Associate

Shakespeare Martineau is a leading law firm that combines creativity, commerciality and clarity. We work with blue-chip companies, leading organisations, high street brands and individuals across the country.

Our multi-disciplinary team delivers a broad range of specialist legal services, and particularly stands out for its expertise across sectors including, but not limited to: energy, education, banking and financial services, investment funds, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. 

We’re proud of our people’s varied backgrounds and expertise. Our different qualities stand out and make us interesting to our clients.

We firmly believe in working hard and being ambitious. We look to recruit and develop talented people to achieve their potential - and who will contribute to achieving ours too.

Here you can fulfil your ambitions, whatever they are and however rapidly you want to achieve them. Together, and individually, we create exceptional results.

Our highly skilled and experienced Private Capital group provide a wide range of services and advice empowering families to define their unique long-term goals and legacy. We undertake various Family and Private client work at all levels and across many sectors.

Our highly skilled and experienced Private Client Team, including 13 members of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), provide a wide range of services and advice empowering families to define their unique long-term goals and legacy. We offer advice on the following areas of Private Client law: Capital Tax planning including advising on the most appropriate structures via Wills, Trusts & Family Investment Companies, the creation and administration of Trusts including tax compliance, accounting services and professional Trusteeship, administration of estates (simple to complex), Lasting Powers of Attorney and  Court of Protection work, the creation and administration of Charitable Foundations  and personal tax advice and compliance. Our clients’ profiles consist of family business owners, landed estates, newly acquired wealth, private individuals with inherited wealth and their families and Trustees of substantial trusts.

The role:

We are looking for an Associate with a proven record of building business to join our Milton Keynes office. The successful individual will work closely with our Private Capital Group and the wider team at Milton Keynes to develop the Private Client offering at the office and produce high quality legal services to clients on all aspects of private client work.

Your key duties will be:

• to focus on developing the Private Client team at Milton Keynes through active networking internally and externally
• drafting and advising on trusts, whether created by will or by lifetime gift, including reviewing existing trusts and will statutes
• administering complex estates and trusts
• completing IHT 100 and 400 forms competently and confidently
• to have the appropriate liaison with investment managers and brokers
• attending and running client meetings
• providing advice to clients on estates and capital taxes
• producing accounts for trusts, including trustee’s minutes and executors meeting minutes
• drafting and filing income tax returns
• giving clear advice in correspondence and in person
• promoting the private client practice with clients and contacts
• carrying out legal research
• drafting and registering lasting Powers of Attorney
• running management of affairs files where partner is appointed Attorney or Deputy
• completing applications to the Court of Protection to include the appointment of deputies
• supervising one junior team member
• maintaining confidentiality at all times
• undertaking any other ad hoc duties that may be required as directed

Skills and experience you will have:

• significant experience in all aspects of Private Client work and proven business development skills
• a STEP qualification or be working towards one
• some previous experience in managing or supervising others

Key competencies you will need:

• a willingness and enthusiasm to get involved in business development activities
• motivation to take up a challenge at an exciting time
• some previous experience in managing or supervising others
• ideally strong connections to and a knowledge of the local market place

About you – you will be:

• self-motivated and with a desire to succeed
• tidy, well organised and motivated
• able to self-manage and take ownership of problems
• highly enthusiastic, willing to go the extra mile and be happy to go beyond the job description
• respectful towards others and have a positive, willing and ‘can do’ attitude
• keen to learn, interested in driving your own career progression and be proactive in taking ownership of this

Due to the nature of the work undertaken, confirmation of employment will be subject to a variety of checks which will be carried out once an offer of employment is accepted. Details of the checks can be found here.

Shakespeare Martineau is a committed equal opportunities employer. We seek to attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. We value and respect individuality and encourage a culture within our business where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths and experiences. Everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, regardless of their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.