Commercial Litigation Solicitor (Senior Fee Earner / Team Lead) in Dartford

Our client is part of a group of companies, providing credit management and dispute resolution services to UK and international businesses. They are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The wider Group operates to established governance, data protection and information security standards, including ISO-accredited frameworks.

Location and Working Pattern: Maidstone office-based. The postholder will provide day-to-day support and supervision to the team in-office and will also provide oversight and input to matters resourced elsewhere.

Role Summary

This is a senior, hands-on litigation role for an experienced commercial disputes solicitor who can run a personal caseload with minimal supervision while taking responsibility for supervision, mentoring, and quality control across the team. The practice is predominantly Claimant-side (with some Defendant instructions) and includes:

• commercial debt recovery and wider contractual/commercial disputes;
• insolvency-related litigation;
• institutional-client dispute work;
• opportunity to support and help develop a growing real estate litigation offering.

Key Responsibilities

• Run a personal caseload across commercial debt recovery and wider commercial disputes, from pre-action through to trial/enforcement where applicable.
• Conduct insolvency-linked litigation and strategy, including (where appropriate) statutory demands, winding-up/bankruptcy processes, contested applications, and related enforcement steps.
• Draft, review and settle statements of case, applications, witness statements, and other litigation documents to a consistently high standard.
• Drive procedural compliance and hearing readiness, including disclosure, evidence, schedules, trial bundles, and instructions to counsel.
• Provide clear, commercially focused advice on prospects, strategy, costs risk, settlement options, and enforcement outcomes.

Team leadership, supervision and quality control

• Provide day-to-day supervision and mentoring to junior lawyers.
• Allocate and manage workstreams appropriately, ensuring deadlines are met and output is to standard.
• Maintain effective file oversight and quality control, including review of key pleadings/advice, risk issues, and client communications.
• Contribute to internal know-how, precedents, training, and continuous improvement in litigation processes and standards.

Client management and stakeholder handling

• Act as a senior point of contact for clients and internal stakeholders, ensuring timely updates and management of expectations.
• Liaise effectively with counsel, experts, and counterparties; manage negotiations and settlement discussions where appropriate.
• Support the Head of Department with matter planning, resourcing, and escalation of material risks.

Compliance, governance and operational discipline

• Maintain excellent file hygiene, time recording (where applicable), and matter management in accordance with SRA obligations and internal policies.
• Ensure appropriate handling of confidentiality, conflicts, AML/CTF considerations (where engaged), data protection requirements, and information security standards.
• Use the firm’s case management and automation tools appropriately to drive consistency and efficiency.

Experience and Qualifications

• Solicitor qualified in England and Wales with a current practising certificate.
• Proven ability to run litigated matters with minimal supervision, including ownership of strategy, pleadings, evidence, and case management.
• Strong working knowledge of CPR, costs risk, settlement tactics, enforcement options, and litigation project management.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, or training junior fee earners (or clear capability and appetite to do so).

Desirable

• Experience of insolvency-related litigation and recovery strategy.
• Experience acting for institutional or volume-commercial clients, with disciplined reporting and risk management.
• Exposure to real estate litigation (beneficial but not required).
• Familiarity with Clio and workflow/automation tools (Legl and similar), with a pragmatic approach to legal tech.

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent drafting and advocacy preparation skills; confident with complex pleadings and evidence.
• Strong judgement on proportionality, costs, and settlement strategy.
• Calm handling of urgent and time-sensitive disputes.
• Clear communication style, suited to senior client and stakeholder management.
• High professional integrity with a demonstrable commitment to SRA-aligned conduct, confidentiality, and governance.
• Organised, accountable, and comfortable setting standards for others.

What “good” looks like

• Matters progressed efficiently with strong procedural compliance and clear, recorded decision-making.
• High-quality drafting with minimal rework; consistent court-ready output.
• Improved capability and confidence of juniors through active supervision and feedback.
• Predictable client service: timely updates, clear advice, and controlled costs risk.
• Effective collaboration across Manchester/Kent resourcing and with counsel/external providers.

Pay: £50,000.00-£60,000.00 per year

Benefits: On-site parking

Work Location: In person