Family Associate Solicitor

• Progress towards leading the Manchester Family team, becoming a key figure in its continued growth
• Work closely with the Head of Family, combining high-quality private family work with mentoring and leadership responsibilities
• Genuine flexibility around your working day, fair billing expectations and the opportunity to develop your own specialism

Looking for a Family role where you can do more than simply manage your own caseload?

This Manchester opportunity offers the chance to become a key part of a growing family team, with a genuine pathway towards taking on leadership responsibility. You’ll work closely with the Head of Family, helping manage an established workload, supporting junior colleagues and gradually becoming a senior presence within the office.

The wider firm is growing quickly, with around 240 employees and a Manchester office that’s moving into premises approximately twice the size of its current space. Rather than joining a fixed structure, you’ll have the opportunity to help shape the team as it develops, with the potential to progress into leading the Manchester family offering.

You’ll handle a mixed caseload of private family matters, particularly financial remedy and private children work, while benefiting from a culture that values doing things properly, supporting colleagues and delivering excellent client care. There’s also scope to develop your own niche within family law if you have a particular area of interest.

The approach to flexibility is refreshingly straightforward. You’ll be trusted to manage your working day around your commitments and clients, while billing expectations will reflect any additional mentoring or management responsibilities you take on.

Who we’re looking for

• Experienced Family Solicitor operating at Associate level, or ready to step into an Associate or Senior Associate position (E)
• Strong experience managing a mixed family caseload, including financial remedy and private children matters (E)
• Ability to manage cases independently without substantial day-to-day supervision (E)
• Strong technical knowledge of family law (E)
• Excellent client care and communication skills (E)
• Confidence supporting and guiding more junior colleagues (E)
• Collaborative approach and willingness to contribute to the wider team’s success (E)
• Proactive, hard-working and comfortable taking responsibility (E)
• Ambition to develop professionally and play a part in a growing department (E)
• Commitment to delivering high-quality work and maintaining strong client relationships (E)
• Previous supervision or mentoring experience (D)
• Team management or leadership experience (D)
• Business development or networking experience (D)
• Interest in progressing towards a Manchester team leadership role (D)
• An existing family law specialism, or ambition to develop one (D)

What you’ll be doing

• Managing your own mixed caseload of private family matters
• Advising on financial remedy and private children cases
• Working closely with the Head of Family to support the Manchester team’s workload
• Providing guidance and mentoring to junior colleagues
• Helping ensure work is distributed fairly and the team has the support it needs
• Building strong relationships with clients and maintaining high standards of client care
• Taking on increasing responsibility for the day-to-day running of the Manchester team
• Supporting the continued growth and development of the family offering
• Potentially contributing to business development and networking activities
• Developing your own specialist area of family law if desired
• Working towards a more senior leadership position as the team expands

Salary & Benefits

• £55,000–£65,000 salary
• Bonus scheme, with arrangements reflecting individual responsibilities
• Flexible working with an expectation of around 3–4 office days per week
• Freedom to adjust your working day around personal commitments and client needs
• No immediate billing target during your first few months
• Billing expectations adjusted to account for mentoring and management responsibilities
• Approximately 26–28 days’ annual leave, depending on level (to be confirmed)
• Healthcare cash plan
• 3% employer pension contribution
• Clear career progression framework
• Opportunity to progress towards leading the Manchester Family team
• Direct mentoring and development from an experienced Head of Family
• Support to develop your own family law specialism

Contact Mel Samson
📩 mel.samson@realmrecruit.com
📞 03300 245 606
Mel specialises in family law recruitment across the North West and can give you a clear picture of the team, the potential leadership pathway and how this opportunity compares with other senior Family roles in Manchester.

You don’t need an up-to-date CV to start a conversation. If you’re curious about taking on greater responsibility while maintaining flexibility and enjoying high-quality family work, Mel would be happy to talk things through confidentially.

While this advert sets out the criteria applicable to each salary band, the salary guidance given is purely indicative. The precise salary offered within that band will ultimately be determined by the hirer, taking into account the individual candidate’s experience, qualifications and overall suitability for the role.