Solicitor

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 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:

The role is to produce high quality legal services to clients on all aspects of wills, trusts and probate work. 

This will include the key duties set out below and flexibility (if required) to work at one of the firm’s other offices, as and when required, either on a temporary or semi-permanent basis.

Your key duties will be:

• drafting and advising on both basic and more complex trusts, whether created by will or by lifetime gift, including reviewing existing trusts and will statutes
• administering estates and trusts ranging in levels of complexity
• completing IHT 100 and 400 forms competently and confidently
• 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 trustees 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
• running a personal business development plan, driving business development within the team and supporting other teams with business development and selling
• carrying out legal research
• maintaining confidentiality at all times
• undertaking any other ad hoc duties that may be required as directed by the partner
• 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
• introducing new trust clients from own marketing efforts and combining with other team members in marketing efforts

Skills and experience you will have:

• experience during your training contract in wills, probate and trusts

Key competencies you will need:

• good team working across the private client team and other disciplines
• good interpersonal skills
• a willingness to develop and expand knowledge within the skills base and to undertake appropriate knowledge and skills training, as required.
• excellent  communication skills and the ability to deal with different types of clients
• excellent organisational skills, IT ability and time management skills

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.