Private Client Senior Associate

Yolk Recruitment; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private healthcare for you and family

Life assurance (4× salary)

Enhanced pension matching 5% employer

Enhanced leave and extra days off

Option to buy extra holiday

Employee Assistance Programme

Free will options and independent fin.

Professional fees support

Job summary

Yolk Recruitment is seeking a Senior Associate in Private Client to lead the Bristol offering with autonomy and career growth under a trusted national brand. The role covers wills, trusts, probate and cross-border matters for high net worth clients.

Key requirements include 5+ PQE in Private Client, leadership ability, and a client-focused approach. The firm offers hybrid work, a strong reputation in the market, and opportunities for development and progression.

Qualifications

• 5+ PQE in Private Client
• Experience with high net worth clients
• Cross-border exposure preferred
• Strong leadership and mentoring capability
• Technical excellence and commercial awareness

Responsibilities

• Lead Bristol offering with full backing of a national brand
• Work on private client matters including wills, trusts, estates
• Manage complex probate and estate administration
• Develop tax and wealth protection strategies for high-value clients
• Handle Court of Protection and capacity matters
• Contentious trusts and probate with internal support as needed

Skills

Private Client experience

Wills & estate planning

Trusts administration

Cross-border exposure

Leadership/mentorship

Client relationship management

Job description

Opportunity: Senior Associate - Private Client

Location: Bristol (Hybrid Working)

Salary: Up to £85,000 + Bonus (DOE)

Are you a Private Client lawyer with real ambition? Want to join a highly ranked Legal 500 / Chambers-recognised team with strong reputation, stability and the freedom to shape the future? This could be the role for you.

The Opportunity:

As a Senior Associate, you'll enjoy autonomy and the platform to mould, expand and lead the Bristol offering with the full backing of a trusted national brand.

You'll work on a broad range of private client matters, including:

• Wills, estate planning, and succession structures for High Net Worth and Ultra High Net Worth individuals and business owners
• Trust creation and administration, including cross-border and multi-jurisdictional trusts
• Complex probate and estate administration, including agricultural, landed, and business assets
• Tax and wealth protection strategies for high-value clients
• Court of Protection and capacity matters
• Contentious trusts and probate (if of interest, with internal support from ranked specialists)

The work is really interesting and varied, often with an international dimension and involving intricate family or commercial structures.

What Makes It Stand Out:

• You'll be joining a team rarely affected by churn - people stay, succeed, become leaders.
• Their reputation in the market is strong: praised in Legal 500 / Chambers for both non-contentious and contentious trusts / estates work.
• You'll get backing from a firm with national reach, multidisciplinary support and a client base that includes ultra-high net worth individuals and complicated estate, trust and succession structures.

You won't be boxed in - the role has flexibility, strategic influence and the potential to evolve.

What You Will Get:

Some of the perks (beyond the headline salary) include:

• Private healthcare for you and your family, and free healthcare cashback plans
• Life assurance (4× salary)
• Enhanced pension: matching 5% employer contribution
• Enhanced leave: additional days (birthday, Christmas Eve / New Year's Eve)
• Option to buy extra holiday (up to 5 days)
• Employee Assistance Programme, life event vouchers, wellbeing days, cycle-to-work, and more
• Discounted legal fees on firm services, free will options, independent financial advice
• And importantly: strong emphasis on development, internal promotion, collaborative culture and a firm ethos that encourages new ideas.

The Profile You Bring:

• Significant experience in Private Client (around 5+ PQE): wills, trusts, succession, estates etc
• Proven ability to manage complex portfolios and high-net-worth clients (ideally, including cross-border exposure) or a keenness to get exposure to this
• Leadership mindset: someone who wants to build, mentor, influence and leave a legacy.
• Technical excellence, commercial awareness and a warm but professional client presence.
• Ambition for long-term growth, not just a stepping stone.

Yolk Recruitment is an equal opportunities employer and embraces diversity in our workforce. We employ the best people for the job at hand and actively encourage applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, age, race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, educational background, parental status, gender identity or any other protected characteristic. We champion and celebrate diversity at Yolk allowing our team to bring their whole selves to work.