers seeking meaningful and rewarding careers.
