Solicitor/Associate – Bristol

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client.

We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face.

Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do.  RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 5th best law firm to work at in 2024.

With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 40% of our partnership.

Birketts is delighted to be recruiting for an ambitious, driven, and forward-thinking Solicitor or Associate to join our award-winning and expanding Family team.

You will be joining a highly successful and entrepreneurial team at an exciting time of growth. We are proud to have one of the most respected and dedicated Family law teams in the country, comprising 7 Partners and 28 fee earners, including mediators, arbitrators, and trained One Couple One Lawyer practitioners.

We operate as a single, collaborative team across all locations, and are known for our innovative, supportive, and inclusive culture. In recognition of this, we were named LexisNexis Best Family Workplace of the Year 2024.

We are also pleased to announce that the Head of our new Bristol Family Team will be joining us in mid-November from a top-tier London firm, bringing with them a strong domestic and international following. The Bristol team already includes Senior Associate Sarah Dodds and will be further supported by dedicated secretarial and paralegal resource.

We are seeking a talented and motivated Solicitor or Associate to support the continued growth of our Bristol Family Team. The successful candidate will enjoy a varied and stimulating caseload, working alongside experienced colleagues in a collaborative and forward-thinking environment.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Managing your own caseload with appropriate delegation to trainees and paralegals.
• Supporting the Team Head and senior team members on complex and high-value matters.
• Delivering outstanding client service, including direct client engagement and expectation management.
• Monitoring and managing budgets and fees effectively.
• Contributing to business development initiatives and helping to grow the team’s profile and client base.

The ideal candidate will possess a strong technical understanding of family law, coupled with the ability to think commercially and analytically. They will be adept at delivering accurate, practical, and tailored advice to both corporate clients and high-net-worth individuals and be open to occasional travel to London for conferences, hearings and meetings. A genuine interest in business development, along with the initiative to contribute to the team’s growth, is highly valued.

At Birketts, we have developed a clear and supportive career structure designed to nurture, retain, and reward talented individuals. Our promotion process is transparent and based on performance, competencies, and achievements, all of which are clearly outlined in our Talent Management Framework. This openness is a cornerstone of our culture and is consistently well received across the firm.

We are committed to professional development and encourage regular, open dialogue between team members and supervisors to support career aspirations. Every team member is also paired with a ‘buddy’ to help monitor work allocation and provide day-to-day support.

This is an outstanding opportunity for an ambitious family lawyer to join a thriving team within a growing firm that enjoys an excellent reputation and offers genuine long-term career prospects.

1-5 PQE gained within a strong regional, national or City firm with experience in some or all the following:

• Divorce
• Financial cases including court proceedings
• Nuptial agreements and cohabitation agreements
• Child arrangements cases including court proceedings;
• International cases (languages not essential but helpful, particularly French)
• Modern families (surrogacy, adoption, fertility law);
• Alternative dispute resolution experience if possible but not essential

The information provided in relation to PQE is for guidance only and will not be determinative in the recruitment decision. Any applicant with more or less PQE than that mentioned in the vacancy details will be considered on their individual merits. However, the team is keen to recruit someone who will initially undertake work referred down from the Partners and Senior Associates and provide clients with good value services.

At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth. Alongside a flexible and inclusive work environment, we offer the following core benefits:

• 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays 
• Long Service holiday award – 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)
• Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme 
• Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
• Life Assurance – 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
• Paid CSR Day
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Subsidised gym membership
• Electric car scheme
• Agile/Hybrid Working Policy
• Dress for your Day Policy

https://www.birketts.co.uk/recognition-reward-benefits/

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile, and part-time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application. 

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.