Associate - Private Client/Rural

We’re a national law firm with a local reach. Our philosophy is ‘Expert Hand, Human Touch’ – something you’ll find in the way we work with our clients and how we support our teams. But, we’re more than just a law firm – we’re a team, working together to help individuals and businesses navigate life’s ups and downs.

Whichever team you join, working here you’ll feel a part of our friendly and inclusive environment. We’ll value you for who you are and what you bring. We support each other and push boundaries to achieve incredible things, and make a real difference to our clients and communities.

The work we do has been recognised in the awards we’ve won. We’re committed to being even better, and our awards help to show we’re on the right track.

Following an upcoming acquisition, we are looking for a talented Associate to join our Private Clients team based from our Leeds office 2 days per week.

Your Role and What You'll Be Doing

Our top tier Legal 500 ranked Private Client team in Leeds focuses on acting for rural clients. The team act on behalf of national clients including high profile landed estates and individuals, and trustees of long running and often complex trust structures. We provide advice on heritage property, capital tax planning including in relation to the impact of development and diversification on reliefs, and structuring for succession and tax efficiency.

In this role you can expect to manage your own varied caseload, which will include advising trustees of high value private family trusts in relation to matters of trust law and governance, the taxation of trusts, and trust re-structuring (pre- and post-death, including the re-structuring of Will Trusts).

As well as, managing your own caseload you will assist more senior members of the team with more complex cases and will have the opportunity to attend networking and business development events to help strength the IM client portfolio and your overall knowledge.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a thriving, supportive and happy team at an exciting time of growth.

About You

We're looking for an Associate who has a passion for Private Client work and a proven interest of agricultural matters. Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• Demonstratable technical experience gained within Private Clients, specifically trusts, estate planning and administration;
• The ability to manage caseloads whilst maintaining exceptional attention to detail and seamless service;
• Demonstrable experience of excellent oral and written communication skills, including, producing quality drafting and undertaking in-depth research to assist with client matters;
• The ability to operate independently and work collaboratively as part of a team to deliver the best outcomes for our clients;
• An aptitude for business development and a passion for growing strong client and referrer relationships.

Our Benefits - What We Can Offer You

• Flexible working options - Make work fit around your life, not the other way round
• 25 days holidays as standard - You can ‘buy’ up to 35hrs of extra holiday too
• Parking permit for Leeds, from Associate level
• Generous and flexible pension schemes
• Volunteering days – Two days of volunteering every year for a cause of your choice (fully paid)
• Westfield Health membership, offering refunds on medical services alongside our Aviva Digital GP services, as well as Private Medical Insurance

We also offer a wide range of well-being initiatives to encourage positive mental health both in and out of the workplace and to make sure you’re fully supported to work in a way that best suits you. We have recently been ranked in the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing for Large Organisations for 2023!

Our social responsibility programme is fundamental to who we are. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace where our colleagues can flourish. We have a range of groups to celebrate our people across sexuality, disability, age, gender and culture.

Additional Information

As part of the Irwin Mitchell Group’s on-boarding process all successful applicants are required to complete the group’s employment screening process. This process helps to ensure that all new employees meet our standards in relation to honesty and integrity therefore protecting the interests of the Group, existing employees, clients, partners and other stakeholders.

Depending on the role you apply for we may carry out checks that will establish your eligibility to work in the UK, and criminal record check and financial checks ­with a credit reference agency will also be undertaken.

The employment screening process will fully comply with Data Protection and other applicable laws.

Irwin Mitchell LLP is an equal opportunity employer.