Chartered Legal Executive/Solicitor - Military
Our team of expert military solicitors ensures service men and women have access to specialist advice. We help military service personnel who need to bring a claim against the Ministry of Defence due to failure to adequately protect them from illness or avoidable injury. We advise on a full range of areas, including military deafness and cold‑and‑heat injuries.
We are looking for a Chartered Legal Executive/Solicitor (1‑3 year PQE) to join our military department, focusing on a litigated caseload of multitrack personal‑injury claims. This is a fixed‑term contract covering maternity leave.
Duties will include
* Manage a litigated caseload of multitrack PI claims (industrial disease, RTA, EL/PL, occupiers liability, product liability) under supervision.
* Run files from pre‑action through to settlement or trial, ensuring CPR/Practice Direction and Pre‑Action Protocol compliance.
* Take initial instructions, assess liability/causation/quantum, set case strategy, and maintain clear case plans with diarised key milestones.
* Draft and settle core documents: letters of claim/response, claim forms, Schedules/Counter‑Schedules of Loss, direction questionnaires, witness statements, application notices and draft orders, as well as instructions to experts/counsel.
* Instruct, brief and manage appropriate experts (medical and non‑medical such as engineering, employment, forensic accounting) and arrange joint expert work where proportionate.
* Conduct disclosure, manage inspection and prepare/maintain trial‑ready bundles (including e‑bundles).
* Prepare for and attend CMCs/CCMCs/PTRs and interlocutory hearings; handle suitable advocacy on routine applications and directions lists.
* Prepare accurate costs budgets (Precedent H) with assistance from costs lawyers where appropriate, produce budget discussion reports (Precedent R) and conduct costs management.
* Deploy ADR effectively: Part 36 strategy, joint settlement meetings and without‑prejudice negotiations.
* Pursue interim payments for damages/costs where appropriate; implement and monitor rehabilitation under the Rehabilitation Code and Serious Injury Guide.
* Liaise with defendants, insurers, claims handlers, counsel and experts.
* Identify and resolve procedural, evidential and limitation risks promptly; escalation of complex or high‑exposure issues to Grade B/A supervisors.
* Ensure funding and costs protection are in place and compliant.
* Maintain meticulous file management on the case‑management system (time recording, attendance notes, task lists, key‑date register).
* Deliver high‑quality client care: provide clear advice on liability, quantum, litigation risk and settlement/benefit implications.
* Keep up to date with developments in PI (Ogden updates, fixed recoverable costs regime boundaries, discount rate/case law) and share learning with the team.
* Support supervision of trainees/paralegals (file reviews, drafting feedback, allocation of discrete tasks) and contribute to internal know‑how.
* Uphold regulatory duties (SRA Standards and Regulations, data protection, confidentiality, conflicts, undertakings, complaints handling).
* Contribute to business development (referrer relationships, networking, articles/webinars) as agreed with the team lead.
Skills & Qualifications
* Exposure to the claimant litigation process is essential.
* Experience of independently managing a case load.
* Previous experience dealing with multitrack PI claims.
* Excellent organisational skills.
* Accuracy and attention to detail.
* Excellent client care.
Benefits
* Minimum 25 days holiday plus bank holidays.
* Two corporate social responsibility days.
* Birthday day off.
* Death in service equivalent to twice the annual salary.
* Auto‑enrolment pension scheme.
* Hybrid working.
* Employee assistance programme.
* Discounts for local businesses.
* Professional fees paid (subject to role requirements).
* Employee recruitment incentive scheme.
Hugh James is an equal‑opportunity and disability‑confident committed employer.
Thank you for considering this opportunity. For queries, please contact Jack Osborne.
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