Senior Family Solicitor

Location: South West London
Salary: c.£75,000 to £95,000, depending on experience/following
Working Pattern: Permanent, full-time, office-based/hybrid
Experience: Ideally 5+ years’ PQE
Sector: UK Legal Practice

 

The Opportunity

An established South West London law firm is seeking an experienced Senior Family Solicitor to join its growing Private Family Law department.

The firm has a strong presence across London and has developed an excellent reputation for technical expertise, practical advice and attentive client care.

This opportunity would suit a Family Solicitor who enjoys high-quality work, values trusted client relationships and wants to take ownership of a varied caseload within a supportive and approachable team.

You will manage matters from initial instruction through to conclusion, handling a combination of advisory and contentious Private Family Law work. You will have considerable autonomy while retaining access to experienced Partner support where required.

The firm is also interested in someone who can contribute to the department’s continued growth through client relationships, professional networking and referral development.

 

The Role

You will manage a varied Private Family Law caseload covering matters such as:

• Divorce and separation
• Financial remedy proceedings
• Complex financial disputes
• Private Children Act matters
• Child arrangements and contact disputes
• Cohabitation and separation agreements
• Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements
• Domestic abuse matters
• Non-molestation and occupation orders
• Overseas and expatriate divorce
• International child-arrangement matters
• Negotiated settlements and consent orders

The caseload offers a strong balance of technical challenge, strategic advice, negotiation and direct client contact.

 

Key Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing Private Family Law matters from initial instruction through to conclusion
• Advising clients on divorce, separation and financial arrangements
• Handling financial remedy proceedings and negotiated settlements
• Advising on private children matters and child-arrangement disputes
• Drafting cohabitation, separation, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements
• Supporting clients through domestic abuse matters and protective injunction applications
• Advising on overseas or expatriate Family Law matters where appropriate
• Preparing court applications, witness statements, consent orders and supporting documentation
• Conducting negotiations and liaising effectively with Counsel, experts and other professionals
• Maintaining accurate files and meeting court, regulatory and internal deadlines
• Providing clear, practical and sensitive advice during emotionally challenging circumstances
• Monitoring the progress and financial performance of your caseload
• Maintaining strong relationships with clients and professional contacts
• Identifying opportunities for referrals and additional services
• Contributing to the continued growth and reputation of the Family department
• Supporting or mentoring junior colleagues where appropriate

 

About You

To be considered, you should ideally have:

• Qualification as a Solicitor in England and Wales
• Approximately five years’ PQE or more in Family Law
• Recent Private Family Law experience gained within a UK Legal Practice
• The ability to manage a busy caseload independently and without day-to-day supervision
• Strong experience across divorce and separation
• Experience handling financial remedy matters
• Experience advising on private children matters
• Knowledge of domestic abuse and protective-injunction work
• Strong drafting, negotiation and client-management skills
• The ability to handle sensitive and complex instructions
• Excellent organisation and attention to detail
• The ability to manage competing priorities and court deadlines
• A practical, commercially aware and client-focused approach
• A record of progressing matters efficiently and maintaining billing performance
• An interest in business development and professional referral relationships
• The ambition to progress within a growing London firm
• The ability to work from the South West London office on a Hybrid basis

Experience of overseas divorce, international child arrangements, cross-border assets or other international Family Law matters would be particularly advantageous.

Applications may also be considered from candidates outside the stated PQE range who can demonstrate the required technical expertise, autonomy and commercial contribution.

 

Business Development and Commercial Contribution

The firm benefits from an established flow of Private Family Law work, but the successful candidate will also be encouraged to contribute to the department’s continued growth.

This may include:

• Building and maintaining relationships with professional referrers
• Developing relationships with existing and prospective clients
• Participating in networking and profile-raising activity
• Producing articles, presentations or Family Law content
• Identifying opportunities for internal and external referrals
• Supporting the development of junior colleagues
• Monitoring billing, work in progress and caseload performance
• Contributing ideas for the continued development of the department

An existing professional network or demonstrable history of generating Family Law instructions would be advantageous but is not essential.

 

Salary and Benefits

The firm is offering:

• A market-benchmarked salary of £75,000 to £95,000, depending on experience
• An established pipeline of Private Family Law work
• A varied caseload combining advisory and contentious matters
• Genuine autonomy over files and client relationships
• Support from experienced Partners and colleagues
• A friendly and collaborative working environment
• Clear opportunities for senior progression
• Potential longer-term development towards leadership or partnership
• Opportunities to build an individual professional profile
• The ability to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the department

Candidates with substantial financial-remedy experience, international Family Law exposure, a strong billing history, team-management capability or an established referral network are likely to be considered towards the upper end of the salary range.

The precise package and benefits should be confirmed directly during the recruitment process.

 

Working Arrangements

This is an hybrid/office-based position in South West London.

The firm is seeking someone who values close collaboration with colleagues, face-to-face client relationships and an active role in the development of the Family department.

Candidates should therefore be comfortable attending the office on a full-time basis.

 

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This position would suit an experienced Family Solicitor seeking:

• Greater ownership of a Private Family Law caseload
• High-quality advisory and contentious work
• Access to established instructions alongside business-development opportunities
• A collaborative environment with accessible Partner support
• Recognition for individual contribution and financial performance
• Progression towards a more senior or leadership-level role
• The opportunity to build a long-term career within a growing London firm

 

Equal Opportunities

Applications are welcomed from Family Law Solicitors of all backgrounds. Every application will be considered according to the skills, experience and suitability demonstrated for the position.

 

Apply in Confidence

To discuss this opportunity confidentially, please contact:

David Hawthorne-Finch
Managing Director
Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions
Email: d.hawthorne-finch@h-fts.com

Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions is acting as an employment agency in relation to this vacancy.

All applications and enquiries will be treated confidentially. No CV or identifying information will be shared with the hiring firm without informed written consent for this specific opportunity.