Solicitor - Private Client, Wealth and Succession

The role

We are looking to recruit a talented Solicitor  to join our highly regarded Wealth and Succession team with our Private Client department. 

Our Private Client Department helps High Net Worth/Ultra High Net Worth individuals, their families and advisers with their tax and estate planning.  Clients include entrepreneurs, business owners, artists, authors, musicians, members of foreign royalty, charities and sport professionals in the UK and overseas.

We benefit from the firm's wider private wealth offering that includes family, immigration, reputation management, business crime, residential property and cultural property.

Our Wealth and Succession team is comprised of 2 main areas of focus; Tax, Trusts and Estate Planning and Administration of Estates.

We are known for our focus on delivering straightforward advice and solutions that resolve problems and creating the circumstances for a smooth and tax efficient transition of wealth between generations.  We also regularly deal with estates containing business assets or containing assets in overseas jurisdictions, where we co-ordinate with lawyers and professionals in those jurisdictions to ensure the administration of the estate is a seamless and streamlined experience for the client.

Role responsibility

• The administration of a broad range of estates from the straightforward to complex estates with international aspects, including:
• Liaising with Personal Representatives, ascertaining the assets and liabilities of the estate;
• Supervising junior members of the team;
• All aspects of post-grant administration;
• Making applications for the Grant of Representation;
• Supporting the estate accountant in preparing Estate Accounts;
•  Assisting with new enquiries, speaking to clients and dealing with queries;
• Wills, trusts and estate planning for UK and international clients;
• Trust administration;
• Preparation of Lasting Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection work.

About you

Ideally you will demonstrate;

• A range of experience as outlined above. In particular, administration of a broad range of estates from the straightforward to complex estates with international aspects;
• A good level of tax knowledge necessary for administration of estates, tax efficient Will drafting and related issues;
• Experience of advising clients on various aspects of estates planning;
• Strong intellectual and analytical abilities;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Experience of drafting and technical research;
• Ability to take direction from senior members of the team, with an enthusiasm to develop;
• Good commercial understanding and ability to apply legal principles to client circumstances in a commercially aware manner;
• Effective management of client expectations and high levels of client service;
• Good organisational skills, record keeping and file management;
• An organised and accurate approach to work.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• 25 days annual holiday
• Permanent Health Insurance
• Life Assurance
• Interest free Season Ticket Loan
• Private Healthcare
• Pension Scheme
• Staff Introductory Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme

About us

With almost 200 lawyers in one location, we ensure our clients have the right team to help them get from where they are to where they want to be. We advise major corporates and institutions as well as entrepreneurial, ambitious enterprises which are often privately or family owned, or private equity backed. As well as our significant business law capability, we are one of only a few London-based law firms with a large private wealth offering. Our clients find our straightforward approach a compelling alternative to larger, less personal firms.

Whether you are an ambitious and talented individual wanting to hit the ground running from day one, or an established professional looking for a new opportunity, Howard Kennedy is the firm where you can really make it happen.

We have earned a strong reputation for our exceptional and uniquely talented people who between them deliver outstanding results for clients. In a firm of our size, our strong team dynamic creates a thriving culture of creativity and entrepreneurialism. Howard Kennedy is a pragmatic and non-hierarchical environment where success is shared, and you are proactively encouraged to thrive at your own pace.

Our distinctive culture is built on fairness and respect. Guided by the firm’s values of talk straight, think smart and be yourself, everyone in the firm holds equal value, and everyone plays their role in supporting, encouraging and inspiring colleagues to do their best work.

At the same time, we recognise and reward individualism, celebrating the diversity of our people and supporting them to grow their practice and drive their own career advancement.

As well as client work, there is opportunity to broaden your horizons at the firm with fulfilling pro bono and charity projects. We have a regular social calendar full of wellbeing activities, charitable and social events too.