Partner

Stephens Scown; Bournemouth; Hybrid; GBP 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee ownership

Hybrid working

Comprehensive benefits

Development opportunities

Job summary

Stephens Scown is seeking a Corporate Partner to establish and shape its Dorset corporate offering. The role offers the chance to build a thriving regional practice, develop a team, and deepen relationships with ambitious owner-managed businesses, investors and national organisations.

You will lead strategic growth, advise on complex transactions, and collaborate across a market-leading firm with a strong brand in the South Coast region.

Qualifications

• A strong reputation within the Bournemouth, Dorset or wider South Coast market.
• A proven ability to generate, develop and retain client relationships.
• Significant experience leading complex corporate transactions.
• Strong business development and networking credentials.
• A collaborative leadership style and a genuine commitment to developing others.
• The vision, energy and entrepreneurial mindset required to build and grow a successful regional practice.
• Partner-level experience and a desire to play a key role in the future growth of the firm.

Responsibilities

• Developing Stephens Scown’s corporate offering in Bournemouth.
• Creating and executing a strategic growth plan for the region.
• Advising clients on a broad range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity and investment transactions, shareholder arrangements, restructures, joint ventures and general corporate advisory work.
• Building and strengthening relationships with businesses, entrepreneurs, intermediaries and professional networks across the South Coast.
• Working closely with colleagues across the wider firm to unlock opportunities and deliver seamless client service.
• Playing a key role in attracting, mentoring and developing future talent as the practice grows.
• Raising the profile of Stephens Scown within the local business community and establishing the firm as a leading corporate adviser in the region.

Skills

Reputation in Bournemouth/Dorset South

Client relationships

Complex corporate transactions

Business development

Networking

Collaborative leadership

Entrepreneurial mindset

Partner-level experience

Job description

At Stephens Scown, every day is what we make it. So we make it matter. Doing notable work for notable clients, building our skills with talented people and having a positive impact on our communities sits at the heart of everything we do.

We don’t just say it, we live it. Our commitment to our people, clients and communities runs through our DNA. We are employee-owned, we are a Certified B Corporation TM , and we are featured in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026 list – ensuring our culture and ethos of going above and beyond for our people, our colleagues and our communities is recognised nationally.

The Role

This is not just another Corporate Partner role.

This is a rare opportunity to establish and shape the future of Stephens Scown’s corporate offering in Dorset, one of the South Coast’s most progressive and entrepreneurial business communities. For the right individual, this is an opportunity to build a practice, develop a team and strengthen your profile in the market.

As part of our wider corporate team, you will have the platform to play a key role in building a thriving practice while benefiting from the reputation and strength of a market-leading firm.

Our corporate team is recognised as a leading corporate practice in the region for its excellence, advising ambitious owner-managed businesses, investors, entrepreneurs and national organisations on complex and high-value transactions. The team is featured in leading legal directories and has received industry awards for the quality of its work and client service.

As the lead Corporate Partner in Dorset, you will have an exceptional opportunity to influence, develop and grow the firm’s presence in the region. With an already established office, strong brand recognition and extensive relationships across the Southwest, there is a significant breadth of opportunity to build a market-leading corporate practice and become the trusted adviser for businesses across Bournemouth, Dorset and the wider South Coast.

Whether your ambition is to build a team, expand your client following, or strengthen your market profile, we’ll provide the support to help you achieve it. You’ll benefit not only from the strength of a market-leading firm, but also our distinctive employee-owned culture, where people are empowered to make a real difference and share in our long-term success. As a certified B Corp, we combine commercial ambition with a genuine commitment to our people, our communities and the environment.

Responsibilities:

• Developing Stephens Scown’s corporate offering in Bournemouth.
• Creating and executing a strategic growth plan for the region.
• Advising clients on a broad range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity and investment transactions, shareholder arrangements, restructures, joint ventures and general corporate advisory work.
• Building and strengthening relationships with businesses, entrepreneurs, intermediaries and professional networks across the South Coast.
• Working closely with colleagues across the wider firm to unlock opportunities and deliver seamless client service.
• Playing a key role in attracting, mentoring and developing future talent as the practice grows.
• Raising the profile of Stephens Scown within the local business community and establishing the firm as a leading corporate adviser in the region.

About You

We’re keen to speak with ambitious and commercially minded Corporate Partners who can demonstrate:

• A strong reputation within the Bournemouth, Dorset or wider South Coast market.
• A proven ability to generate, develop and retain client relationships.
• Significant experience leading complex corporate transactions.
• Strong business development and networking credentials.
• A collaborative leadership style and a genuine commitment to developing others.
• The vision, energy and entrepreneurial mindset required to build and grow a successful regional practice.
• Partner-level experience and a desire to play a key role in the future growth of the firm.

Most importantly, we’re looking for someone who shares our belief that delivering exceptional client service and creating an exceptional workplace culture go hand in hand

What we can offer you

• We offer a competitive salary and an impressive array of benefits and rewards. Not least of these is through the Firm’s employee-ownership status, where every employee is listened to, helps to realise our vision and receives an equal share in our annual profit-share.
• Our hybrid working model and approach to flexible working enables our people to share their working time between home and the office to support a healthy work / life balance.
• Employee benefits – including 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays and your birthday), private medical insurance, group life assurance, access to a comprehensive range of wellbeing support, and three additional days’ paid leave to support good causes.
• Progression opportunities – including, regular training, qualification options, mentorship, and continued professional development.

Why Stephens Scown?

Working here is something else entirely. It’s a place where we can step up to tough challenges with people so good they inspire us to be better. We proudly work in a beautiful part of the country, go beyond expectations and achieve things that matter.

Owning It Matters…

We’re the UK’s first major employee-owned law firm. But more than this, we’re people-centred, people-powered. We do what it takes to help each other overcome every challenge. Whatever’s happening in the world, empowering our people is what matters.

Our communities and colleagues give us a lot to be thankful for. So we try to make them feel as valued as our clients. Whether we’re digging deep and giving our time and money, picking up rubbish from our streets and beaches, at Stephens Scown, if it’s right, it matters.

We might have the expertise of a top city firm, but outside our offices there’s not a skyscraper in sight. Whether we’re getting to know our clients on our local beach or having fun in the park with colleagues, we’re all about living a life enriched by work. Making the fun matter.

At Stephens Scown, we believe that a diverse workforce delivers better results for ourclients and creates a happier workplace where everyone feels valued and appreciated. Thereforewe welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds, abilities and beliefs.

All offers of employment at Stephens Scown are subject to Basic level of Disclosure and BarringService check. Any information gathered in relation to the DBS process is held in in accordancewith all relevant data protection regulations. Having a criminal record will not necessarilybar you from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstancesand background of your offences. At interview, or in a separate discussion, we ensure that an openand measured discussion takes place on the subject of any offences or other matter that might berelevant to the position. Failure to reveal information that is directly relevant to the positionsought could lead to withdrawal of an offer of employment. We make every subject of a DBSDisclosure aware of the existence of the DBS Code of Practice. This is available on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-code-of-practice