Associate Lawyer

We are looking for a lawyer (1 to 5 years PQE) to join our Aviation and International Injury department. The candidate will have a claimant background in serious/catastrophic aviation personal injury and complex fatal accident claims. This would ideally include experience in claims with international issues (jurisdiction and/or law) and/or aviation claims. However, candidates with a comparable defendant background or whose experience is in domestic serious injury claims without international or aviation experience will be considered.

About the department: The department maintains its premier reputation at home and abroad for high profile and high value aviation and international injury related litigation matters including the most prominent cases in the sector, representing claimants having suffered life-changing injuries overseas or aviation accidents. The Aviation team represent severely injured passengers or the families of those killed in aviation accidents all over the world. The International Injury team represent people from the UK who have sustained life-changing injuries overseas, as well as foreign nationals who are severely injured whilst in the UK. Our Aviation and International Injury department has more senior lawyers ranked in Chambers, Legal 500 and with APIL Accreditations partners in Accidents Abroad than any other firm. Consequently, this role presents the unique opportunity to work with and learn from our leading lawyers.

Standard lawyer duties:

• Takes initial instructions, establishing suitability of the matter by undertaking preliminary research and reviewing documentation
• Maintains regular communications with clients, solicitors, supervisors and others on the telephone and in meetings
• Explains fee structure and ensures client is kept appraised regularly of changes in any estimate of fees, providing advice at all stages, pre and post proceedings
• Prepares reports, letters of advice
• Drafts statements
• Selects and instructs experts
• Instructs Counsel as appropriate / where required
• Compiles disclosure lists and bundles
• Conducts litigation proceedings
• Appears before the Court at procedural hearings
• Demonstrates relevant experience with ADR
• Liaison with our inhouse Costs team to prepare cost estimates, budgets and schedules, and then maximise cost recovery for our clients through negotiation or cost assessment proceedings.

Expert legal skills:

• Solicitors will be expected to have sound knowledge as befits the areas of work in which they are involved
• In order to successfully communicate with seriously injured clients and their distressed families a high level of interpersonal communication skills will be required

Supervision and teamwork:

• Associate solicitors are supervised by more senior solicitors. They are also involved in delegation of work to, and supervision of, trainee solicitors and paralegals.
• They will be expected to:
• Receive delegation from senior solicitors, pro-actively seeking clarification when necessary and accepting that will from time to time involve constructive critique of work product to ensure it delivers the highest possible standard of client advice and service.
• Delegate effectively to trainee solicitors and paralegals, giving clear instructions, setting scope/targets/deadlines and overseeing their work
• Assign appropriate duties
• Openly collaborate and share information
• Provide regular feedback, offer support and guidance, coach, mentor and motivate
• Seek opportunities for growth, knowledge sharing and learning

Financial Management skills:

• Records time effectively, achieves/exceeds hours and billing targets
• Assists with/manages the effective billing and cash collection
• Monitors financial performance and WIP
• Sets budgets and manages profitability

Business Development skills:

• Demonstrates commercial awareness and vision
• Attends/assists with/organises social events
• Contributes to marketing materials
• Identifies/generates/follows up new business opportunities
• Develops effective business/client relationships
• Develops own network, raises own and the firm’s profile
• Promotes the firm by undertaking public speaking or having articles published
• Assists with/attends/participates in/leads business pitches
• Develops practice expertise, creates a media presence, becomes a recognised leader in the field, drives the reputation of the firm
• Focuses on business development activities, defines and leads business strategy

Knowledge-sharing skills:

• Makes use of the firm’s collective knowledge resources, promotes internal knowledge-sharing
• Promotes and participates in knowledge-sharing across all the injury departments
• Attends and contributes towards know-how meetings, delivers internal training sessions

Personal skills:

• Essential: Minimum 2:1 law degree, or non-law degree with applicable post-graduate law qualification, with minimum commendation at LPC (or equivalent BVC)
• One or more of the following skills/qualifications would also be considered as desirable: (a) additional languages; (b) an LLM in Private International Law or Aviation Law; (c) a US Bar qualification; (d) a technical first degree or background; (e) piloting or aviation operational experience/qualification.
• Demonstrates excellent communication and strong influencing skills (articulate and professional/mature and sympathetic)
• Effective, respectful interpersonal skills
• Shows sound judgement, creative problem-solving and practical decision-making skills
• Embraces the careful use of technology, including AI, to enhance the delivery of our client service and the efficiency of the firm
• Shows commitment, passionate, enthusiastic, socially adept, supportive team-player
• Keen attention to detail
• Reflects the firm’s culture