Partner - Family Law in Stamford

Who are Buckles?

With over 200 years of experience, Buckles Solicitors LLP is an award-winning firm, that provides world-class client experience and services on a comprehensive range of legal services to both businesses and individuals in the UK and internationally.

Delivering effective and cost-efficient legal solutions from our offices based in Bristol, Cambridge, London, Nottingham, Peterborough, Stamford, and Swindon.

We recognise that all this is possible due to our team of highly dedicated, enthusiastic professionals across our locations.

We pride ourselves on providing a positive work environment where independent thinking and new ideas are actively encouraged and where every member of the team genuinely can make a difference.

Buckles carries the LawNet Mark of Excellence and is Investor in People Gold accredited.

Buckles are recruiting for an experienced Family Law professional to join our well-established team.

The position is a permanent full-time (37.

5 hours per week) role, and it will be a split of home and office working.

We are flexible on the office location of the role and could be based at our Stamford, Cambridge or Nottingham office.

The Role of a family Law Partner:

A partner is expected to be a senior role model with a proven track record of excellence in financial performance, people management, knowledge sharing, business development, and client relationship management, who contributes to the firm as a whole.

A partner has good self-awareness of their personal strengths and required areas for continued personal development.

Partners should demonstrate the required standards of behaviour and delivery in all areas of their personal performance.

Partners are required to support their Head of Department (HOD) in the delivery of departmental goals and to make strong, sustained and visible contributions to sectors in which they are members, mentoring and guiding junior staff members where required.

It is noted that partners who are not also HODs, or Head of Sector (HOS), will have more limited formal non-fee earning obligations and are therefore expected to provide enhanced levels of substantial, sustained and proactive personal contributions to sectors in which they are members.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a high-performing and innovative Family team.

Responsibilities of a Family Law Partner:

Consistently exceed client service expectations, proactively communicating with the client to keep them informed of relevant issues and demonstrating expertise and value at all times, undertaking this activity with good internal visibility so as to set and reinforce the standards that others will follow.

Combine technical legal advice with commercial awareness, adopting jargon free communication and anticipating client needs, so as to provide an ease of dealing that stands out in the eyes of the client.

Source internal expertise from other departments at appropriate levels of seniority to provide the most effective service to the client, routinely sharing learning, knowledge and know how within the team and firm, supervising junior lawyers and delegating where possible to facilitate the development of junior team members.

Actively seek ways to improve client service and identify improvements to internal processes to benefit the client and/or staff, sharing those insights with appropriate management groups.

Act as an ambassador for the firm in all aspects of conduct and behaviour, networking confidently both internally and externally and contributing regularly and prominently to departmental, sector and firm business development activity as well as encouraging and securing the participation of others and recognising others’ efforts.

Proactively source opportunities for PR, contributing content for marketing activity and responding to client (and internal) feedback promptly, objectively and not defensively.

Provide enthusiastic and proactive contributions to help realise the firm’s strategic goals, supporting the HOD in the delivery of departmental activity.

Develop and assist lawyers by coaching, mentoring, counselling and developing them.

Build the firm’s future by targeting better clients and better work, originating new clients of the firm either on the partner’s own initiative or through sector activity or other coordinated marketing activity, cross selling those clients to others in the firm.

Demonstrate the visions and values of the firm by example rather than words alone.

Role expectations as a Partner:

Show clear leadership by acting as a role model in all aspects of their personal and professional behaviour and conduct.

Show clear leadership in the required standards of file management, financial housekeeping and financial decision making, by ensuring client files in the partner’s name are maintained in excellent order and fully audit and process compliant, and the files of other lawyers under the partner’s supervision are monitored to ensure equal levels of compliance.

Correctly assess and act on risk in relation to the actions and decisions that come before the Partner.

Acting alone or in conjunction with the HOD, HOS or HR department when appropriate, take prompt steps to address any improper conduct issues observed by the Partner by intervening to prevent inappropriate behaviour by members of staff, so contributing to the development of a homogeneous culture.

Meet and exceed financial benchmarks, including total time capture, fees, 60-day debts and archiving, maintaining files that meet audit requirements.

Negotiate pricing outcomes for personal work and work supervised by the Partner, that represents good value for the firm taking into account the retainer in question, the value of the client relationship, the risk to the firm and the firm’s ability to resource the retainer in the required timescales.

Actively develop and protect the reputation of the firm, exemplifying Buckles values and generating a sense of pride in the firm.

Stay relevant, by acquiring new skills and expertise of value to the firm.

Build strong networks of collaborative relationships to help deliver Buckles strategic objectives.

Actively promote knowledge sharing, empowering others and building high performance teams aligned with the firm’s strategic goals.

Be a role model for continuous improvement, learning and self-development, evaluating personal effectiveness and in conjunction with the HOD/HOS/Operations Board, planning self-development.

Reward and development:

Buckles recognise the success of every employee; working with you to ensure you have what you need to maximise your potential and develop your career.

Alongside a host of development, professionally and personally, we offer some fantastic benefits including:

• 30 days annual leave, plus all UK Bank Holidays and your birthday off (or closest working day to your birthday without deduction from your annual leave allowance).
• Big life event vouchers, including welcoming children to the family and getting married.
• A wide range of health and well-being offerings.
• Free Private healthcare options for you and additional elements for family.
• Free Healthcare cash back plans for you and additional elements for family.
• Enhanced pension.
• Ability to buy additional holiday – up to 5 days per year.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Life Insurance – 4 x your annual salary.
• Enhance maternity pay.
• Bereavement Support.
• Employee Assistant Programme.
• Paid Volunteer days.
• Quarterly social events.
• All employee well-being days.
• Electric vehicle scheme.

To apply:

Please submit a CV demonstrating what skills and experience you have that is suitable for this role.

We are an equal opportunity and disability-inclusive employer, and value diversity across the firm.

We do not discriminate based on age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or parental or caring status.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments to be made to the recruitment process.

If you would prefer to discuss this confidentially, please email and add the job title in the subject line of the email.