Family Lawyer

Ison Harrison Ltd; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Ison Harrison Solicitors, a leading Yorkshire law firm, is recruiting a Family Lawyer in Manchester. The role focuses on care proceedings, domestic abuse, and child arrangements, with flexibility on PQE for the right candidate.

The Manchester office is expanding, and candidates with advocacy in court and private paying work are welcome. Strong client care and team collaboration are essential.

Qualifications

• 5+ years PQE preferred; flexible for right candidate
• Experience in legal aid, care proceedings, child arrangements and domestic abuse
• Panel membership in Law Society Children Panel highly regarded
• Open to candidates with private paying divorce, related finance, and private child arrangements experience

Responsibilities

• Running a case load of client matters from instruction to resolution.
• Taking initial instructions, applying for legal aid where appropriate, and advocacy in court.
• Drafting statements, applications, and other court pleadings.
• Handling new client enquiries and ensuring excellent client care.

Skills

Client care

Procedures & processes

Legal problem solving

Oral advocacy

Written advocacy

Communication skills

IT literacy

Organise & prioritise

Work under pressure

Team player

Job description

Ison Harrison Solicitors, the Yorkshire Law Firm, employs 450+ people across 27 offices.

Recently recognised as one of the UK’s top 10 employers in The Sunday Times Best Big Places to Work 2026, there's never been a better time to join the team at Ison Harrison.

We are 100% employee-owned, so each employee has a part to play in shaping the future of the firm. Employee-ownership also means that profit share payments are distributed, tax-free, to employees with 12+ months’ service at the end of our financial year.

Employees are encouraged to Join in, Influence and Benefit.

Please see our Benefits page for details of our profit share scheme and other Employee Benefits.

Our values are: 100%; Responsible; Supportive; Adaptable; Open & Transparent; Progressive; Community and Authentic. These values are at the heart of everything we do, when dealing with both clients and colleagues.

We are currently recruiting for a Family Lawyer. We are flexible as to PQE with the focus being on the right candidate for the firm and the potential to build a case load. Ideally the candidate would have 5 years plus experience and have a specialism in legal aid work including care proceedings, child arrangements and domestic abuse. Candidates who are on the Law Society Children Panel would be highly regarded, as would those who regularly carry out their own advocacy in court. We are also open to considering candidates who have worked more in the fields of private paying work; divorce and separation, related finance work and private paying child arrangements matters.

Manchester is a newly established and growing office with exciting growth plans!

We are looking for someone organised, methodical and a team player. Accuracy and attention to detail are essential, as is the ability to work quickly and efficiently to ensure deadlines are met and our excellent client care standards are maintained.

KEY TASKS

• Running a case load of client matters.
• Dealing with matters at all stages, from taking the client’s initial instructions, applying for legal aid where appropriate, and advocacy in court.
• Drafting statements, applications and other court pleadings.
• Dealing with new client enquiries.

KEY SKILLS – ESSENTIAL

• Professional and friendly client care.
• Ability to work accurately in accordance with procedures and processes.
• Ability to deal with technical details and to express solutions to complex legal problems in a concise and client-friendly way.
• Ability to present and argue a case orally in court and in writing.
• Good spoken and written communication to deal with clients and other parties face to face, by telephone and in producing legal documents.
• Confident IT skills.
• Ability to learn quickly.
• Ability to organise and prioritise work, under supervision, to meet clients’ expectations and matter deadlines.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to work on own initiative as appropriate.
• Ability to work as a member of a team.

OTHER

• Flexible and 'can do' attitude.

EXPERIENCE

• 5 years + PQE however we can be flexible with this for the right candidate.
• Panel Membership experience preferred but not essential.

SALARY

• Dependant on skills and experience.
• Please include your current salary and salary expectations within your application.

LOCATION

No.1 Spinningfields – 1 Hardman St, Manchester M3 3EB

ROLE TYPE

• Full-time, permanent.