Criminal Defence Solicitor

Senior Criminal Solicitor / 3+ PQE / Leeds / c£75,000 DOE / An excellent opportunity for an experienced Criminal Solicitor to take on a leadership role within a Legal 500 and Chambers ranked firm offering high quality work, hybrid working and genuine career progression – To apply please call Teagan on 0113 320 0575 and quote Job Ref: 4756
JOB TITLE: Senior Criminal Solicitor                  
PQE REQUIRED: 3+        
LOCATION: Leeds                 
SALARY: Up to £75,000 (DOE)                     
THE ROLE:
Working closely with the Head of Department, you will play a key role in the day to day management of the crime team, combining your own caseload with responsibility for supervising colleagues, allocating workloads and ensuring the highest standards of client care and regulatory compliance. Appointed as Deputy Head of the department, you will mentor junior Lawyers, support training and development initiatives, oversee file reviews and quality assurance processes, and provide guidance on complex matters. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious Solicitor looking to take the next step in their career while contributing to the continued growth and success of a highly regarded criminal law team.
THE CANDIDATE:
Applications are sought from Criminal Solicitors with a minimum of 3 years' PQE and strong experience in criminal defence work. Previous supervisory or mentoring experience is highly desirable, together with the confidence to lead, motivate and support junior colleagues. You will possess excellent advocacy, organisational and case management skills, alongside a thorough understanding of Legal Aid Agency requirements, SRA compliance and regulatory obligations. Family law experience would be advantageous but is not essential. The successful candidate will be a collaborative and commercially aware lawyer with outstanding communication skills, a proactive approach to leadership and a genuine commitment to delivering exceptional client service.
THE FIRM:
This opportunity is with a nationally recognised, multi office law firm ranked in both the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners for its expertise across a range of practice areas. Renowned for its commitment to access to justice, the firm combines high quality legal work with a supportive and collaborative culture, significant investment in modern technology and genuine flexibility through hybrid working. Lawyers benefit from dedicated administrative, billing and operational support, allowing them to focus on client care and leadership, alongside ongoing training, structured career development, competitive bonuses and an excellent range of employee benefits. This is an outstanding opportunity to join a growing and respected team where your leadership will be valued and rewarded.
HOW TO APPLY:
Contact Teagan Portas at eNL on 0113 320 0575 / 0161 850 0745 or email teagan.portas@enllegal.co.uk with your CV, or simply call for a confidential discussion.
eNL will never share your CV with a third party without your express permission. As part of our candidate care process, we aim to respond to all applications in 7 days. If you have not been contacted within this timescale, your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Please note our advertisements use PQE/salary levels purely as a guide.
At eNL we value diversity and inclusion. We want to attract people at all levels and encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates whatever your ethnicity, religion, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or any characteristics protected by law in the jurisdictions in which we operate.