Newly Qualified (NQ) Solicitor
2 months ago
London
Newly Qualified (NQ) Solicitor Practice Areas: Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND), Housing, Welfare Benefits, Social Care & Deputyship Law Location: Central London Working Model: Hybrid – 3 days in the office, 2 days from home. Salary: £35,000 basic salary + uncapped performance bonus On-Target Earnings: £48,000+ per annum Experience: Newly Qualified Solicitor – previous specialist experience in our practice areas is not essential Funding Model: 100% privately funded practice – no legal aid caseload Progression: A growth role in an expanding firm, with a clear route towards senior responsibility for a practice area and, in time, a role in the leadership of the firm. About the Firm We are a highly specialised London law firm dedicated to protecting the rights, welfare and interests of vulnerable individuals, children and families. Our work focuses on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), housing, welfare benefits, social care and deputyship matters, including civil litigation, administrative law, tribunal proceedings and Court of Protection work. We operate on a 100% privately funded basis and do not undertake legal aid work. This enables us to maintain focused caseloads and provide a high standard of individual attention, strategic advice and client care. We are a growing practice. This role has been created because our caseload is expanding and the person we appoint will help shape how the firm develops over the coming years. The Opportunity. We are looking for a motivated and compassionate Newly Qualified Solicitor. You do not need extensive previous experience in SEND, housing, welfare benefits, social care or deputyship law. We are interested in potential, strong legal foundations, excellent communication skills and a genuine willingness to learn. The successful candidate will receive structured training, close senior supervision and increasing responsibility as their experience develops. This is intended to be a long-term career opportunity for a solicitor who wants to develop strong technical expertise while gaining meaningful experience across several specialist and closely connected areas of law. Because our practice areas are so closely connected, a single client or family will often have needs across several of them. A SEND matter may reveal a housing problem, a welfare benefits entitlement or the need for a deputyship. We want a solicitor who learns to see the whole picture of a client’s circumstances, not just the matter in front of them and who is trained from the outset to identify where the firm can properly help further. Key Responsibilities As your experience develops, your responsibilities will include: * Managing a privately funded caseload under close senior supervision; * Advising individuals and families on SEND, housing, welfare benefits, social care and deputyship matters; * Providing clear, compassionate and professional client care; * Drafting legal correspondence, representations, applications, witness statements and other formal documents; * Preparing grounds and supporting documentation for tribunal appeals; * Preparing cases for First-tier Tribunal and county court proceedings; * Undertaking advocacy and representation where appropriate to your experience; * Conducting legal research and contributing to case strategy; * Maintaining accurate time recording and effective file management; and * Developing commercial awareness and working towards agreed billing objectives. • Taking ownership of your matters from first enquiry to conclusion, so that each client has a single, reliable point of contact;, • Identifying, within your existing matters and client relationships, further areas in which the firm can properly assist and opening those matters in consultation with senior colleagues;, • Contributing to the growth of the firm by developing referral relationships, attending relevant events and helping to build the firm’s profile in its specialist areas; and, • Playing an active part in the day-to-day running of the practice, including improving precedents, processes and compliance systems and taking on defined operational responsibilities as the firm grows. Billing Target & Support As your experience, confidence and caseload develop, you will work towards an annual billing target of £180,000. We recognise that an NQ solicitor requires time, training and support to develop a sustainable caseload. You will therefore receive close senior supervision and structured technical training as you progress. The billing target provides transparency around performance expectations while creating a clear link between individual performance and financial reward. Fees generated on matters you have identified within existing client relationships, or on clients you have introduced to the firm, count fully towards your target. Bringing work in is therefore rewarded through the same bonus structure as doing the work. Salary & Uncapped Performance Bonus Guaranteed Basic Salary £35,000 gross per annum Your basic salary is guaranteed and is not dependent upon achieving the annual billing target. On-Target Performance Bonus The firm operates a transparent performance bonus structure. For qualifying annual fees up to the £180,000 target, the bonus is calculated at 10% of net qualifying fees, after deduction of: * £35,000 basic salary; and * £15,000 fixed annual office cost allocation. At £180,000 in qualifying annual fees, this produces: £35,000 basic salary + £13,000 performance bonus = £48,000 total annual earnings. Over-Performance Bonus Performance above the £180,000 annual threshold is rewarded at a higher rate. Qualifying fees above £180,000 attract an additional 15% bonus, without the £35,000 salary or £15,000 office cost deductions being applied again to those additional fees. There is no upper cap on the over-performance bonus. By way of illustration, qualifying fees of £220,000 in a year would produce total earnings of £54,000 (£35,000 basic salary + £13,000 target bonus + £6,000 over-performance bonus). Comprehensive Specialist Training We recognise that an NQ solicitor is at the beginning of their professional career. You will therefore receive structured training and supervision across our principal practice areas. Training will include: * SEND law, including EHCPs, annual reviews, mediation and First-tier Tribunal appeals; * Housing law and relevant civil and administrative law procedures; * Welfare benefits and associated appeals; * Social care law and disputes involving statutory services; * Deputyship and Court of Protection work; * Legal research, case strategy and professional drafting; * Client interviewing and case management; * Tribunal and court preparation; and * Advocacy and representation. • Identifying related legal needs across our practice areas: for example where a SEND matter also raises housing, welfare benefits, social care or deputyship issues and opening further matters where it is in the client’s interests;, • Business development for a specialist practice, including building referral relationships with schools, SENCOs, charities, parent and carer groups, advocates and other professionals; and, • The running of a modern law practice: file management systems, precedents, time recording, compliance and the commercial management of a caseload. You will initially work closely with senior members of the firm and will take on greater responsibility and independence as your knowledge, skills and confidence develop.
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