Partner/Director, contentious probate & inheritance disputes

Schofield Sweeney LLP; Bradford; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Schofield Sweeney LLP seeks an experienced contentious probate lawyer to lead and develop its specialist contentious probate & inheritance disputes team. The role is suitable for a director or partner looking to take ownership of a well-established practice area and shape its growth across the region.

You will lead a high-quality caseload, advise on contested Wills, Inheritance Act claims, estate disputes, and trust issues, while mentoring junior lawyers and building client relationships.

Qualifications

• Technically strong and commercially minded lawyer with significant experience in contentious probate and inheritance disputes.
• Operating at Senior Associate, Director, or Partner level within a recognised contentious trusts and estates practice.
• Proven ability to lead, mentor and develop others while managing complex, high-value disputes.
• Strong focus on building trusted client relationships and business development.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Schofield Sweeney's contentious probate & inheritance disputes practice.
• Manage a high-value caseload including contested Wills, Inheritance Act claims, probate disputes and trust issues.
• Mentor junior team members and foster a collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Develop the department's profile and identify opportunities for growth through networking and BD activities.

Skills

Contentious probate

Leadership

Business development

Client relationships

Job description

At Schofield Sweeney, we pride ourselves on delivering expert advice across inheritance and succession disputes. Our specialist team supports clients through challenging and often emotional situations, including probate claims, contested Wills, trust disputes, and matters involving executors, trustees, property, land and agricultural assets.

We’re looking for an experienced and ambitious contentious probate lawyer to lead and develop our specialist contentious probate & inheritance disputes team. This is an exciting opportunity for a director or partner to take ownership of a well-established practice area and help shape its future growth.

The role

You’ll lead our contentious probate & inheritance disputes practice, shaping its strategic direction and supporting growth across the region.

Alongside your leadership responsibilities, you’ll manage a high-quality caseload of complex and high-value inheritance, trust and estate disputes. This will include advising clients on contested Wills, Inheritance Act claims, disputes involving executors and trustees, proprietary estoppel claims, trust issues, and matters relating to agricultural and landed estates.

You’ll work closely with clients who are often dealing with difficult family circumstances, grief and sensitive personal matters, combining excellent legal and commercial judgement with empathy, sensitivity and a pragmatic approach.

A key part of the role will be developing the department’s profile and identifying opportunities for growth. This will include strengthening relationships with clients, referrers and professional contacts, while contributing to networking, marketing and business development activity across the firm.

You’ll also play an important role in mentoring and supervising junior members of the team, supporting their development and helping to foster a collaborative, supportive and high-performing culture.

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for a technically strong and commercially minded lawyer with significant experience in contentious probate and inheritance disputes.

You will likely be operating at Senior Associate, Director or Partner level within a recognised contentious trusts and estates practice, with a proven track record of handling complex and high-value disputes.

You’ll be confident building trusted client relationships and guiding individuals through emotionally challenging situations with professionalism, understanding and care.

Strong leadership skills are essential, together with a genuine passion for developing others and supporting the growth of junior legal professionals.

You’ll also bring commercial awareness and enthusiasm for business development, with the ability to build relationships, identify opportunities and contribute to the department’s continued success.

ACTAPS membership, or a willingness to work towards it, would be advantageous, as would experience of mediation or alternative dispute resolution.