Associate Solicitor, Personal Injury, NQ-3PQE

About the team

Our band 1 ranked Personal Injury practice specialises in handling a range of complex, life changing and catastrophic injury claims including brain and spinal injury, amputee claims and fatal accidents. We have represented many clients who have sustained life-changing injuries and work proactively to ensure our clients get the rehabilitation and compensation needed to cover costs of equipment care and therapy at the earliest possible opportunity.

Overall purpose of the role

This role will support Sarah Saldanha and David Preston with a caseload of personal injury claims across a range of specialisms. The role will involve managing end to end litigation through investigating and pursuing serious injury claims. The successful candidate will also support with business development initiatives. This opportunity is ideal for an ambitious NQ to 3PQE personal injury lawyer who is ready for the next step in their career at a leading claimant firm.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Case management

• To obtain accurate information and instructions from our clients, analyse the legal and practical aspects of their claims and obtain the necessary documents/evidence to provide preliminary advice on liability/quantum/costs & funding.
• To instruct medico-legal experts to advise on liability, causation and quantum, negotiate acceptable terms for their instruction, ensure their fees are paid promptly, prepare formal instructions and liaise with those experts and/or their secretaries during the running of the case.
• To analyse and advise on strategy, tactics, and how best to achieve the most successful outcome for each client according to the particular circumstances of their case.
• To endeavour to achieve optimum settlements for clients, whether that be pre-litigation, or by conducting litigation through to trial or earlier settlement and to deal with post trial/settlement considerations such as costs and enforcement proceedings, and to consider whether any decision should be appealed.
• To enable clients and/or their litigation friends, where a client lacks capacity, to make informed decisions based on advice on legal and other appropriate considerations e.g. costs, funding and risks of litigation.
• To ensure the timely and effective deployment of others involved in the matter e.g. expert witnesses, enquiry agents, counsel, cost draftsmen.
• To monitor all aspects of the case on behalf of the client and advise on whether subsequent developments affect views previously expressed.
• To heed the procedural timetable and time limits, to make necessary applications where required to protect the client's position.
• To comply with the Civil Procedures Rules.

• To deal with clients in a sensitive, professional and compassionate way.
• To identify clients' objectives and to seek to further them in a manner consistent with all professional and ethical obligations.

• To work and behave in a professional manner and within the highest ethical and other standards of the profession.
• Comply with procedures set out in the office manual, professional standards and any requirement set by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or similar interested bodies e.g. Legal Expense Insurers.
• To maintain the strictest standards of client confidentiality at all times.

• Support with wider business development initiatives.
• Participate in the wider Personal Injury team's strategy by attending presentations, seminars, writing articles, and activities with wider professional and other relevant organisations as required.

• To always maintain the strictest concern for and awareness of the need for GDPR and data protection and in accordance with the firm's internal policies.
• To immediately report any compliance or risk management concerns to the relevant persons without delay.

• Stay updated on relevant legal developments to ensure accurate and up-to-date advice to clients.
• To ensure learning and development plans are completed and that records are up to date and compliant with SRA and Lexcel requirements.

• Any other tasks as might be required from time to time.

Person specification

• Ability to demonstrate a commitment to equality, access to justice and affordable legal advice of the highest quality.
• Qualified lawyer with solid demonstrable experience in personal injury. It would ideally suit lawyers with 0 to 3 years of relevant post qualification experience or equivalent.
• Demonstrable knowledge in conduct of cases from initial advice through to trial.
• Experience in calculating losses in Schedule of Loss (often large and complex).
• Relevant experience in analysing complex factual and legal situations and advising clients in accordance with their aims.
• Experience in dealing sensitively with clients and experts, providing solutions and managing difficult situations and conversations.
• Ability to analyse complex factual and legal situations and advise as to the critical path that should be followed.
• Solid experience in using a variety of IT packages (MS Word, Excel, Case Management Systems and Outlook).
• Excellent communication skills, demonstrated by ability to communicate accurately, clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing.
• Excellent time management skills demonstrated by ability to organise and prioritise a complex workload and work to tight deadlines.
• Experience in working and contributing in a team environment.