Legal Director

The Trust; Bristol; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading national law firm is seeking an experienced Legal Director to lead its Trusts & Estates Tax team in Bristol. This pivotal role requires strong leadership, management of high-value trusts, and expertise in tax compliance. The firm offers a collaborative culture, significant investment in its teams, and the opportunity to shape the future of their trusts and estates offerings.

Benefits

Strong infrastructure and support

Collaborative culture

Varied and high-impact work

Qualifications

• Deep knowledge of trust administration and tax compliance is required.
• Experience managing high-value trusts and advising on complex tax issues.
• Strong leadership instincts with experience mentoring junior colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of Trust and Executor Tax Executives, overseeing their work.
• Manage a portfolio of complex, high-value private client trusts.
• Ensure efficiency and compliance within the Trusts & Estates Tax team.

Skills

Leadership

Tax compliance

Trust administration

Organizational skills

Job description

Legal Director | Tax & Trusts

A major national practice is looking to appoint a Legal Director to lead its Trusts & Estates Tax team in Bristol. This is a pivotal role within a large, well‑resourced Private Client Advisory group that has invested heavily in its tax and trusts capability in recent years. The Bristol team is growing quickly, making this an ideal moment for a senior specialist to step in and shape its next phase.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leadership and team development – leading a group of four Trust and Executor Tax Executives, overseeing their technical work, reviewing KPIs, carrying out appraisals, and shaping training and development plans.
• Managing a portfolio of complex, high‑value trusts – taking responsibility for a broad portfolio of long‑standing private client, family, and charitable trusts, including trust administration, preparation of trust accounts, compliance, reporting, and advising trustees on tax consequences, structuring options, and risk.
• Operational oversight and quality control – handling the financial management of the Bristol Trusts & Estates Tax team, ensuring processes are efficient, compliant, and aligned with firm‑wide standards, and playing a central role in refining systems, developing internal policies, and maintaining quality assurance.
• Strategic advisory and internal expertise – acting as a senior technical advisor to colleagues across the Private Client group and other practice areas, supporting complex trust queries, cross‑border issues, FATCA, CRS, TRS requirements, and the growing Trust Corporation offering.
• Developing the wider offering – helping shape and future‑proof the firm’s trust and executor tax proposition, working closely with the partner lead on internal initiatives, external relationships, and thought leadership that strengthens the department’s national profile.

About You

• Experienced Trusts & Estates tax specialist with deep knowledge of trust administration, tax compliance, and trust accounting.
• Comfortable managing high‑value trusts and advising on complex tax issues across IHT, CGT, income tax, reporting and regulatory requirements.
• Strong leadership instincts, with experience mentoring or managing junior colleagues.
• Organised, commercially aware, and confident in shaping processes as well as delivering high‑level technical work.
• Keen to contribute to the development of a department in growth mode, adding structure and direction while still being collaborative in approach.

What’s on Offer

• Significant recent investment – the wider private client group has expanded rapidly, with new hires, a growing Trust Corporation capability, and a commitment to building one of the strongest trusts and estates tax offerings in the region.
• A collaborative culture – people are encouraged to progress, colleagues share knowledge freely, and teams are structured around cooperation rather than silos, with accessible senior leaders and cross‑discipline problem‑solving.
• Complex, varied, and high‑impact work – interaction with trustees, business owners, landowners, family groups, and charities, often on long‑term trusts requiring strategic advice over many years.
• Strong infrastructure and support – resources of a large national practice, well‑established systems, high‑quality professional support teams, and a leadership group that invests in its people.

The Firm

This is a large, national, full‑service firm with an over 100‑year heritage, a growing national footprint, and a reputation for sophisticated private client work. The culture balances ambition with a genuine commitment to people, evidenced through strong retention, clear progression frameworks, and a firm‑wide focus on development and wellbeing. The Bristol office is a strategic growth location for the firm, benefiting from significant investment, new team expansion, and a market‑leading private client offering that sits at the core of its broader strategy.

Apply now or contact Harrison for a confidential discussion.