Trust Disputes Associate - Pensions

Douglas Scott Ltd; Southampton; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Douglas Scott Ltd. seeks a Trust Disputes Associate for its Manchester practice. You will handle contentious trusts and probate matters, moving towards a more commercial, pensions-oriented advisory role.

The ideal candidate will have 3–6 years' PQE and a background in contentious trusts or related private client work, with strong analytical and client-facing capabilities. Hybrid working and cross-team collaboration are offered.

Qualifications

• Around 3 to 6 years' PQE in relevant fields.
• Background in contentious trusts/probate or private client disputes is advantageous.
• Strong analytical and advisory skills.

Responsibilities

• Advising on contentious trust and trust dispute matters.
• Supporting insurer-led death-in-service trust work.
• Advising life assurance providers and institutional clients.
• Analysing complex trust issues and providing clear, practical advice.
• Managing matters with an appropriate level of autonomy.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues across the Pensions and wider Business Services teams.
• Developing relationships with commercial and institutional clients.

Skills

Contentious trusts

Contentious probate

Private client disputes

Job description

Trust Disputes Associate | Pensions | 3 - 6 Years' PQE

Manchester with Hybrid Working

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Associate with experience in contentious trusts, contentious probate or trust disputes to join a specialist Pensions team within a highly regarded national law firm.

This is a particularly interesting opportunity for a lawyer who may currently handle a mixed litigation or private client caseload, but has gained solid experience in contentious probate or trust disputes and is now looking to move into a more commercially focused role.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to move away from predominantly acting for individuals and families and develop experience advising institutional and commercial clients within the pensions and insurance sector.

The Role

The role will involve advising commercial clients on contentious trust matters, particularly those arising from death-in-service and life assurance arrangements.

• Advising on contentious trust and trust dispute matters.
• Supporting insurer-led death-in-service trust work.
• Advising life assurance providers and institutional clients.
• Analysing complex trust issues and providing clear, practical advice.
• Managing matters with an appropriate level of autonomy.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues across the Pensions and wider Business Services teams.
• Developing relationships with commercial and institutional clients.

Support will be provided to develop knowledge of the pensions and insurance aspects of the work. The key requirement is an existing understanding of contentious trusts and the ability to analyse and advise on trust disputes.

About You

The ideal candidate will have around 3 to 6 years' PQE, although the firm is open-minded on level for the right experience.

The successful candidate could come from a number of backgrounds, including:

• Contentious Probate
• Contentious Trusts
• Private Client Disputes
• Trusts and Estates Litigation
• General Litigation
• A mixed caseload incorporating a meaningful proportion of contentious probate or trust disputes

You do not need to be a specialist contentious probate lawyer. Someone who has developed contentious probate or trust experience alongside a broader litigation or private client caseload could be particularly well suited.

The key requirement is that you have sufficient experience of contentious trusts to understand the underlying legal issues and advise clients with a good degree of independence.

Why Consider the Role?

This is an excellent opportunity for a contentious trusts or probate lawyer looking to take their career in a more commercial direction.

The role offers the opportunity to:

• Work with institutional and commercial clients.
• Develop expertise within the pensions and insurance sector.
• Build a specialist and differentiated practice.
• Broaden your career beyond traditional private client disputes.
• Develop your commercial and client-facing experience.
• Work within a supportive and well-established national practice.

If you are a Manchester-based lawyer with contentious probate or trust experience, even as part of a broader caseload, and are interested in developing a more commercial and specialist career, this could be an excellent next step.