Private Client Solicitor – North East

Job Title	Solicitor
Department & Team	Wills, Trusts & Probate
Location	Durham, Darlington or Gosforth
Working Hours	Full Time or Part Time – both are considered
Reports to	Director, Head of Wills, Trusts & Probate

Introduction to EMG Solicitors

EMG Solicitors is an award winning Legal 500 Boutique law firm located across the North. We provide a range of legal advice to both private individuals and businesses across the region and nationally. We provide legal support that our clients require in order to achieve anything from their basic needs to their wildest dreams and everything in between. We specialize in Court of Protection, Deputyships, Family Law, Residential Conveyancing, Commercial Property, Litigation & Disputes and Wills, Trusts & Probate Services.

EMG Solicitors Vision & Mission

EMG Solicitors Vision Statement

Supporting Clients. Protecting Assets. Changing Lives

EMG Solicitors Mission Statement

Providing the legal support our clients require to achieve anything from their basic needs to their wildest dreams and everything in between.

At EMG we believe in equality. Our passion is not only in providing exemplary legal services but also in making a meaningful contribution to our community and the charitable causes we support.

We pride ourselves on delivering excellence and we have a culture of honesty and transparency in how we work, both with each other and with our clients.

We are ambitious, we think big and are pro-active in how we support our clients and each other, but as importantly as all of this we value having fun and being happy.

EMG Solicitors Values

Cooperation – we pro-actively support our clients and each other
Excellence – we deliver excellence
Integrity – we are open and transparent
Courage – we are ambitious and think big
Kindness – we value people, communities, having fun and being happy

Overall Purpose of the Role

The purpose of the role is to proactively manage a caseload for Wills, Trusts & Probate matters. This is an opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated solicitor/legal executive with ambition to work in our private client department. This role will require undertaking fee earning work, working both independently and as a member of the team, maintaining existing relations with the firm’s clients and to assist and help develop new relationships with third party referrers.

Travel between the offices may be required on an ad hoc basis to service the needs of our clients .

Responsibilities and Duties

Key fee earner tasks (not an exhaustive list)

To undertake fee earning work, working both independently and as a member of the team and provide a profitable contribution to the work of the department.
To maintain existing relations with the firm’s clients and assist and help develop new relationships with third party referrers.
Conduct private client and related matters on behalf of clients.
Drafting of Wills, Trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney and dealing with Trust and Estate Administration.
Management of support services for which you are responsible, including supervision of support staff.
Willing to participate in the growth and future development on the department, assisting in the build-up of the client database and marketing the firm’s services.
Maintaining orderly and up-to-date files including electronically and complying with the firm’s policies on file management.
Completing time recording and other management records required by the firm.
Cross-referring work and clients within the firm.
Ensuring compliance is adhered to in all activities including Lexcel compliance.
Financial control of your own matters with particular regard to cash flow through collection of monies on account and billing procedures.
Recognising fee-earning opportunities and develop as appropriate.
Be accountable for their own development seeking out opportunities to learn new skills to continuously improve.
Work in a responsible and safe manner at all times adhering to Health & Safety, safe working practices and firm policies and procedures.
Such other reasonable duties as and when required by your Line Manager.

To reflect our values some of the behaviours you will need to demonstrate in this role are:

Our Value	Key behaviours for the role of Private Client Solicitor are:
Co-operation	You manage your time and plan ahead so as to service clients better You recognise new opportunities and share them with colleagues, so everyone gets the chance to succeed. You work in the spirit of collaboration
Courage	You show confidence in your own ability and position. You will fight the client’s cause You are prepared to challenge inappropriate behaviour
Excellence	You keep clients and colleagues up to date – both as to what can be done and by when. You understand we are one firm and seek to help colleagues across all departments. You seek advice from others to ensure what we deliver is technically and legallyexcellent
Integrity	You work with fairness, openness and honesty You demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the diversity of our clients and colleagues You are dependable and follow through on your commitments
Kindness	You try to ensure others get job satisfaction, not just you. You listen, encourage participation, and allow people the time to be heard. You tailor your responses to someone’s challenge

Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Area	D/E	E/E
Qualifications	A Private Client Solicitor with approximately 5 years’ experience	Fully qualified solicitor 5 years PQE
Experience		Experience and qualified solicitor.
Skills and Knowledge	Takes on personal responsibility to learn on the job and keep knowledge in all relevant areas up to date. Accuracy and excellent attention to detail. Strong interpersonal skills, training and strong communication skills. Communicates in a clear, confident and relaxed manner. Adapts style of communication appropriately when dealing with colleagues and clients. Works to understand the team’s key roles and the challenges they may face.	Able to work individually and as a team. Excellent time management and organizational skills. Ability to use own initiative, be proactive, work well under pressure and to tight deadlines. Able to independently judge potential situations, identify and take alternative courses of action without outing the client or business at risk. Excellent problem solving and research skills
Other Factors	Displays honesty and integrity. Proactive and self-motivated. Can do attitude. Flexible and adaptive in particular during busier periods. Desire for continuous personal and professional development

Benefits

In addition to your salary the added benefits for this position are:

Bonus scheme
Employer contribution to pension at 4%
25 days holiday entitlement per year with an additional 3 days non-contractual leave for Christmas
Free annual flu injection
Yodha – Health and Wellness Platform
Parent Promise – Maternity Wellbeing Platform
Employee Assist – access to personal, legal and financial issues, support and counselling and GP helpline.
£50 gift card on your birthday with along with a late start or early finish
£50 gift at Christmas
Beamish Museum Family Passes
5 extra days paid leave on your 5 year anniversary
Death in service benefit of 3 x salary