Associate

This is an exciting role for a newly qualified solicitor (ideally 0-2 years’ PQE) to join our market leading medical negligence team in our London office.

The team specialises in representing clients who have sustained a life changing injury, and our teams are geared in such a way to achieve outstanding results for clients and to make a real difference to their lives. The department is top ranked in the directories. We secured the Legal 500 “Client Satisfaction” quality mark, being one of only a small handful of firms to do so. We were also named in The Times as a top 3 firm for personal injury and medical negligence work.

Your role is an assisting role, and you will work alongside senior lawyers in the department on complex and high value medical negligence litigation. You will report to a partner in the department and / or Head of Department Anita Jewitt.

Qualified solicitors/barristers must be licensed to practice law to act on behalf of clients in legal matters. The specific nature of the legal work relates to the relevant specialist litigation practice areas of the firm and is set out below.

Fee earners are typically responsible to the head of a work group and/or the Head of Department.

Solicitors must have a current practicing certificate, maintain their CPD record and comply with the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s Continuing Professional Development Scheme.

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
• Prepares cost estimates, cost schedules is involved in the preparation for cost assessment proceedings

Expert legal skills:

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

Supervisory skills:

Senior solicitors may supervise other qualified solicitors and most qualified solicitors will have responsibility for a paralegal. They will be expected to:

• Delegate effectively to junior lawyers and paralegals, set boundaries and oversee work

• Assign appropriate duties

• Give clear instructions and share information

• Provide regular feedback, offer support and guidance, coach, mentor and motivate

• Consider opportunities for growth and challenge

• Conduct formal performance appraisals

Financial Management skills:

• Records time effectively, achieves/exceed 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 practise 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

• Attends and contributes towards know-how meetings, delivers internal training sessions

Personal skills:

• 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

• Shows commitment, passionate, enthusiastic, socially adept, supportive team-player

• Keen attention to detail

• Reflects the firm’s culture