As the end of 2026 approaches, it’s natural to start thinking about what the next year might bring. But before setting new career goals, it’s worth taking a moment to consider how far you’ve come – and whether your current role is helping you get to where you want to be.
For family solicitors, career progression isn’t always straightforward. You might be managing an increasingly demanding caseload, taking on more responsibility for clients or developing expertise in complex matters, without necessarily seeing those achievements reflected in your job title or salary.
And when you’re busy supporting clients through some of the most difficult periods of their lives, finding time to think about your own career can easily slip down the priority list.
Whether you’re newly qualified, a few years into your career or starting to think about senior associate opportunities, here are five questions worth asking yourself before 2027.
1. Am I developing the skills I’ll need for my next career step?
Experience alone doesn’t necessarily guarantee progression. What matters is whether you’re gaining the skills and exposure you’ll need to take on the next level of responsibility.
As a family solicitor, that might mean developing your advocacy skills, gaining experience in more complex financial remedy proceedings, handling high-net-worth divorce matters or building confidence in children law.
It could also involve developing your commercial awareness, mentoring junior colleagues or building stronger relationships with clients and referrers.
Think about where you’d like to be in two or three years. Are you getting the experience that will help you reach that point?
If not, consider whether there are opportunities within your current team to broaden your experience, access training or work more closely with senior colleagues.
2. Is my caseload helping me progress, or simply keeping me busy?
Family law can be emotionally demanding, and a busy caseload doesn’t always leave much room for professional development.
You might be handling a high volume of matters independently, meeting your billing targets and receiving positive feedback. But are you getting the opportunity to develop?
For example, if your long-term ambition is to specialise in complex financial matters, spending most of your time on relatively straightforward cases may not give you the exposure you need.
Equally, if you’re interested in leadership, you might benefit from opportunities to supervise junior colleagues or become involved in how the department operates.
Consider whether your current workload is helping you build towards something, rather than simply filling your working week.
3. Do I understand what progression looks like at my firm?
Do you know what you need to achieve to become a senior associate, legal director or partner?
Some firms have clearly defined progression frameworks. Others take a more individual approach, with promotion decisions influenced by factors such as technical ability, client relationships, billing performance and business development.
Neither approach is necessarily wrong, but you should understand what’s expected of you.
If you’ve been told that you’re progressing well, ask what that means in practical terms.
What additional responsibilities should you be taking on? Are there specific skills you need to develop? Is there a realistic timeframe for your next step?
Having these conversations now can help you enter next year with clearer expectations and a more focused development plan.
4. Am I being recognised and rewarded for the value I bring?
Salary is an important part of feeling valued, but it isn’t the only consideration.
Family solicitors often place significant importance on flexibility, manageable workloads, supportive leadership and the ability to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal commitments.
Think about how your responsibilities have changed over the past year.
Are you managing more complex matters? Generating work through referrals? Supporting junior colleagues? Taking on responsibilities that previously sat with someone more senior?
If your contribution has grown, it’s reasonable to consider whether your salary, benefits and opportunities have developed alongside it.
And if you’re happy with your salary but struggling with workload or flexibility, that’s worth addressing too.
Feeling properly rewarded means looking at your whole working experience, not just your payslip.
5. What would I like to be different this time next year?
Imagine it’s 12 months from now.
What would make you look back and feel that you’ve had a successful year?
Perhaps you’d like to have secured a promotion, developed a particular specialism or gained more confidence handling complex matters independently.
Maybe you’d like to be working more flexibly, spending less time on administrative tasks or feeling more supported by your team.
Your goals don’t need to involve a dramatic career change.
Sometimes, a conversation with your manager, a revised development plan or a different balance of work can make a meaningful difference.
The important thing is identifying what you want and taking practical steps towards it.
Make time for your own career
Family solicitors spend so much time helping other people navigate important life decisions that it’s easy to overlook their own professional ambitions.
Before the new year arrives, give yourself the opportunity to reflect on what’s working, what could be better and what you’d like to achieve next.
You may discover that your current firm offers everything you need. Or you might realise there are questions worth exploring before deciding on your longer-term plans.
At Realm, our specialist family law recruiters understand the opportunities, challenges and career pathways available to family solicitors across their respective regional markets.
Whether you’d like to benchmark your salary, understand your progression options or simply talk through your ambitions for 2027, we’re here to help.
You don’t need an updated CV or a decision to move. Sometimes, a confidential conversation is simply a useful way to get some clarity.
