Assistant to Lead Lawyer

Department: Claims Management

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Bristol

Description

Key Responsibilities

• Working with the Lead Lawyer to manage a caseload of complex injury claims including high value multi-track claims. 
• Communicating with insurer clients, dealing with their queries and updating them as the matter progresses. 
• Forensic analysis of voluminous quantum evidence, preparing chronologies, identifying anomalies and other relevant information across various sources and categories of evidence.
• Using your existing knowledge of personal injury to identify relevant issues within medical records in order to instruct medical experts, drawing key issues to their attention. 
• Critical analysis of sources of liability evidence and identifying any gaps. 
• Drafting concise technical advice on all aspects of claim handling to include advice on indemnity, liability, quantum and causation issues and claims resolution for strategy discussion with the Partner.
• Proactively identifying next steps required on matter, discussing those aspects with the Partner and taking action as agreed. 
• Interviewing witnesses and drafting statements. 
• Liaising with parties involved in claims including the insured, insurer, witnesses etc.
• Drafting pleadings and applications. 
• Instructing counsel.
• Delivery of agreed performance targets and quality standards.
• Delegate assigned tasks for a Paralegal and be fully engaged in their development in terms of technical ability and achievement of objectives.
• Maintaining case managements systems with up to date management information for clients. 
• To ensure compliance with the SRA Standards & Regulations

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Experience of liability and quantum essential.
• Experience of personal injury in casualty claims preferred. 
• Critical thinking and quantum analysis experience required.
• Good telephone advocacy skills.
• Positive, confident and enthusiastic. 
• Excellent listening, verbal and written communication skills including the ability to compose professional written communications. 
• Good advocacy skills. 
• Excellent inter-personal and client care skills. 
• Understanding of case law and litigation practice and process, and Court Practice Rules.
• Ability to plan and prioritise workloads, keep to deadlines and work under pressure.
• Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to weigh facts, apply the law and make decisions.
• Ability to anticipate problems and identify solutions. 
• Driven to achieve to take development opportunities when they arise with a positive attitude.
• Calm under pressure with the ability to re-prioritise and delegate effectively when required.
• Confidence to take initiative to innovate and adapt to changing situations.
• Confidence to seek advice and guidance when dealing with new tasks.
• Ability to follow instruction and with attention to detail and to give clear instruction, direction and guidance to more junior members of the team.
• Ability to recognise when sensitivity and tact are required.
• Ability to effectively work within a team.
• Proficient IT skills (Word, Excel and Office).
• Good standard of education – 5 GCSE’s grade C/5 or equivalent including maths and English.

Benefits

• Davies Incentive Plan
• 25 days holiday per year which increases with level of service (opportunity to buy & sell 3 days)
• Family Cover Private Medical Insurance (Bupa)
• Simply Health Care Cash Plan
• WeCare – 24/7 online GP, mental health support and virtual wellbeing covering a whole host of topics to do with health, mental health, wellbeing & healthy living and financial & legal wellbeing
• Death in Service
• Critical Illness Cover
• PHI/Income Protection (Private health insurance)
• Pension Contribution based 5% Employee / 3% Employer
• Employee Resource Groups
• Employee Volunteering Programme
• Cycle to Work Scheme*
• Tech Scheme*
• Season Ticket Loan*
• Gym Flex*
• Access to Online Discount Sites
• Discounted Gourmet Society Membership
• Discounted Tickets for Merlin Attractions nationwide
• Discounts at local retail outlets