Contentious Trusts & Probate Solicitor

Contentious Probate Solicitor | 2+ Years PQE | Manchester

Contentious probate is a discipline that demands equal parts legal rigour and emotional intelligence. The cases are personal, often entrenched, and clients look to their lawyer not just for expertise, but for steady guidance through one of the most difficult periods of their lives. This Manchester-based specialist practice has built its reputation on exactly that combination: sharp technical work, empathy, and a modern, tech-enabled approach to dispute resolution.

The firm is relatively young, launched with a clear vision to do things differently. It combines a deep focus on contested wills, trusts, estates, and inheritance disputes with a forward-thinking investment in legal technology. Advanced case analysis tools, cloud-based case management, and data-driven strategy are not afterthoughts; they are embedded in the way the team works. The result is a practice that punches above its weight, offering clients a level of sophistication that matches far larger outfits, while retaining the personal touch that makes all the difference in this area of law.

The role
You will join a growing contentious estates team, managing your own caseload while working closely with senior colleagues, including an experienced head of department. The work is varied and intellectually demanding. Your caseload will include:

• Will validity challenges and capacity disputes

• Inheritance Act 1975 claims

• Administration disputes and trustee removal applications

• Equitable estoppel and constructive trust claims

• Lifetime gift challenges and financial abuse investigations

• Professional negligence matters arising from will drafting

You will handle cases from initial client consultation through to resolution, whether that means negotiated settlement, mediation, or court proceedings. You will be expected to manage your files efficiently, communicate clearly, and approach every case with the right balance of commercial awareness and sensitivity.

The team is collaborative and close-knit. You will have day-to-day support from colleagues and direct access to senior lawyers who are invested in your development. There is a commitment to helping you grow, whether that means broadening your technical range, sharpening your advocacy, or developing your own client following.

About you
You are a qualified solicitor with at least two years' post-qualification experience in contentious probate and inheritance disputes. You have a good working knowledge of the key areas: capacity, validity, 1975 Act claims, and trust disputes. You draft well, think analytically, and communicate with clarity and compassion. You are comfortable managing your own caseload but equally happy to collaborate.

What's on offer

• A specialist contentious probate role in a modern, tech-forward Manchester practice

• A supportive, friendly team with direct access to senior expertise and mentoring

• Hybrid working with flexibility

• The opportunity to grow with an ambitious firm at an early stage in its journey

• Competitive salary and the chance to work on meaningful, often complex, disputes

Apply now for a confidential conversation.