Overview
Solicitor – Costs role at DAC Beachcroft Dublin. Department: CSG - Strategic (Advocacy / Costs / Safety, Health and Environment / Criminal / Abuse / Travel). Employment Type: Permanent. Location: Birmingham.
We are currently accepting applications for an experienced lawyer with at least five years of receiving party costs experience to supervise the costs statement receiving party team. The successful candidate will directly supervise up to 3 lawyers specialising in receiving party work, including the drafting of costs statements, bills and budgets.
The costs product currently comprises multiple teams and professionals, including Partners, Legal Directors, Associates and a broad group of lawyers dealing with costs litigation.
This role has product wide responsibility to manage the provision of the costs statement drafting service and will report directly to the Legal Director of the receiving party section.
Responsibilities
* Handle a case load focusing on recoveries where acting for the receiving party
* Support the Legal Director of the Receiving Party section with operations and delivery of the receiving party service
* Provide line management to a team of up to three receiving party claims lawyers, including performance and technical supervision
* Deal with all aspects of costs recovery, including the drafting of detailed electronic bills
* Demonstrate leadership of the provision of the receiving party costs statement service, including the management and allocation of new costs statement instructions
* Act as a point of contact for clients, with knowledge and skill commensurate with experience
* Ensure full compliance with clients’ SLAs and DAC Beachcroft’s internal protocols
* Take responsibility for quality control and benchmark compliance on own caseload, including accuracy and timeliness of management reporting
* Ensure adherence to benchmark standards in all work
* Demonstrate a high level of financial management in respect of own files
* Hit and maintain targets for chargeable time, financial performance, realisation rates, settlement rates and average claim spend
* Aim for a minimum budgeted annual target of around 1250 chargeable hours per year for a full-time lawyer
* Ensure compliance with firm billing and credit control protocols and manage own files’ financials
* Support marketing and business development activity within the team (e.g., attending marketing events and client training)
* Maintain awareness of the firm’s strategies and plans
* Develop technical knowledge through training and reading relevant publications
* Handle confidential information in line with the firm’s data security protocol
Who you are
* At least five years, preferably more than ten years, experience dealing with costs recovery arising from litigation, including drafting replies, budgets, budget discussion reports, schedules of costs and detailed bills of costs
* Recent and extensive experience drafting detailed electronic phased bills (preferred)
* Experience supervising other lawyers or demonstrated technical leadership (preferred)
* Experience of operational management in a costs recovery context (preferred)
* Role is best suited for a full-time lawyer due to volume; part-time considered only with good availability
* Fully compatible with 100% remote working from home
* Qualified Costs Lawyer, Legal Executive or Solicitor (or substantial relevant experience)
* Confident negotiator with clear written and verbal communication
* IT literate with good Excel and Word skills; familiarity with case management systems desirable
* Willingness to follow a process-driven system within set parameters
* Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team
* Excellent organisational skills with ability to prioritise and manage workload
* Experience in a pressurised, deadline-driven environment
* Ability to apply a commercial perspective to legal issues
* High standard of work with excellent attention to detail
What’s in it for you?
* High levels of flexibility and a good work-life balance
* Remuneration package including private medical insurance, income protection and gym membership among other benefits
* Opportunities for growth and progression including professional funding
* In-person and remote social events
* Opportunity to get involved in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) activities
We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, aligned with our cultural principles (Determined, Clear, Creative and Supportive). If you are excited about this role and our culture, but your past experience does not align perfectly with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway.
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