Associate Solicitor or Professional Equivalent 3 – 5 Years PQE

Tax & Estate Planning, Bournemouth

Paris Smith LLP is one of the South’s largest regional law firms and has celebrated over 200 years in business. We are committed to ensuring that our clients have a positive experience with the firm, and to inspire and develop our people to reach their full potential. We are based in offices in Southampton and Winchester with 44 partners and employing 177 members of staff.

The Role

We are looking for a fee earner with a proven track record in client care and technical competence, billing, business development and networking. The successful candidate will manage their own caseload and be able to supervise and mentor junior members of the department.

The role will require the successful candidate to lead the development of the Tax and Estate Planning offering in our new Bournemouth office, which is expected to open in the summer of 2025. This role will be based primarily in the new Bournemouth office, with appropriate supervision and PA support initially being provided from our main office in Southampton, with regular visits from our Southampton staff to support the new Bournemouth office.

This is a full-time role.

Principle Duties & Responsibilities

• Administration of estates and trusts;

• Will drafting and updating;

• Variation of wills;

• Preparation and registration of lasting powers of attorney;

• Advising on all aspects, including inheritance tax and capital gains tax treatment, of trusts;

• Drafting all types of trusts and associated trust deeds.

The Candidate

• Ideally have at least 5 years’ experience respectively across all areas of tax and estate planning. Candidates with less than 5 years’ experience may be considered, if the experience gained has been with a firm which deals with complex private client work and is highly rated for its tax and trusts practice.

• Specifically, the areas of knowledge and skills required include:

o A thorough understanding of the law relating to Wills;

o A good understanding of the law relating to Lasting Powers of Attorney;

o Expertise in trust law;

o Expertise in inheritance tax planning and compliance;

o A good understanding of capital gains tax, stamp duties and income tax;

o A commercial approach to problem solving for clients;

o Excellent drafting skills, and;

o A willingness to accept new challenges and develop personally.

• STEP qualified;

• Provide a major contribution to, and delivery of, the department’s development plan and be a key player in its future growth;

• Have the drive and ambition to maintain the department's outstanding reputation;

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal;

• Highly organised;

• A good team player;

• Flexible and proactive approach;

• Good IT skills, particularly in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.).