Family Senior Associate

Realm Recruit; Manchester; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working (3 office days)

Discretionary bonus schemes

Private Medical Insurance

26 days holiday

Employee Assistance Programme

Pension

Job summary

Realm Recruit is seeking a qualified Family Solicitor to join Manchester's leading private family team. You will manage a complex caseload including HNW divorce, financial remedy and children matters, while mentoring junior lawyers and building strong client relationships.

The environment offers a collaborative culture with transparent promotion to Legal Director and Partner, backed by substantial support and a strong track record of retention and development.

Qualifications

• Qualified Family Solicitor with 5+ PQE (E).
• Experience handling complex privately funded family matters (E).
• Expertise in divorce and financial remedy work (E).
• Experience supervising or mentoring junior lawyers (E).
• Strong client care and relationship-building skills (E).
• Experience handling complex financial structures including trusts and business assets (E).
• Business development experience (D).
• Collaborative leadership style with ambition to progress (E).

Responsibilities

• Managing a complex privately funded family caseload.
• Advising on HNW divorce, financial remedy and children matters.
• Supervising and mentoring junior lawyers.
• Acting as a bridge between Partners and junior fee earners.
• Supporting business development and networking activity.
• Building long-term client and referrer relationships.
• Helping drive the continued growth of the department.

Skills

Client care

Relationship-building

Leadership

Business development

Education

Qualified Family Solicitor

Job description

• Take on complex HNW family work in one of Manchester's leading private family teams
• Clear route to Legal Director and Partner within a structured promotion framework
• Lead, mentor and influence a growing team with excellent retention and strong support

Senior Associate opportunities don't often offer the combination of high-quality work, genuine progression and a leadership role within an already established team.

Based in Manchester, this role has been created because demand continues to grow. You'll join one of the city's best-known family departments, managing complex privately funded work while becoming a key figure between the Partners and the next generation of lawyers.

From the outset, you'll run your own caseload of HNW divorce, financial remedy and children matters while supervising junior colleagues, helping develop talent and contributing to the continued success of the department. The work is technically challenging, but you'll have the support of an experienced team and a firm that invests heavily in long-term development.

The environment is collaborative rather than hierarchical. Promotion is transparent, leadership is approachable and ambitious lawyers are given every opportunity to progress. If you're looking for a platform that combines excellent work, strong career prospects and a genuinely supportive culture, this is one of the standout opportunities in the Manchester family market.

Who we're looking for

• Qualified Family Solicitor with 5+ PQE (E)
• Strong experience handling complex privately funded family matters (E)
• Expertise in divorce and financial remedy work (E)
• Experience supervising or mentoring junior lawyers (E)
• Strong client care and relationship-building skills (E)
• Experience handling complex financial structures including trusts and business assets (E)
• Business development experience (D)
• Collaborative leadership style with ambition to progress (E)

What you'll be doing

• Managing a complex privately funded family caseload
• Advising on HNW divorce, financial remedy and children matters
• Supervising and mentoring junior lawyers
• Acting as a bridge between Partners and junior fee earners
• Supporting business development and networking activity
• Building long-term client and referrer relationships
• Helping drive the continued growth of the department

Salary & Benefits

• £70,000–£75,000 (up to c.£80,000 in exceptional circumstances)
• Hybrid working (typically 3 office days)
• Clear progression to Legal Director and Partner
• Strong administrative and trainee support
• Firm-wide and individual discretionary bonus schemes
• 26 days holiday plus Christmas closure
• Early finish one Friday every month
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Private Medical Insurance option
• Two volunteering days each year
• Income protection, travel insurance and SMART pension
• Join one of Manchester's most highly regarded family law teams

Contact Mel Samson

[e-mail]

03300 245 606

Mel specialises in family recruitment across the North West and can give you a clear, honest picture of how this opportunity compares to other senior family roles currently on the market.