Ref: 1012

An award winning fast paced Law firm based in Greater Manchester. Their culture is to train and promote their staff within so that each individual can realise their personal and professional goals.

The role

To join a growing costs department currently at 40 plus.

The position will involve handling a fixed costs caseload reviewing inter partes disputes, developing persuasive arguments making offers, negotiating settlement and preparing cases for summary and detailed assessment.  The role also offers excellent career development prospects for the right candidate, as the firm offers training contracts or support through the ACL qualification, for those candidates who prove themselves.

The role involves:

• Reporting to supervisor in weekly review meetings.
• Working to a caseload, WIP and fee target.
• Reviewing and negotiating fixed costs cases.
• Drafting letters, Costs Schedules, Part 23 Applications and Part 8 Proceedings. Skeleton arguments and written submissions.
• Liaising with fee earners and management.
• Providing assistance to other team members as and when required.

Responsibilities

• Progressive Management a caseload.
• Securing payments on account of costs at the earliest opportunity.
• Ensure that the quality of work produced is to the highest standard.
• Reviewing costs schedules/bills with a view to negotiating Claimants costs, generally disputed fixed costs cases, and settling costs files in a timely manner.
• Negotiating settlement of costs and reporting terms of settlement.
• Preparing bills/Part 23 Applications and/or Replies to Points of Dispute in fixed costs cases.
• Drafting Part 8 and Part 23 Proceedings.
• Preparing cases for assessment hearings.
• Attending costs hearings where appropriate.
• Provide technical support to the costs team on fixed costs disputes.
• Maintaining the highest client care and service standards.

Person Specification

• A good working knowledge of fixed costs claims and the costs process.
• A good working knowledge of CPR Cost related procedures, Pre-Action Protocols, and case law for fixed costs disputes.
• 2 to 5 years’ experience of case handling and working to target.
• Ability to deal with advocacy at costs hearings on fixed costs matters (not essential but desirable.)
• Good commercial awareness and a professional attitude.
• Ability to work to time scales and cope under pressure.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work within a team.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Good IT skills, experience of Proclaim, Excel and Cost Master is desirable.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Our aim is to respond to all successful applications within 5 days.  If you haven’t been contacted within 5 days your application has been unsuccessful and your details will not be held further but we positively encourage you to apply for any other positions that you may see in the future. We apologise that we cannot contact everybody in person but thank you in advance for your interest. Liberation Recruitment Ltd encourages applications from individuals of all ages & backgrounds.  Appointment will be made on merit alone but candidates must be able to demonstrate their ability to work in the UK. Liberation Recruitment Ltd acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment & an employment business for temporary recruitment as defined by the Conduct of Employment Agencies & Employment Business Regulations 2003.

Liberation Recruitment is a Recruitment Agency and is advertising this vacancy on behalf of one of its Clients.