Banking Solicitor / Associate (2–6 PQE)

Salary: £90,000–£125,000 + bonus

Location: London

Hybrid working + top-tier deal exposure

Why this role?

If you’re a 2–6 PQE Banking & Finance Solicitor who wants broader deal exposure, earlier responsibility and the chance to build a genuinely commercial practice, this is a strong move.

Our client is a well-established UK law firm with a busy Banking & Finance team in London. You’ll work on high-quality transactions across corporate lending, acquisition finance and real estate finance, supported by experienced partners, strong knowledge resources and a structured development pathway.

The role

Broad banking work with real responsibility

You’ll advise lenders, sponsors and borrowers on a wide range of matters including:

• General corporate lending
• Acquisition finance
• Real estate finance (investment, development and portfolio work)
• Asset-based lending (ABL)
• Project finance

What you’ll be doing day-to-day

From the outset, you can expect hands-on involvement in:

• Drafting and negotiating facility agreements and ancillary documents
• Working with LMA documentation and broader credit agreements
• Managing transaction timetables, conditions precedent and deal deliverables
• Supporting partners on complex matters and taking ownership of discrete workstreams
• Building strong client relationships and contributing to a client-first service

The team

A national platform with strong London presence

The wider Banking & Finance group is a sizeable national team, with a strong London hub. The practice acts for a varied client base including:

• Major UK clearing banks
• Specialist lenders (including fund-based and asset-based lenders)
• Private equity houses, management teams and debt funds
• Borrowers across the UK, Europe and the US

You’ll also benefit from a firm-wide investment in technology and knowledge support, including:

• Automated drafting tools for leveraged and real estate finance transactions
• Access to senior PSL support
• A structured training programme covering technical and commercial skills

What they’re looking for

Essential

• Qualified Solicitor (England & Wales)
• 2–6 years’ PQE (or equivalent experience)
• Experience in a Banking & Finance team (or a strong banking seat during training with relevant post-qualification exposure)
• Drafting and negotiation experience including facility agreements and LMA documentation
• Strong commercial judgement and confidence dealing with clients and colleagues
• Ability to manage competing deadlines and stay calm under pressure

Desirable

• Exposure to one or more of: acquisition finance, real estate finance, ABL, leveraged finance
• Experience running smaller transactions (or key workstreams) with appropriate supervision

Working arrangement & location

• London based role
• Hybrid working supported (specific split to be confirmed depending on team requirements)

Salary & benefits

Salary guidance

• £90,000–£125,000 (dependent on PQE, deal exposure and overall technical strength)

Benefits (indicative)

• Annual bonus (firm and/or individual performance dependent)
• Hybrid working and flexibility where possible
• Private medical insurance
• Enhanced pension
• Life assurance
• 25+ days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (often with the option to buy/sell)
• Structured training and mentoring (technical and soft skills)
• Clear progression opportunities within a high-performing national team
• Strong knowledge support and tools to help you work efficiently and develop faster

Interested? Let’s talk.

If you’re a 2–6 PQE Banking Solicitor and you’d like to explore this in confidence, please get in touch.

David Hawthorne-Finch Managing Director, Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions Ltd (H-FTS)

Email: d.hawthorne-finch@h-fts.com

The Opportunity

Key Responsibilities

• Managing a caseload of leasehold enfranchisement matters from instruction through to completion
• Advising on collective enfranchisement, lease extensions, and freehold acquisitions/disposals
• Drafting and negotiating key documentation including notices, deeds, contracts and settlement agreements
• Liaising with surveyors, managing agents, lenders, counsel and opposing solicitors
• Supporting business development through excellent service and repeat-client work (where appropriate)

What We’re Looking For

• Qualified Solicitor in England & Wales
• 5+ years’ PQE with strong, demonstrable enfranchisement experience
• Ideally 5+ years’ experience specifically in collective enfranchisement
• Confident running files with minimal supervision, including:
  • Leasehold Reform Act matters (as applicable to enfranchisement/lease extensions)
  • Notices and statutory timetables
  • Negotiation and settlement strategy
• Strong technical drafting and advisory skills
• Professional, client-focused communication and a collaborative approach

Location

• North West London office-based role

Salary & Benefits

• £75k+ (going rate paid for the right person)
• Bonus potential (role/firm dependent)
• 25+ days annual leave (plus bank holidays)
• Pension contribution
• Professional development support (CPD and ongoing training)
• Clear progression pathway, with genuine Head of Department succession potential over the next 2–3 years

For more info on this role and opportunity contact:

David Hawthorne-Finch

d.hawthorne-finch@h-fts.com 

0333 996 2882

Private Client Senior Associate / Partner (5+ PQE)

Location: London

Salary: £80,000–£160,000 (DOE / Folllowing) + Bonus Potential + Clear Route to Partnership

The Opportunity

Key Responsibilities

• Managing a broad range of Private Client matters including:
  • Wills and estate planning
  • Probate and estate administration
  • Trusts (creation, administration, and advice)
  • Inheritance Tax planning and related advisory work
  • Lasting Powers of Attorney
• Building and developing client relationships and referral networks
• Supporting and mentoring junior lawyers (where applicable)
• Contributing to business development and the growth of the Private Client practice
  (Note: this role is not heavily focused on Court of Protection work.)

Requirements (What Our Client Needs)

• 5+ years’ PQE in UK Private Client work (Senior Associate / Partner level considered)
• Strong technical capability across core Private Client matters (as above)
• A demonstrable following and/or portable practice (this can be a developing client base, referral network, or consistent originations — it does not need to be a “book” in the traditional sense, but it must be tangible)
• Excellent client handling skills and a relationship-led approach
• Confidence operating with autonomy and senior stakeholder exposure

Salary, Benefits & Working Arrangements

• Salary range: £80,000–£160,000 (dependent on level, following, and overall profile)
• Bonus / additional earnings: available and discussed on a case-by-case basis
• Working arrangement: London-based role with flexibility (hybrid working available, subject to the needs of the practice and client commitments)
• Benefits package: expected to include a strong mix of:
  • Generous annual leave entitlement
  • Pension contribution
  • Private medical cover (or equivalent)
  • Professional fees / practising certificate support
  • Structured progression (including a clear pathway to Partnership for the right individual)
  • Additional benefits to be confirmed at shortlist stage

Career Progression

• Senior Associates seeking a defined route to Partnership, with support to grow their practice
• Existing Partners looking for a stronger platform, better support, or a fresh London opportunity

Apply / Enquire (Confidential Conversation)

Property Paralegal / Junior Solicitor (Commercial & Residential) 

Salary: £30,000–£35,000 DOE

Location: East London (Office-Based)

Clear route to Fee Earner

The Role (Commercial & Residential Property)

• Commercial property transactions
• Residential new build plot sales (primarily acting for developers)

Key Responsibilities

• Drafting commercial property documents, such as:
  • Leases
  • Licences to assign
  • Deposit deeds
  • Licences to alter
• Drafting standard commercial and residential property contracts
• Assisting with ancillary commercial documents including:
  • Option agreements
  • Conditional purchase agreements
  • Deeds of grant
• Supporting residential new build plot sales: preparing draft contracts/leases, issuing legal packs, liaising with estate agents
• Reviewing pre-contract enquiries as first point of review before escalation
• Assisting with auction purchases and sales
• Supporting portfolio refinancing transactions, with scope to manage your own refinancing files as you develop
• Preparing corporate documents linked to refinancing, including:
  • Board minutes
  • Resolutions
  • Director certificates

Requirements (Experience & Skills)

• Previous experience in commercial and/or residential property (paralegal experience essential; junior solicitors considered depending on background)
• A strong academic foundation and solid legal research capability
• Familiarity with Practical Law (PLC) precedents (highly desirable)
• Strong IT skills and confidence using case management systems
• Ability to open, manage, and maintain files with good attention to detail

Working Arrangements & Benefits

• Salary: £30,000–£35,000 depending on experience
• Office-based role in East London (in-person supervision and training is a key part of the opportunity)
• Training and mentoring from experienced fee earners
• Progression pathway towards becoming an independent fee earner
• Potential for hybrid/remote consideration in future, subject to experience, performance, and team needs

Apply / Enquire (Confidential)

Head of Family Law

Location: Sale, Greater Manchester (with some travel to other local offices)

Salary: £80,000 to £110,000 (depending on experience)

Experience: Senior Family Solicitor (significant PQE) with leadership experience

Our client, a well-established full-service law firm, is looking to appoint a Head of Family to lead, grow and strategically develop its Family Department.

This is a senior leadership role with the opportunity to shape the direction of a high-performing team. The role will require presence across multiple offices in Greater Manchester and Cheshire, with agile working available.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Providing leadership and technical oversight across the full range of family matters, including divorce, financial remedy, private children work, domestic abuse and complex high-net-worth cases

• Managing a complex caseload while setting the standard for client care, communication and quality of advice

• Leading, inspiring and developing the team, creating a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement

• Setting and delivering the department strategy, including growth, profitability and market presence

• Driving performance and matter management across the team, including financial performance against the department plan

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, referrers and external partners

• Leading business development and profile-raising activity, including networking and events

• Keeping up to date with legal, regulatory and market developments and using insights to improve service delivery and risk management

• Improving processes, workflows and internal resources (including precedents, templates and case management tools)

What We’re Looking For

• Qualified Solicitor (England & Wales) with extensive experience in Family law

• Proven leadership experience, with a track record of managing and developing high-performing teams

• Strong client-care skills and the ability to support clients through emotionally challenging situations with empathy and professionalism

• Commercial awareness and the ability to shape and deliver a strategy for department growth

• Confident communicator with strong drafting skills and presence with clients, colleagues and external stakeholders

What’s On Offer

• 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays

• Birthday holiday (paid day off)

• Additional annual leave for service milestones (3, 5 and 10 years)

• Competitive pension scheme

• Income protection

• Life assurance

• Cycle to work scheme

• Healthcare cash plan

• Private medical insurance

• Hybrid working

• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme

• Flexible benefits portal (including options to buy and sell annual leave and access to additional benefits)

Location & Working Arrangements

• Sale, Greater Manchester with some travel to other local offices. 

• Hybrid working available

• Full-time preferred

Next Steps

Apply online or send your CV to  lee.hawthorne-finch@h-fts.com  or call 0333 996 2882 for more information.

All applications will be handled in strict confidence.

Private Client Solicitor

Location: Sale, Greater Manchester

Salary: £38,000 to £50,000 (depending on experience)

Experience: NQ to 2 years’ PQE (Private Client)

Our client, a well-established, people-centred law firm in the North West, is looking to appoint a Private Client Solicitor (NQ to 2 PQE) into its growing team in Sale.

This is an excellent opportunity for a newly qualified or early-career solicitor who wants a broad private client caseload, strong technical development, and the support of a collaborative team that values high-quality client care.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Managing a varied private client caseload, including Wills, Probate, Lasting Powers of Attorney, and estate administration

• Drafting and reviewing key documents (including wills, LPAs and related private client documentation)

• Advising clients with empathy and clarity, maintaining high standards of service throughout

• Supporting on probate and estate administration matters from start to finish

• Advising on tax planning and inheritance tax considerations where appropriate

• Building and maintaining long-term client relationships

• Keeping up to date with changes in private client law and best practice

• Supporting business development and networking activity as you grow in the role

What We’re Looking For

• Qualified Solicitor (England & Wales), NQ to 2 years’ PQE

• Experience gained within a Private Client team (including during training)

• Strong drafting skills and excellent attention to detail

• Confident communicator with a professional, client-focused approach

• Well organised, able to plan and prioritise a busy caseload

• STEP or SFE accreditation is desirable (but not essential)

What’s On Offer

• Hybrid working with flexibility

• Annual bonus scheme (role and performance dependent)

• Supportive, collaborative team environment with strong leadership

• Excellent exposure to a broad private client caseload

• Clear development and progression opportunities within a high-performing department

• Comprehensive benefits package (details available on request)

Location & Working Arrangements

• Sale, Greater Manchester

• Hybrid working available

• Full-time preferred

Next Steps

Apply online or send your CV to  lee.hawthorne-finch@h-fts.com  or call 0333 996 2882 for more information.

All applications will be handled in strict confidence.

Private Client Lawyer (3+ PQE)

Location: Huddersfield (with travel to Halifax & Brighouse)

Salary: Up to £45,000 DOE | Career Progression & Comprehensive Benefits

Advance Your Private Client Career with a Prestigious West Yorkshire Firm

Are you ready to join a respected legal practice with over 130 years of heritage and a genuine commitment to professional growth? This is your opportunity to manage a varied private client caseload, develop your expertise, and work closely with a highly experienced team in a firm that values meaningful client relationships and career progression.

About the Role

Our client is seeking an accomplished Private Client Lawyer to join their Huddersfield office. You will handle a broad range of wills, probate, trusts, and estate matters, working both independently and as part of a supportive team.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a diverse caseload of wills, powers of attorney, trusts, and probate matters from instruction to completion

• Draft wills and prepare lasting powers of attorney

• Oversee estate administration with meticulous attention to detail

• Conduct home visits and build strong client relationships

• Collaborate with colleagues to deliver exceptional client care

What We’re Looking For

• Qualified Solicitor (England & Wales) with 3+ years’ PQE in wills & probate

• STEP qualification or working towards (preferred)

• Member of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers (preferred)

• Strong client care skills and willingness to conduct home visits

• Demonstrable enthusiasm for private client work

• Ability to handle complex matters and grow responsibility

Benefits & Working Environment

• Competitive salary up to £45,000 DOE

• Holiday entitlement above statutory minimum (increases with service)

• Comprehensive ongoing training and qualification support

• Regular social events across all offices

• Career progression opportunities in a nurturing environment

• Supportive, knowledgeable team and professional network

Career Progression

Benefit from structured development and regular feedback, with the potential to progress into senior roles as you grow your expertise.

Location & Working Arrangements

Based in Huddersfield, with travel to Halifax and Brighouse as required. Hybrid working and flexible arrangements may be available to support work-life balance.

How to Apply

Ready to take the next step in your private client career? Contact Lee in confidence at lee.hawthorne-finch@h-fts.com or 0333 996 2882 for more information or to apply.

All applications are handled with strict confidentiality by Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions. Our client’s details remain confidential until interview stage.