We Are Recruiting – Quality Compliance and Risk Manager

A new opportunity within our team

November and December are important times in our business cycle. Our financial year ends on the 30 November. Our annual Lexcel appraisal/review is at the beginning of December each year.

The idea being that these important events in our business cycle are completed before Christmas – allowing us all to have a relaxing holiday – ready to start the calendar year reinvigorated – and concentrating on implementing our plans. So far this has worked very well.

2020 has been a significant year for our practice

2020 has been a significant year for our practice. Notwithstanding the disruption and uncertainty in the wider world – we have successfully relocated our head office and expanded our team. The turnover of our business will be more than double what it was two years ago.

At the time of the March 2020 lockdown – we were already committed to our office move to our fantastic modern offices at Vantage Point, Pynes Hill, Exeter. We were able to complete the move with additional team members at the end of June 2020. By the time of the move the few members of our support team who had been furloughed during the worst of the lockdown had all returned (apart from a couple of team members who decided not to move with us for personal reasons).

We have continued to be extremely busy and have additional lawyers joining the team in December and January. In October we were pleased to learn that we had been included in the latest edition of the Legal 500. It is inevitably harder for new practices to gain inclusion than it is for established firms. We seem to have achieved most of our (ambitious) five year plan for 2019 – 2024 in 2020. Fortunately we have far from run out of ideas about what to do next – and have exciting plans within our new 2020 – 2025 business plan.

Planning for future success

Our annual reviews have therefore focused on what we need to do next. Growth allows us to review our internal structures. Roles can be divided and through growth economies of scale start to emerge.

In 2020 we were joined by Paul Jacobs FCCA as our finance manager from Foot Anstey. This has been a very successful recruitment.

Quality compliance and risk experience

We have now taken the view that we have an additional role as Quality, Compliance and Risk Manager. We have cut and pasted below (with a little editing) the job advert that we have posted with the Devon and Somerset Law Society and with the Law Society Gazette.

The role could be suitable for a lawyer/former lawyer who has taken a quality, compliance and risk career path. They might be the COLP of their current practice. Alternatively the role could be suitable for someone with a good track record in the compliance team in a corporate/legal 500 practice. We are always open-minded when it comes to considering applications. The role could be full-time or part-time. What is important is that we recruit a candidate with the right skill set who will also fit in with our team and will have the authority to further drive on our quality and compliance culture.

Progressing our practice

We should add – that we are in the process of expanding our legal team. We are always happy to receive speculative applications from family lawyers with both divorce and children specialisms and from family mediators. We are happy to hear from prospective consultants or prospective employees (including those based beyond our current network of locations). For good candidates there are always options. There are always possibilities. Our progress has been built around our team members.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Quality Compliance and Risk Manager

Fast growing, Legal 500 Niche Family Law Solicitors Practice – Various Options – ££Competitive

Ian Walker founded Ian Walker Family Law and Mediation Solicitors in 2013. We have grown from being Ian and a computer, into one of the strongest teams of family lawyers in the South West.

We have grown significantly during 2020. We are very busy, and we are looking for an additional member of our business support team.

Us

• • Legal 500, Winners of the Modern Law Awards 2020 – Boutique Law Firm (11+ employees)
  • Lexcel
  • We have good IT / paperless working / everyone could work from home if we wanted. (Based on SOS connect plus case management and Microsoft Small business 365 – plus additional software solutions)
  • We are based in modern offices in Exeter and have a network of offices/locations from where we (normally) meet clients which is currently: Bath, Bristol, Honiton, Plymouth, Shaftesbury, Taunton, Torquay, Wells, Weston-Super-Mare and Yeovil.
  • We are committed to being a friendly and inclusive practice and we have a pool table in our office. We are also Real Living Wage Employers. The input of all team members is always valued.

The Role

• • You will work with our practice manager, finance manager and managing Partner to assist in the delivery of Lexcel compliance and outstanding client care. This will include working with fee earners and our support team to ensure that our quality, compliance, and risk systems are always fully implemented.
  • You will assist in the improvement of our systems including the ongoing training of the legal team.
  • Largely based in our Exeter office, but with scope for occasional homeworking.
  • Salary dependent on experience.

You

• • Ideally you will have good recent experience in a similar role with a legal 500/Lexcel Law Firm.
  • You will have excellent IT skills
  • Full-time and part-time options will be considered.

For more information about us please visit our website     http://ian-walker-family-law.local/

How to apply

We look forward to receiving your application

Applications in confidence to: [email protected]