HomeJobsHertfordshireNorth HertfordshirePrivate Client Solicitor/Legal Executive
Back to all jobs
⚡ Source: ReedRef: 50167871

Private Client Solicitor/Legal Executive

Reed·North Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire·Posted 38 months ago
💰 £46-58k/year👑 Executive
Tailor my CV for this job — Free

Job description

Original text imported from Reed

PRIVATE CLIENT - Are you looking for your next step in a Private Client? A new environment? A better benefit package?

I am excited to be working with a reputable regional firm, who are true investors in their staff and foster an extremely supportive environment.

Our client is looking for a 2+ PQE Private Client Solicitor or Legal Executive to join their thriving Private Client department.

The ideal candidate will have a minimum 2 years PQE in Private Client and be able to cover the whole remit of Private Client work including tax, estate administration, wills and probate, trusts and court of protection.

STEP is ideal but not essential.

Hybrid options potentially available.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a very talented, friendly and forward-thinking team.

If you feel you have the right skills and experience, then please apply with your updated CV.

SpeedCV AI

Key skills

AI-extracted from the job advert

Must-have skills
2+ years PQE in Private Client lawWills draftingProbate and estate administrationTrust lawCourt of ProtectionInheritance tax planningSolicitor or CILEx Legal Executive qualification
Nice-to-have
STEP qualification or membershipLasting Power of Attorney draftingTax planning for high-net-worth clients
Soft skills
Client relationship managementAttention to detailCommunicationAutonomyAdaptability
SpeedCV AI

Application advice

5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.

1

⭐ Lead your personal statement with your PQE level and the full breadth of Private Client work you cover — the advert explicitly requires the whole remit (wills, probate, trusts, tax, Court of Protection), so list each area clearly.

2

📊 Quantify your caseload: e.g. 'Managed a portfolio of 80+ active probate matters simultaneously, reducing average administration time by 20%' to demonstrate capacity.

3

🎯 If you hold STEP membership or are studying towards it, place this prominently in your qualifications section — the advert flags it as ideal and it will differentiate you from other 2+ PQE candidates.

4

🌐 Highlight any hybrid or flexible working experience to align with the firm's potentially available hybrid options, showing you can manage client relationships and deadlines remotely.

5

🤝 Reference experience working within a regional or high-street firm environment, as the employer is described as a reputable regional firm — demonstrating cultural fit with a client-facing, community-focused practice is advantageous.

NEW
AI SpeedCV

Suggested CV bullets

3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.

How to tailor your CV

Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:

  • Administered 60+ active probate matters concurrently, including 12 taxable estates requiring IHT400 submissions, achieving an average grant turnaround of 14 weeks.
  • Drafted Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney for a portfolio of 150+ private clients annually, incorporating trust structures to mitigate Inheritance Tax exposure on estates valued up to £2.5M.
  • Managed 8 Court of Protection deputyship applications in a 12-month period, coordinating with the Office of the Public Guardian to secure property and financial affairs orders within 20 weeks.

Free to copy — tailoring requires a 30-sec CV upload.

NEW
AI cover letter

Your cover letter is ready

We've drafted a cover letter for Reed. Preview the opening, then unlock the full personalised version.

Letter preview — tailored to Reed

Dear Hiring Manager,

Private Client law is the area where I have built my career, and the opportunity to join your firm's thriving Private Client department as a Solicitor or Legal Executive is one I am keen to pursue. With over two years' PQE covering wills, probate, estate administration, trusts, Court of Protection, and Inheritance Tax planning, I am confident I can contribute to your team from day one.

My background in Private Client work includes managing a caseload of complex estates with Inheritance Tax implications, drafting Wills for clients with intricate family arrangements, and supporting vulnerable clients through Court of Protection applications. I have developed strong client-facing skills and a methodical approach to managing competing deadlines across a broad Private Client remit.

Get my personalised letter — free

Free signup, no card needed. Export to PDF/Word requires a £1.99 trial (14 days).

SpeedCV exclusive
SpeedCV AI

Interview questions

10 questions generated from this advert.

Technical

  • Walk me through your end-to-end process for administering a complex estate involving Inheritance Tax liabilities.
  • How do you approach drafting a Will for a client with a blended family and potential competing claims?
  • Describe your experience with Court of Protection applications — what types of orders have you dealt with?
  • How do you identify and mitigate tax planning opportunities when advising on trust structures?
  • What case management software have you used to manage a high-volume Private Client caseload, and how do you prioritise competing deadlines?

Behavioural

  • Tell me about a time you had to deliver difficult news to a bereaved client — how did you handle it?
  • Describe a situation where you identified a complex legal issue in an estate that the client had not anticipated. What did you do?
  • Give an example of when you managed several urgent matters simultaneously. How did you ensure nothing was missed?
  • Tell me about a time you had to build a strong working relationship with a new client quickly. What was your approach?
  • Describe a situation where you disagreed with a colleague or supervisor on how to handle a client matter. How was it resolved?
SpeedCV AINEW

STAR answer examples

Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.

1Question

Tell me about a time you had to deliver difficult news to a bereaved client — how did you handle it?

Situation: A widow came to me expecting a straightforward probate matter, but I discovered her late husband had an undisclosed debt of £85,000 that would significantly reduce the estate. Task: I needed to inform her sensitively while ensuring she understood the legal and financial implications. Action: I arranged a face-to-face meeting rather than communicating by letter, prepared a clear written summary of the estate position, and walked her through each liability step by step, signposting her to a financial adviser for longer-term planning. I also applied for an IHT instalment arrangement to ease immediate pressure. Result: The client expressed gratitude for the clarity and continued to instruct the firm for her own Will and Lasting Power of Attorney, referring two family members within six months.
2Question

Describe a situation where you identified a complex legal issue in an estate that the client had not anticipated. What did you do?

Situation: During initial instructions on an estate valued at £1.9M, I identified that the deceased held assets in a discretionary trust established 12 years prior that the family was unaware of. Task: I needed to establish the trust's tax position and advise the executors on their obligations before applying for the Grant of Probate. Action: I reviewed the original trust deed, liaised with the trustees, and instructed a tax specialist to assess the ten-year anniversary charge position. I updated the executors with a written advice note within two weeks. Result: The trust was correctly reported to HMRC, avoiding a potential penalty of £22,000, and the estate was administered within the originally agreed six-month timeline.

Similar jobs

View all