Head of Private Client

• £55,000+ with flexibility for an exceptional candidate and bonus potential
• Take ownership of an established department with a busy caseload from day one
• Genuine leadership opportunity, excellent work-life balance and longer-term Partnership potential

Are you an experienced Private Client lawyer ready to take ownership of a department and shape its future?

This established Malvern firm is looking for a Head of Private Client to lead a busy department with an existing caseload, established client relationships and experienced support already in place.

You’ll have the autonomy to run the department and manage a broad caseload spanning wills, probate, estate administration, LPAs and inheritance tax matters. Longer term, you’ll have the opportunity to grow the team, potentially recruit another fee earner and develop towards Partnership.

The culture is a major selling point. This is a genuinely work-to-live firm where late nights and weekend working aren’t the norm. The Partners don’t clock-watch and instead trust people to manage their own diaries, workload and client relationships.

Who we’re looking for

• Experienced Private Client lawyer, ideally around 6+ years’ PQE (E)
• Solicitors, CILEX Lawyers and other suitably qualified professionals considered (E)
• Broad Private Client caseload experience (E)
• Ability to work autonomously and lead a department (E)
• Strong client care and relationship-building skills (E)
• Commercially aware and comfortable taking accountability (E)
• Personable, collaborative and team-focused approach (E)
• Complex estate administration experience (D)
• Trusts and tax planning experience (D)
• STEP membership (D)

This could be particularly attractive to an Associate or Senior Associate who is ready for more autonomy and wants the opportunity to lead their own department.

What you’ll be doing

• Leading the Private Client department
• Inheriting and managing an established caseload
• Advising on wills and probate
• Handling estates and LPAs
• Advising on inheritance tax matters
• Handling trusts where experienced
• Managing more complex estates
• Supervising the existing support team
• Maintaining client and referrer relationships
• Improving processes where appropriate
• Growing and developing the department
• Potentially recruiting additional fee earners

Salary & Benefits

• £55,000+ depending on experience
• Flexibility for an exceptional candidate
• Performance-related bonus potential
• Financial support towards further qualifications
• STEP qualification support
• Study and development time
• Experienced Private Client paralegal support
• FILEx-qualified support
• Typing and administrative support
• Digital dictation support
• Excellent work-life balance
• Rare requirement to work late
• No expectation of weekend working
• High level of autonomy over your diary
• Supportive and accessible Partners
• Minimal bureaucracy
• Longer-term Partnership potential

The department has a strong existing workflow and is expected to generate around £13,000 per month as a minimum, with approximately £16,000 achievable when operating well. While commercial performance matters, the firm isn’t built around an aggressive target culture.
The bonus scheme also has meaningful upside for strong performance, with the firm having demonstrated a willingness to recognise people across the business when they make an exceptional contribution.
For a Private Client lawyer who wants the autonomy of leading their own department, work waiting from day one and a potential route towards Partnership without sacrificing their life outside work, this is a standout opportunity.

For a confidential conversation about this Head of Private Client opportunity in Malvern, contact Rachael Conley at Realm Recruit.
📩 Rachael.Conley@realmrecruit.com
📞 03300 245 606