Senior Family Law Solicitor
Belfast | £50,000-£60,000 + Benefits | Permanent | Full-time
Take the next step in your Family Law career. Lead on complex cases, develop junior talent and help shape the future of an established Belfast legal practice.
I’m working with an established Belfast legal practice to recruit a Senior Family Law Solicitor.
This is an opportunity for an experienced Family Solicitor to join an established team in a senior capacity, combining a challenging and varied caseload with responsibility for supporting and developing junior members of staff.
The department handles a broad spectrum of family law matters, ranging from Family Proceedings and Domestic Proceedings through to complex Care Centre and High Court litigation.
The majority of the work is legal aid funded, alongside a portfolio of privately funded clients. Importantly, the practice is keen to further develop its private family law offering, particularly in divorce and ancillary relief, creating an opportunity for the successful candidate to influence and grow this area of the department.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys complex family work, wants to take on greater responsibility and is interested in helping develop a department rather than simply managing their own caseload.
The Opportunity
You’ll play an important role within the Family Law team, combining hands-on case management with responsibility for supporting colleagues and contributing to the department’s continued development.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Managing a varied and often complex family law caseload.
- Handling matters across Family Proceedings and Domestic Proceedings.
- Managing Care Centre proceedings and High Court litigation.
- Advising clients on children matters, parental responsibility, contact and residence issues.
- Dealing with Social Services involvement and care proceedings.
- Advising on domestic abuse matters and associated protective orders.
- Managing divorce, separation and ancillary relief matters where required.
- Providing clear, practical advice and maintaining strong client relationships.
- Supervising, mentoring and supporting junior members of the legal team.
- Providing technical guidance and supporting the development of colleagues.
- Identifying opportunities to develop the firm’s privately funded family law offering.
- Playing an active role in the continued growth and development of the department.
What We’re Looking For
We’re interested in speaking with established Family Law Solicitors who have the technical ability, confidence and experience to operate at a senior level.
You’ll ideally have:
- Qualification as a Solicitor with established experience in Family Law in Northern Ireland.
- A strong background managing your own family law caseload.
- Experience across Family Proceedings and Domestic Proceedings.
- Exposure to Care Centre and High Court matters.
- Experience supervising, mentoring or supporting junior colleagues.
- Strong technical knowledge and excellent client-management skills.
- The ability to manage complex and sensitive cases with professionalism and empathy.
- Excellent communication, negotiation and advocacy skills.
- A commercially aware approach and an interest in developing the department.
Experience in privately funded divorce and ancillary relief work would be particularly advantageous.
What’s On Offer?
- Salary: £50,000-£60,000, depending on experience.
- Benefits: Attractive additional benefits package.
- Senior-level responsibility: Within an established Family Law team.
- Quality and complexity of work: Including Care Centre and High Court matters.
- Team leadership: Opportunity to mentor and develop junior solicitors.
- Departmental influence: Help shape the future direction of the practice.
- Business development opportunity: Scope to grow the privately funded family law offering.
- Career progression: Make a genuine impact within an established Belfast practice.
Interested in Finding Out More?
If you’re an experienced Family Law Solicitor considering your next career move, I’d welcome a confidential conversation.
Perhaps you’re already operating at senior level and looking for a fresh challenge, or you’re an experienced practitioner ready to take on greater responsibility and develop your leadership experience.
Either way, this is an opportunity worth exploring.
For a confidential discussion, contact Ciaran Gallagher at VANRATH.
Skills:Solicitor Family Law Matrimonial
WHJS1_NI
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