We are recruiting – Child Law Specialist Solicitor – Devon and Somerset

We are seeking a Child Law Specialist solicitor NQ+ or very experienced or both to join our child law team.

The successful candidate will either a be a member of the Law Society children panel or they will have ambitions to join. (and we will support them to do this)

We already have one of the strongest child law teams in the south-west. This includes three current members of the Law Society child law panel and two former members. We regularly represent parents, children, grandparents and undertake local authority agency work.

Why join us?

Our progressive niche practice is owned and run by Ian Walker who is one of our children panel members – so you won’t have to worry about our commitment to children law! (In the last 10 years quite a number of firms – some of whom have had large and reputable child law teams – have surrendered their legal aid contracts).(We are also a real living wage employer).

We are a dynamic and growing practice. Ian is the Chair of the Devon Region of Resolution and has been Highly Commended in the practice manager of the year category in the 2019 Law Society Excellence Awards.

There is an opportunity to work with and learn from our existing team. This includes Kim Stradling who is one of the leading child law solicitors in the south-west.

Our IT structure is cloud-based and easily supports flexible working and homeworking and paperless working. Flexible/smart working is positively encouraged.

We hold Lexcel accreditation. We have the practice support you would expect including LEXIS PSL and software to create our own electronic bundles.

Salary will be based on experience, but will be competitive.

We are also happy to consider both fee share consultancy.

As the legal market develops it is becoming increasingly obvious that niche practice’s such as ourselves enjoy a competitive advantage over traditional high Street practices.

We attract quality work from across our office network which is in Exeter, Taunton, Torquay, Honiton, Yeovil and Weston-super-Mare.
This is a fantastic opportunity with long-term prospects.

If you don’t already work in Devon and Somerset, you are really missing out, and this is a fantastic opportunity to improve your quality of life.

Person specification

The successful candidate:

• will have a passion for children law
• will have good/good IT skills
• will have willingness to undertake advocacy
• will be a team player with a sense of humour
• will have a good knowledge of legal aid and good time recording discipline
• they will either be a member of the Law Society children panel or ambitions to gain membership as soon as possible
• Be a car owner/driver

A bit more about the job

You will be based on the East Devon side of Exeter.

Although we have multiple locations to see clients, we are all based at the same office – which is the central location in our office network.

This means they need to come into the office at least once a week so that they are fully part of the team (no competing and divisive branch cultures for us). However, there is very ample scope for flexible/smart working.

You will probably be primarily responsible for our Somerset care work.

Our practice is very much built around its team.

To find out more about our practice visit our website at http://ian-walker-family-law.local/
Please send your CV and covering letter in confidence to Ian Walker at [email protected]