Solicitor (NQ - 5PQE) Healthcare Team

The Healthcare & Sports team are seeking an Assistant Lawyer (0-2 years PQE) to join them. This role offers an excellent opportunity to work within our established Healthcare & Sports team, focusing predominantly on non-delegated hourly rate healthcare claims. The team works exclusively for private medical providers and their insurers, with claims including orthopaedics, plastics, dental, ophthalmic, and radiological.

In this role, you will undertake a variety of chargeable activities and some non-chargeable tasks to support the London Healthcare & Sports team. Flexible working is available for the right candidate, and while most of the team are in London, candidates from Bolton, Liverpool, and Manchester are encouraged to apply.

You may be required to work temporarily as part of a client team and will need to demonstrate strong client relationship skills.

Key Responsibilities:

• Handle your own matters under supervision and support senior lawyers to progress each file from receipt of papers from the insurer client to resolution of the claim.
• Deliver agreed performance targets and quality standards, recording 7 chargeable hours per day.
• Follow correct file handling procedures, including file opening processes, preparation of client care letters, and complying with client SLAs.
• Review initial files of papers, prepare appropriate chronologies, and form initial views on breach of duty, causation, and quantum with preparation of reports to clients.
• Obtain and carry out appropriate client instructions, including researching suitable experts and obtaining liability reports, liaising with both insured and insurer clients, and updating strategy recommendations as appropriate.
• Maintain a strict overview of reserves on all files and arrange billing at regular intervals.
• Draft a variety of documents including Court documents, instructions to experts and counsel, advices to clients, and without prejudice settlement correspondence.
• Handle the file efficiently on a day-to-day basis, fielding telephone calls and general queries, liaising with involved parties, ensuring adherence to Court Guidelines, and obtaining CRU/NHS Charges certificates.
• Deal with a Court timetable, including complying with disclosure, facilitating witness statement preparation, and exchange of expert reports.
• Organise matter-associated paperwork through use of Egress/Bundledocs.
• Use and maintain the internal case management system (Tracker) to keep the digital file current.
• Carry out legal research tasks.

Essential Skills and Attributes:

• Higher education/non-law degree or equivalent experience in the legal sector.
• Experience in dealing with clinical negligence claims.
• Understanding of the litigation process.
• Excellent telephone and communication skills.
• Ability to organise and prioritise tasks using initiative.
• Calm under pressure with the ability to re-prioritise and delegate effectively.
• Positive, confident, and enthusiastic.
• Excellent listening, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Excellent inter-personal and client care skills.
• Excellent IT skills.
• A team worker with flexibility to ensure client service levels are met.
• Ability to learn technical knowledge relating to clinical medicine standards of care.
• Ability to anticipate problems, identify solutions, and make decisions.

Desirable:

• Previous experience of working in a team handling Healthcare and/or Professional Indemnity claims.

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
• Death in Service
• Critical Illness Cover
• PHI/Income Protection
• 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