Associate Solicitor - Family
We are seeking an experienced Family Solicitor to join our client's established family law team. The successful candidate will manage a varied caseload of private family law matters, delivering high standards of client care, pragmatic legal advice and robust case management. This role offers the opportunity to work within a supportive firm that values professional development and a collaborative approach to client work. Having recruited into this firm a couple of times prior, I know it to be a true place to settle, establish a long term career and follow a strong career pathway to a more senior position.
This role will supervise a junior and also, in the future, a Trainee.
Salary from £50,000+
The firm provides a friendly working environment with hybrid working options considered and a focus on continued learning and mentoring.
This role will provide exposure to a broad range of family law matters including divorce and financial remedy, private children disputes, public law and care proceedings, domestic abuse injunctions and pre/post-nuptial agreements.
Key responsibilities:
Manage a busy family law caseload from initial instruction through to resolution, ensuring matters progress in a timely manner and clients are kept informed at every stage.
Provide clear, pragmatic legal advice on divorce, separation, financial remedy proceedings, child arrangements, schedule 1 applications, consent orders, and related family law matters.
Prepare and issue court applications and other litigation documents, draft position statements, witness statements and ancillary documents, and manage pleadings and bundles in accordance with court requirements.
Represent clients at hearings, including directions, interim, final and without notice hearings, and where appropriate instruct and liaise with counsel and other experts.
Handle public law matters and care proceedings, working collaboratively with local authorities, Cafcass and other stakeholders, and providing sensitive support to vulnerable clients.
Provide advice and draft agreements on non-contentious family matters including pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, separation agreements and cohabitation arrangements.
Ensure compliance with client verification, anti-money laundering (AML) procedures and firm file opening/closing checks, maintaining audit-ready files and accurate financial records.
Manage billing, fee estimates and client care letters, supporting timely billing and fee recovery in line with firm policies.
Supervise and mentor junior solicitors, paralegals and trainee staff where required, contributing to training, knowledge sharing and quality assurance within the team.
Identify opportunities to improve processes and precedents, support the adoption of technology and digital working practices to improve efficiency and the client experience.
Key skills and experience required:
Qualified solicitor (SRA) with relevant PQE in family law; experience in both private and public family law is desirable.
Proven experience managing divorce and financial remedy cases, child arrangements and, preferably, some exposure to care proceedings or public law cases.
Confident advocate with experience attending contested hearings and preparing effective written court materials.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with clients, family members, court officers and multi-disciplinary professionals.
Sound knowledge of family procedure rules, practice directions and current case law relevant to family practice.
Demonstrable commitment to maintaining compliance with AML and client identification requirements, producing audit-ready files and clear file records.
Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise competing workloads, manage deadlines and maintain attention to detail across multiple matters.
Proactive, commercially aware and client-focused with an aptitude for problem solving and a willingness to contribute to business development and team initiatives.
Proficiency with case management systems and common office IT applications; willingness to learn firm systems and promote efficient digital workflows.
- Department
- Family Law
- Locations
- Oldham
- Remote status
- Hybrid
About Mallory Pryce
Mallory Pryce is a specialist recruitment consultancy for the UK property and legal sectors. With over 15 years of experience, we connect law firms and conveyancing practices with the talent they need to grow. We focus on quality over volume, matching candidate aspirations with business goals.