Average Family Associate salary in Bristol

About us Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals and over 600 staff based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client. We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face. Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do.  RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 6th best law firm to work at in 2026. With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 42% of our partnership. The team you will join Our Family team is a highly successful and entrepreneurial team at an exciting time of growth. We are proud to have one of the most respected and dedicated family law teams in the country, comprising 8 partners and 26 fee earners, including mediators, financial/children arbitrators, and 6 One Couple One Lawyer practitioners. We operate as a single, collaborative team across all locations, and are known for our innovative, supportive, and inclusive culture. In recognition of this, we were named LexisNexis Best Family Workplace of the Year 2024. This is a rare opportunity to join Birketts’ growing Family Team in Bristol at a pivotal moment in our expansion. You will work directly with leading lawyers who are nationally and internationally recognised in their fields, gaining hands-on experience from day one. You will have the opportunity to work closely with Will MacFarlane, formerly of Withers and Kingsley Napley, a Spears recommended practitioner with a significant international practice. Will’s work spans high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth cases, complex cross-border issues, and sophisticated financial matters, offering exceptional exposure for a developing lawyer. You will also work alongside Sarah Dodds, a specialist in children matters and our lead lawyer for all issues relating to modern families, including international surrogacy, adoption, and fertility law. Sarah heads one of the most progressive and rapidly developing areas of our practice, providing a unique opportunity to build expertise in a field that is reshaping the future of family law. In addition, the Bristol office will shortly welcome a new partner joining at the end of April, bringing further depth, experience and energy to the team as we continue our ambitious growth strategy in the South West. Together, this creates an incredibly exciting role for a junior solicitor who has the work ethic, drive and tenacity to be part of a forward-thinking, collaborative and high-performing Family Team. You will be supported to develop your technical skills, client confidence and professional profile, with genuine opportunities for progression within a leading UK firm. The work you will be doing Key responsibilities will include: Managing your own caseload with appropriate delegation to trainees and paralegals.Supporting the Team Head and senior team members on complex and high-value matters.Delivering outstanding client service, including direct client engagement and expectation management.Monitoring and managing budgets and fees effectively.Contributing to business development initiatives and helping to grow the team’s profile and client base. Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested. What we are looking for The ideal candidate will possess a strong technical understanding of family law, coupled with the ability to think commercially and analytically. They will be adept at delivering accurate, practical, and tailored advice to both corporate clients and high-net-worth individuals and be open to occasional travel to London for conferences, hearings and meetings. They will have a genuine interest in business development, along with the initiative to contribute to the team’s growth, is highly valued. NQ to 4 PQE gained within a strong regional, national or city firm with experience in some or all the following: DivorceFinancial cases including court proceedingsNuptial agreements and cohabitation agreementsChild arrangements cases including court proceedings;International cases (languages not essential but helpful, particularly French)Modern families (surrogacy, adoption, fertility law);Alternative dispute resolution experience if possible but not essential We are committed to professional development and encourage regular, open dialogue between team members and supervisors to support career aspirations. Every team member is also paired with a ‘buddy’ to help monitor work allocation and provide day-to-day support. This is an outstanding opportunity for an ambitious family lawyer to join a thriving team within a growing firm that enjoys an excellent reputation and offers genuine long-term career prospects. Birketts has designed a 'Talent Management Framework' which provides a career structure that will help us develop, retain and reward talented people.  As a Solicitor, we typically expect candidates to have between 0–3 years PQE. As an Associate, we typically expect candidates to have between 3-6 years PQE. Any information provided in relation to PQE should be used for guidance only and will not be determinative in the recruitment decision. Applicants will be considered on their individual merits.   Hybrid Working We welcome applications from people looking for flexible and agile roles, we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application. Benefits As a Birketts colleague, you will be eligible to receive a wide range of benefits: 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays Long Service holiday award – 1 extra week every 10 years continuous servicePrivate Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% emp

Associate / Senior Associate - Family LawLocation: Bath or Bristol (Hybrid Working Available)A highly regarded Legal 500-ranked, full-service law firm is seeking to appoint an Associate or Senior Associate to join its growing Family team, based in Bath or Bristol.The firm is well known for handling high-quality, complex work and for its client-centric approach. It has a strong regional and national reputation across several practice areas and prides itself on an inclusive, supportive culture with genuine flexibility, including hybrid working.The RoleThis is an excellent opportunity to join an ambitious and well-established Family team that is recognised by both Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. The team has a strong presence across the South West and beyond and is actively involved in Resolution at both regional and national level. The role is open to candidates at Associate or Senior Associate level, and the scope of responsibility will reflect experience.Your work will include managing a varied caseload of privately funded family matters, including:Financial remedy work on divorceChildren mattersMatters involving unmarried couplesDelivering a first-class service to clients through effective file management (with supervision as appropriate)Providing clear, commercially focused advice within your area of technical expertiseCollaborating with colleagues across multiple offices on wider team and client initiativesWhile the role is based in Bath or Bristol, there will be opportunities to work with fee-earners across the firm's wider office network.About YouThe firm is looking for a lawyer who combines strong technical ability with a collaborative mindset and a genuine commitment to client service.You will ideally offer:Ideally 3+ years' PQE (applications welcomed from Associate and Senior Associate level candidates)A law degree or equivalent qualificationA minimum 2:1 degree (or demonstrable equivalent competence)Strong communication, organisational and IT skillsCommercial awareness and sound business development instinctsThe ability to contribute to business development in your own specialism and more broadly across the firmA team-focused approach, with personal ambition aligned to collective successWhat's On OfferYou will be joining a Legal 500-ranked firm with a supportive and inclusive culture, offering a relaxed yet professional environment and a realistic balance between office working and home working. The firm also offers:A competitive, flexible benefits package tailored to individual and family needsPrivate medical insurance, life insurance, and health cash planA strong collegiate culture with regular social and networking eventsIf you are an Associate or Senior Associate Family lawyer looking to join a respected, forward-thinking firm undertaking high-quality work, this represents an excellent next step in your career. Please contact Sam Higgins at Simpson Judge either on or email .

Your new companyAn exciting opportunity has arisen for an Associate or Senior Associate Family Solicitor (minimum 3 years' PQE) to join a successful and expanding Family team based in Bristol or Bath. You will be joining a highly regarded regional law firm with a strong, well-established Family Law team. The team has an excellent reputation across the South West and nationally, advising on complex, privately funded family matters while maintaining a strong client-focused ethos. The firm offers a supportive, collaborative and friendly culture, with a genuine emphasis on professional development and empowering individuals to shape their own career paths. This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing team with clear long-term prospects.Your new roleYou will manage your own busy and varied caseload of private family law work, including:Financial matters on divorcePrivate children mattersAdvising unmarried couplesIn addition to running your own files, you will co-work on high-net-worth cases with senior colleagues, gaining exposure to complex and rewarding work. You will be supported by an experienced team while being given autonomy and responsibility.The role also includes business development and networking, building relationships with referrers and contributing to the continued growth of the Family team and wider firm. Travel between offices, courts and local events will be required.What you'll need to succeedTo succeed in this role, you will have:A minimum of 3 years' PQE in Family LawProven experience managing your own family law caseloadStrong technical knowledge across private family mattersExcellent communication, negotiation and client-care skillsA commercial mindset with the ability to turn legal advice into practical solutionsConfidence contributing to business development and client relationship buildingWhat you'll get in returnIn return, you will receive:Access to high-quality private family law work, including complex and high-value mattersA supportive and inclusive team cultureGenuine opportunities for career progression and long-term developmentAutonomy and responsibility with strong team supportA role based in Bristol or Bath, with exposure across a wider regional practiceApply nowIf you are a Family Solicitor looking to progress your career within a respected and growing team, this opportunity offers quality work, career development and a positive working environment. Please contact Harriet Chapman at Hays Legal for further information on this opportunity. Apply now to be considered, or get in touch for a confidential discussion.Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at hays.co.uk