Job Description Legal Assistant – Private Client (Wills & Probate) Salary: £28,000 – £30,000 DOE Location: Romford/ East London Specialist Work. Genuine Support. A Team That Actually Values You. Our client is a multi-office, Lexcel accredited high street practice with a well-established reputation across East London and Essex. Their Private Client department handles a substantial and varied caseload — and they are now looking for an experienced Legal Assistant to support a senior solicitor and legal executive on a full range of Wills, Probate, LPA, Trust, and Estate Planning matters. This is not a junior admin role. They want someone who knows their way around a Private Client caseload, can work with confidence and minimal supervision, and is ready to be a genuine contributor to a busy, specialist team. If you have at least two years’ experience supporting within Private Client and you are looking for a role where your contribution is recognised including a share of your supervisor’s profit-related bonus — this is worth reading. The Role Job Title: Legal Assistant – Private Client (Wills & Probate) Salary: £28,000 – £30,000 (dependant on experience) Location: Romford, Essex (with occasional cover across Gidea Park and Collier Row offices) Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm (4-day week considered) Working Arrangements: Office-based; full-time preferred, part-time (4 days) accommodated What You Will Be Doing You will work directly alongside a senior legal advisor, providing hands-on support across a varied and interesting Private Client caseload. Day-to-day responsibilities will include: Drafting Wills and Trust documentation from a solicitor’s notes Preparing Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) forms and submitting applications online via the OPG portal Probate and estate administration support, including online Grant of Probate applications Preparing and completing IHT forms including IHT205, IHT217, and IHT400 Drafting general correspondence and legal documentation across the full Private Client spectrum Client-facing contact — building and maintaining strong relationships with clients and referrers Providing departmental cover across Romford, Gidea Park, and Collier Row offices when required Digital audio transcription and document production What Our Client Is Looking For Essential Minimum 2 years’ experience as a Legal Assistant within a Private Client, Wills & Probate department in a UK legal practice Proven ability to prepare LPA forms and Will drafts from solicitor notes Experience submitting LPA and Grant of Probate applications online Working knowledge of IHT forms (IHT205, IHT217, IHT400) Strong drafting skills across Wills, Trusts, Probate, and LPA documentation Excellent client-facing communication skills — confident, professional, and approachable Ability to work unsupervised with a well-organised, self-motivated approach Typing speed of 60 WPM and experience with digital audio transcription Ability to commute to all three office locations for cover purposes Desirable Experience using LEAP case management software Familiarity with online probate and OPG submission portals A genuine interest in building long-term client and referrer relationships What Is on Offer Our client rewards individual contribution directly including a share of the senior legal advisor’s profit-related bonus, not a diluted department-wide pool: Salary: £28,000 – £30,000 DOE Performance-Related Bonus: Discretionary annual bonus based on individual performance Profit Share: A direct share of the supervising legal advisor’s profit-related bonus Holiday Allowance: 5.6 weeks per annum inclusive of bank holidays (full time) Christmas Closure: Additional discretionary leave between Christmas and New Year Birthday Leave: One additional day’s leave for your birthday, after six months’ service Flexible Hours: 4-day working week considered for the right candidate Company Pension Scheme Employee Discount On-Site Parking Staff Social Events throughout the year Why This Opportunity Stands Out A Lexcel accredited practice — a mark of quality management and client care in law Work alongside specialists in their field within a firm with decades of local heritage Profit share directly tied to your supervisor’s performance — a genuinely motivating structure A friendly, enthusiastic team environment in a well-established high street practice Flexible working hours considered — rare at this level in a client-facing legal role Genuine variety across Wills, Probate, LPAs, Trusts, and Estate Planning, not a repetitive, single-task position How to Apply This role is being managed on a confidential basis by Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions Ltd. To be considered, or for a private, no-obligation conversation about the opportunity, please contact: David Hawthorne-Finch Managing Director, Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions Ltd Email: d.hawthorne-finch@h-fts.com Phone: 0333 996 2882 Website: https://h-fts.com All applications and enquiries are treated in the strictest confidence. Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions Ltd is a specialist legal and accountancy recruitment consultancy. We are committed to ethical, transparent, and relationship-led recruitment. Candidates are never submitted to a client without their explicit, written consent.