Costs Negotiator
Application Deadline: 30 October 2026
Department: Legal
Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time
Location: Southampton
Reporting To: Team Leader
Description
Costs Negotiator - Complex Injury
Southampton | Full-time, 35 hours per week | Hybrid Working
We’re looking for an experienced Costs Negotiator to join our supportive Costs team in Southampton, working closely with colleagues across the wider Complex Injury Division.
This is a great opportunity to develop your technical ability through a varied caseload involving costs arising from high-value and complex injury claims, including Employers’ Liability (EL), Public Liability (PL) and Road Traffic Accident (RTA) matters. Your caseload will include a mixture of fixed recoverable costs and hourly-rate work, providing plenty of variety and scope to develop your experience.
What You’ll Be Doing
You’ll manage your own caseload, taking costs matters through to settlement or assessment, while working collaboratively with colleagues across the wider team. Key responsibilities will include:
- Reviewing, assessing and negotiating costs claims
- Preparing Points of Dispute and considering and responding to replies
- Progressing cases through provisional and detailed assessment
- Drafting costs budgets, Budget Discussion Reports and Precedent Ts
- Conducting costs budget negotiations
- Reviewing files, setting strategy and identifying key strengths and weaknesses
- Preparing and maintaining costs strategy reports throughout the life of a case
- Providing clear and accurate advice and updates to clients
- Negotiating positive and commercially effective outcomes for clients
- Managing your caseload effectively to meet deadlines and service-level agreements
- Drafting or opposing relevant applications and, where appropriate, supporting matters through detailed assessment
What we're looking for
We’re looking for someone with previous costs negotiation experience who is comfortable managing their own caseload. You’ll ideally have:
- Experience preparing Points of Dispute and considering replies
- Experience progressing matters towards provisional and detailed assessment
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Previous client liaison experience
- Confident telephone negotiation skills
- The ability to organise and prioritise a busy workload
- Good decision-making skills and the ability to use your own initiative
- A collaborative approach and the ability to work effectively as part of a team
A degree, LPC, ALCD or equivalent qualification would be advantageous, as would previous advocacy experience.
Why join us?
- High-value, complex work – develop your technical ability through costs arising from complex EL, PL and RTA injury claims.
- A varied caseload – work across a mixture of fixed recoverable costs and hourly-rate matters.
- Wider team exposure – collaborate with colleagues across the Costs team and wider Complex Injury Division.
- Technical development – continue building your knowledge and confidence when dealing with higher-value costs matters.
- Client exposure – strengthen your experience of client liaison, providing clear advice and maintaining positive client relationships.
- A supportive team – work alongside experienced colleagues in an environment where knowledge and expertise can be shared.
At Keoghs, our values are at the heart of how we work: we are connected, we are dynamic, we are innovative and we succeed together.
Job Benefits
Working at Keoghs as part of The Davies Group, you will receive a host of benefits that can be flexed to suit your needs:
- Hybrid working
- Entry into the Davies Incentive Plan
- Private medical insurance
- Permanent health insurance
- Critical illness cover
- Health Care Cash Plan
- Holidays 25 days plus 8 bank holidays (opportunity to buy & sell 3 days), holidays rise to 26 days after 5 years’ service and 27 days after 10 years’ service
- Death In Service – after 1 yearEmployer Pension Contribution
- Cycle to Work Scheme, Tech Scheme, Season Ticket Loan, Gym Flex
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Costs Negotiator in Southampton employer: Davies
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