Most private client lawyers don’t question the work they’re doing, especially when it’s labelled “HNW”.
Yet many solicitors in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands reach a point where they wonder whether their experience is really stretching them or simply keeping them busy.
That distinction matters more than it first appears.
Wealthy clients do not always equal HNW private client work
One of the biggest misconceptions in private client careers is that the value of the client automatically defines the quality of the work.
In reality, there’s a difference between acting for wealthy individuals, and doing genuinely high-net-worth, advisory-led private client work
Many lawyers regularly deal with large estates, valuable property portfolios and clients with significant assets, but if the work itself is largely process-driven probate, execution of instructions already shaped elsewhere or limited exposure to tax planning, trusts, or strategic advice, then your development may be more constrained than the headline numbers suggest.
That doesn’t make the work unimportant, but it does change what it’s preparing you for next.
What advisory-led HNW work actually looks like
Advisory-led private client work tends to share a few characteristics, regardless of firm size or brand:
- Early involvement in structuring advice, not just implementation
- Regular exposure to IHT mitigation, trusts, and succession planning
- Working with business-owning families, not just individuals
- Being trusted to exercise judgement, not simply follow precedent
- Increasing responsibility for client relationships, not just files
This kind of work is often less visible on paper, but far more influential when it comes to progression, marketability and long-term earning potential
It’s also the type of experience firms look for when they’re thinking about future leaders, not just safe pairs of hands.
Why this matters for progression, not prestige
For many private client solicitors, HNW exposure is framed as a prestige marker. In practice, its real value lies in what it unlocks later.
At around 5–7 PQE, a pattern often emerges in the Birmingham market:
- some lawyers begin to move into more complex, advisory roles
- others continue to handle good-quality work, but of a similar shape and depth
On the surface, both can look like “solid HNW experience”, but over time, the gap widens.
Those with advisory exposure tend to progress more quickly, attract higher-value work and be viewed as future partners or specialists, whereas those without it can find themselves well-regarded, but slightly boxed in, trusted internally, but less mobile externally, unclear on what the next step actually looks like
None of this happens suddenly. It’s gradual, and that’s why it’s easy to miss.
Signs your work is developing you
Your current role is more likely to be stretching you if:
- you’re involved in shaping advice, not just delivering it
- you understand why certain structures are used, not just how
- partners trust you with nuance and judgement
- your exposure is increasing year on year, not staying static
Even if the caseload isn’t glamorous, the direction of travel matters.
Signs your work may be quietly capping you
Equally, it may be worth pausing if:
- the complexity of your work hasn’t materially changed in a few years
- “HNW” means higher values, but similar processes
- strategic elements are consistently retained above your level
- progression conversations feel vague or circular
This doesn’t mean you’re in the wrong role, but it does mean you should be clear-eyed about what it’s really giving you.
In the Midlands, some firms offer genuinely sophisticated, advisory-led work while others handle excellent volumes of private client matters, but with a more execution-focused model.
Both can be good places to work; the risk comes from assuming they offer the same long-term development.
Being intentional about where your experience is taking you is particularly important in a market where:
- job titles are similar
- firms use similar language
- progression structures aren’t always transparent
Most private client lawyers don’t need dramatic career moves, what they benefit from is clarity.
If you’re unsure how your experience stacks up in the current Birmingham market – particularly in terms of HNW exposure and long-term progression – a confidential benchmarking conversation can help.
Sometimes that insight alone is enough to put you back in control of the next few years of your career.
If you’d find a conversation helpful, don’t hesitate to give us a call or drop our private client specialist Rachael Conley a message at rachael.conley@realmrecruit.com.
