Wills, Trusts & Probate Lawyer

Wills, Trusts & Probate Lawyer
Are you a solicitor or CILEX professional based in and around Hertford?
Are you looking to join a leading regional law firm?
Do you have the legal knowledge and experience to make an immediate difference to a wide range of clients?
If you answered yes, then this role is for you! Let's find out more:

Department: Wills, Trusts & Probate (Post-Death Team)
Location: Ware & Hertford
Education & Professional Qualifications required : Solicitor or GILEX / FILEX Professional
Experience required (i.e. years PQE) : 1-6 years PQE, either hold STEP membership already, in the process of acquiring the qualification or be keen to work towards this, although not essential to the role.
Skills:
Good team player, flexible, self-sufficient and self-supporting (other than admin assistance with file openings etc), good IT literacy, ability to deal with clients from a broad demographic from the more modest to the high net worth, an ability to deal with older clients, adaptable and motivated and content to work in a busy fast moving environment.
The fee earner will be supervised and given all necessary support but must be happy to work on their own initiative and independently with a balance of working in the office and home based working. Keen to get involved in networking and business

development activities where the opportunity presents itself and be a great ambassador for our firm generally. An awareness of the opportunities to cross refer work within the department itself (between Pre and Post-Death Teams) and also to other departments within the firm.
Personal Qualities of Special Importance:
An ability to work calmly and methodically under pressure during particularly busy periods.
Car owner in order to easily travel between Hertford and Ware offices as and when required in order to meet with clients and take instructions where meetings via Teams / Zoom etc not possible and conduct home visits in and around the Ware and Hertford area if the need arises (less likely as Post Death Team).
Outline of role and responsibilities:
Some taking of instructions and preparation of basic to the more complex Wills, LPAs and general POAs.
Workload will mostly involve Probate and administration of estates though, from the basic (below IHT threshold) to the more valuable / taxable estates involving IHT400s and relevant schedules, claiming appropriate reliefs.
Ability to administer estates where the deceased has died intestate and a good understanding of the intestacy rules and procedures. An understanding of trusts and basic principles of tax affecting trusts upon creation and during the lifetime of the trust, when their use would be appropriate within Wills and creation of a trust may be desirable during lifetime.
A basic understanding of the set up and administration of Life Interest trusts and Discretionary trusts following a death where such trusts are to be found in a deceaseds Will, as well as an understanding of the mechanism for collapsing Discretionary Trusts as part of the administration of an estate if not required.
Awareness and some experience of issues affecting the older client in particular and understanding of the Court of Protection and Deputyship work where the mentally incapacitated client is concerned, however as this falls within the remit of our Pre-Death Team specialists, there would be less focus on this work in the role that is currently available to join our Post-Death Team.
What's in it for you?

A structured career path that provides all the information you need to develop and progress.
A supportive and nurturing working environment with monthly one-to-ones, department meetings and a six-monthly appraisal scheme.
Flexible and hybrid working.
Firm-wide and fee-earner bonus schemes.
Holiday entitlement of 25 days per year, rising by one day per year of service to a maximum of 30 days.
Automatic enrolment to the contributory corporate pension scheme (salary sacrifice).
Automatic enrolment to the Employee Assistance Programme, which helps staff members experiencing personal problems that might adversely impact their work performance, health and wellbeing.
Enrolment to the Healthcare Cash Plan after the probationary period. Cover includes dependant children and may be extended to partners or spouses at the employees expense.
Access to Mintago, a comprehensive employee financial wellbeing platform.
Each office has its own designated Social and Wellbeing champion, who is there to help promote good mental and physical health with a range of initiatives including social walks, book clubs, charitable activities and out-of-hours get-togethers and events.
Annual staff events including summer and Christmas events, quarterly office lunches and our annual online Staff Quiz.
If you are a Wills, Trusts & Probate Lawyer who is ready for their next challenge, please apply today to be considered or contact our team to find out more! Interviews will be held immediately.
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