Costs Draftsperson

Costs Draftsperson

Department: Legal

Employment Type: Permanent – Full Time

Location: Bolton

Compensation: £30,000 – £45,000 / year

Description

The Costs Draftsperson is responsible for preparing bills, schedules of costs and other pleadings, resolving costs claims predominantly as a receiving party representative.

Key Responsibilities

• Ability to draft bills of costs and recovery of costs through the Detailed Assessment process, including negotiating costs, drafting budgets either Claimant and/or Defendant and conduct own advocacy.
• Responsible for management of own caseload using in-house case management system including timely and accurate maintenance of the system along with billing and management information – ensuring completeness of records in order to aid business decision making.
• Responsible for hitting chargeable hours target every day.
• Delegation of tasks where available and appropriate to other members of the team.
• Drafting Bills and Schedules of Costs
• Preparing replies and considering points of dispute Identifying strengths and weaknesses and preparing a document to reflect this.
• Preparing cost strategy reports, and providing strategic costs advice.
• Dealing with correspondence and telephone calls.
• Undertaking periodic reviews of files in line with Client requirements.
• Provide written updates by email or letter to clients detailing case activity to ensure that they receive up to date and accurate information about progress when requested.
• Conduct own advocacy or instructing advocate as required

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Experience in a similar costs Draftsperson role – bill drafting and costs recovery for receiving party.
• Have a good understanding of the Detailed Assessment process, Cost Case Laws and Insurance Litigation practice & process. Previous experience of client liaison.
• Good standard of education – 3 GCSE’s grade C or above or equivalent including Maths, English & Science as a minimum.
• Good telephone negotiation skills
• Previous experience of handling own caseload.
• Ability to use own initiative.
• Ability to plan and prioritise workloads.
• Excellent listening and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to make decisions.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Ability to act as part of a team.
• Proficient IT skills.

Desirable

• Education – Degree and/or LPC and/or ALCD or equivalent.
• Conducted own advocacy.

Job Benefits

• Davies Incentive Plan
• 25 days holiday per year which increases with level of service (opportunity to buy & sell 3 days)
• 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 – after 1 years’ service
• 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

*after successfully completing probation