Senior Associate Solicitor

PQE: 7 years +
Term: Permanent
Working hours: Full time/Part time
Department: Family
Location: Cambridge
The Firm

Tees Law are a Top 200 UK law firm, with over 375 staff across our 6 offices, we provide expert legal services and independent financial advice. We work for individuals and businesses, professional partnerships, charities, national corporations, and institutions. We were founded in 1913, and have grown from a traditional family firm with strong roots. Tees vision is to be the firm of choice for exceptional service. We pride ourselves in being easy to talk to - we talk openly, honestly and with empathy. No matter how complex a situation, we provide straightforward, long-term solutions for a better future. Drawing on our years of experience, we're driven to anticipate our customer needs and share our insights. At Tees we want to create a better future for our clients, for yourself, your career, and your family.

The Department

Our family department specialises in high-value and complex claims, including those involving foreign property and cross-border or cross-jurisdictional issues. Whilst we offer a constructive and conciliatory approach to family law through our mediation and collaborative practice, we are also highly effective in litigation. We aim to secure favorable, and practical solutions for our clients in challenging Personal situations. Our family team will offer you plenty of high-quality work and lots of opportunities for you to shine. In 2023 the Legal 500 said The Family Law team 'goes above and beyond to fully understand every client’s case.

Other Information

This is a hybrid role, with a blend of working from our Cambridge office and at home. 

Main Responsibilities

  • Work closely with your lead partner to develop strategy and annual business plans for the office and surrounding areas.
  • Work with the senior management team, other senior associates and attend management meetings as required. Provide updates on progress against objectives, share information and help drive change within the Firm.
  • Accountable for managing a complex mixed caseload of client matters without supervision. Providing clients with high quality legal advice, proactively manages client relationships.
  • Set and deliver objectives personally and through the team. Set team objectives in conjunction with team leader, monitor performance and progress and provide professional guidance to team members as appropriate.
  • Lead, manage and motivate staff. Ensure team members have an understanding of goals related to their own objectives.
  • Achieve the firm’s fee targets and assist and enable others in the team to do so by mentoring and developing junior members of the team.
  • Accountable for ensuring efficient and timely credit management processes are adhered to. Manage own time and that of the team to effectively achieve targets. Ensure cash flow and credit-management systems are managed effectively, such as time recording, lock-up, cash flow, profitability and billing.
  • Accountable for the delivery of legal services within own area of responsibility, in a manner which is both cost-efficient, to the client and the firm.
  • Oversight of quantity, quality of work and outcomes achieved by the team, to maximize the teams overall contribution and performance.
  • Analyse key performance indicators, use technology and implement new systems and processes to enhance and improve the team’s performance.
  • Advise partners and board members on opportunities to add value to the client experience and improve profitability for the team.
  • Make a significant contribution to the firm’s reputation and position within the community by virtue of their reputation for excellence and specialist skills and knowledge. Attract new clients and introducers.
  • Make a significant contribution to professional and community activities to support the firm.
  • Accountable for the delivery of a marketing strategy and plan, which might include: marketing initiatives by the individual or team, marketing events, networking, speaking at seminars on specialist topics and contributing to or writing publications.
  • Undertakes additional technical specialism’s to support the strategy of the firm and the individual.

Family services, advice and support might include:

  • Advising clients on divorce law, children, financial and DV issues relevant to relationship breakdown to include the unmarried family and enforcement, appeals, setting aside and variation.
  • Advising clients on cohabitation agreements and premarital agreements.
  • Drafting documents necessary to further advice on any area.
  • Advising clients on the wider implications of any transactions or advice.
  • Conducting negotiations.
  • Preparation of consent orders and agreements relating to family disputes.
  • Advocacy at appropriate court hearings.
  • Keeping up to date with developments in family law. Be a member of Resolution.
  • Undertaking any other reasonable duties from time to time allocated to the role.

If you are motivated and passionate about your work and would like to join our team, then we would like to hear from you!

Tees Benefits

  • An attractive salary
  • Discretionary payments
  • Birthday holiday
  • 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays with entitlement increasing with length of service
  • Compassionate leave
  • Employee assistance programme through Health Assured (including Counselling sessions, 24/7 access to trained Counsellors, health assessments, 4-week wellness programs, and more)
  • Contributory pension
  • Discounted legal services
  • Discounted financial advice services
  • Life assurance
  • Permanent health insurance
  • Interest free season ticket and travel loans
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Eye care
  • Access to a discount platform that includes special rate cinema tickets and shopping discounts
  • Discounted gym membership
  • Social events throughout the year
  • Payment for professional memberships and development opportunities

If you are ambitious, driven, and want to work with a company focused on helping give our clients a better future, then you are aligned in our aim to achieve that and empower you to be your absolute best. You will have a blended working schedule, giving you the freedom to arrange your days to benefit your commitments - in and out of the office. You will also receive access to a discount platform with a variety of perks that caters to your individual needs. We understand that both the big and small details are important and believe that rewarding staff for their contributions and investing in their future is vital to the growth of our firm.

At Tees, diversity and inclusion are the heart of our vision for a better and more equitable future. We embrace diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, and socioeconomic background. We recognise that by embracing diversity, we can harness the collective power of our employees and create a culture that promotes collaboration, empathy, and understanding.  

By prioritising diversity and inclusion, we believe that we create a more innovative, creative, and compassionate workplace. Our diverse perspectives lead to better problem-solving and enhanced decision-making, enabling us to better serve our customers and make a positive impact.