As 2026 draws towards its close, it’s a good opportunity to reflect on how your career has developed over the past year.
For private client and Court of Protection lawyers, professional development can take many different forms. You might be handling increasingly complex estates, developing your expertise in trusts and tax planning, building relationships with high-net-worth clients or taking on greater responsibility for vulnerable clients and their families.
But when you’re focused on managing your caseload and providing a consistently high standard of service, it isn’t always easy to assess whether your own career is progressing at the pace you’d like.
Whether you’re an NQ solicitor, an experienced fee earner or beginning to consider a more senior position, here are five questions worth asking before the end of the year.
1. Am I developing the skills I’ll need for my next career step?
The experience you gain today will influence the opportunities available to you in the future.
For private client lawyers, this might mean gaining greater exposure to complex estate administration, inheritance tax planning, trusts, succession planning or high-net-worth clients.
For those working in Court of Protection, development could involve managing more complex property and affairs matters, developing expertise in health and welfare work or taking on greater responsibility for client relationships and decision-making.
Professional qualifications and specialist training can also play an important role.
For example, if you’re interested in completing a STEP qualification or pursuing further Court of Protection expertise, does your current firm support that ambition?
Consider whether your day-to-day responsibilities are building the experience and confidence you’ll need for your next step.
2. Is my caseload helping me progress, or simply keeping me busy?
A full caseload can be a sign that you’re trusted and valued within your team.
But there’s a difference between being busy and developing professionally.
If you’re a private client solicitor, are you getting the opportunity to work on more technically challenging matters, or are you predominantly handling the same types of wills and estates?
If you specialise in Court of Protection, are you developing greater autonomy, taking on more complex cases or gaining experience beyond routine financial administration?
It’s also worth considering the support available to you.
Spending significant amounts of time on administrative tasks, particularly where suitable support could be provided, may limit your capacity to develop specialist expertise or take on more complex work.
Think about whether your caseload reflects your experience and ambitions, rather than simply the volume of work your team needs to complete.
3. Do I understand what progression looks like at my firm?
Career progression in private client and Court of Protection teams doesn’t always follow the same pathway.
Some lawyers aspire to become partners or department heads. Others want to develop a recognised technical specialism, become trusted senior fee earners or take on supervisory responsibilities without moving into a traditional leadership role.
There’s no single definition of success.
What matters is understanding which opportunities are available to you.
Does your firm have a clear route to senior associate or partner? Could you become a technical specialist? Are there opportunities to supervise junior colleagues or develop a particular area of practice?
If your aspirations are clear but your firm’s expectations aren’t, now is a good time to ask for more detail.
A meaningful progression conversation should leave you understanding what you need to demonstrate, what support you’ll receive and what the next step could realistically look like.
4. Am I being recognised and rewarded for the value I bring?
As your experience grows, so does the value you bring to your firm.
You may be managing more complex matters independently, maintaining important client and referrer relationships, supervising colleagues or contributing to the development of your department.
In Court of Protection, the level of responsibility involved in supporting vulnerable clients and managing their affairs can be particularly significant.
But recognition isn’t solely about salary.
It might include support for professional qualifications, greater autonomy, a manageable caseload, administrative support or the flexibility to balance your professional and personal commitments.
Ask yourself whether your overall package reflects the work you’re doing and the responsibilities you’re carrying.
If you’re unsure how your salary or benefits compare with similar roles in your region, specialist market insight can help you assess your position more confidently.
5. What would I like to be different this time next year?
Think about what a successful year would look like for you.
Would you like to have completed a professional qualification, taken on more complex matters or developed a stronger specialism?
Perhaps you’re ready to supervise others, take on a more senior title or move towards a leadership position.
Alternatively, your priorities might be more personal: greater flexibility, a more manageable caseload or a working environment where you feel better supported.
Whatever your goals, consider what needs to happen over the next 12 months to make them achievable.
Could your current firm provide the training, experience or opportunities you’re looking for? And if so, have you made those ambitions clear?
A clearer picture of your career next year
You don’t need to have every aspect of your career mapped out.
But taking time to assess your development, workload, progression and overall satisfaction can help you make more informed decisions about what comes next.
You might decide that your current role is exactly where you want to be. You might identify opportunities for development that you haven’t yet discussed with your manager.
Or you may simply want a better understanding of how your experience and remuneration compare with the wider market.
At Realm, our incomparably specialist private client and Court of Protection recruiters work closely with lawyers and law firms across their regional markets. We can help you understand your market value, explore different career pathways and identify the questions worth asking as you plan for 2027.
There’s no need to be actively looking for a new role. A confidential conversation can be just as valuable when you’re happy where you are.
