Application Deadline: 24 June 2026

Department: Legal

Location: Bolton

Description

To lead, motivate and engage a team of Costs Lawyers; mentoring and supporting the team members in the progression of their cases; supporting the delivery of client SLAs, KPIs and MI requirements; facilitating the proactive resolution of costs on a range of Complex Injury claims whilst attaining objectives and targets.

The Costs Team Leader should be able to establish strong working relationships within the Costs team; the wider Keoghs business; and with our clients through use of excellent oral skills and succinct written communications.

Support and mentoring with the Costs Team Leader’s Personal Development Plan will be provided to enable development in role and career progression.

The Head of Costs is Howard Dean; Technical Director is Elaine Pitt; and Business Unit Director is Amanda Nuttall.This role is in the Complex Injury Costs team. The Costs Team Leader will be supported by Lead Lawyer, Yvonne Booth.

Key Responsibilities

You will be responsible for your own small caseload, progressing each file from receipt of papers from the Complex Injury team to resolution of costs. In addition, as team leader, a key part of the role is the leadership, motivation, engagement and technical development of your team members. The role will include:

Planning and distributing workload across the team, paying appropriate attention to individual team member’s current capability, to ensure the timely and profitable completion of cases
Measuring and reporting on a weekly and monthly basis the financial and performance MI for the team against agreed targets and KPIs ·Conducting team meetings, including disseminating information from operational leadership or departmental meetings to the team and seeking feedback and views from team members

Mentoring team members with their technical development through the Costs team’s technical framework, providing supervisory support and regular feedback in 1-2-1 meetings to enable them to attain appropriate financial authority levels and progress in role

Consideration and implementation of strategies for effective and robust claims handling against specific claimant firms and CHOs to be able to successfully challenge costs claimed. Meeting with the Director of Costs and Technical Director to articulate challenges faced, highlighting relevant successes

Continuously improving the quality of work in the team, conducting audits, providing feedback to team members and drafting and implementing improvement plans where necessary

Providing updates and implementing Keoghs policies, procedures and local initiatives, including actions arising from audits, to effectively inform and engage team members to perform to agreed standards

Reviewing processes to continuously improve current operating practices or to address specific client requirements

Compliance with benchmarks set by Keoghs and by clients whilst driving settlements and ensuring quality of delivery to enable retention on insurer client panels

To ensure effective delegation of work to junior team members and paralegals; ensuring more senior team members are fully engaged in the development and technical progression of junior team members; with the Team Leader maintaining oversight to ensure the delegation of work to maximise profitability

Effectively deal with complaints through agreed handling processes

Work with the Business Unit Director to manage team members according to the firm’s policies and employment laws, ensuring HR procedures are followed

To ensure compliance with the SRA Standards & Regulations

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

2 years’ experience as a minimum in a similar costs draftsperson / negotiator role, either for claimant or defendant, handling own caseload of high value costs claim

Degree and/or LPC and/or ALCD

Knowledge of current cost case law and insurance litigation practice and process

Experience of the Detailed Assessment process including preparing Bills, Schedules of Costs, Budgets, Points of Dispute and considering replies

Previous experience of client liaison -taking instructions and providing advice both verbally and in writing

Previous experience leading, managing or mentoring others in a team

Ability to upskill and provide constructive feedback to others

Ability to plan and prioritise workloads and to remain calm under pressure

Good telephone negotiation skills

Ability to use own initiative and make decisions

Ability to review and summarise MI to identify performance trends

Excellent listening and verbal communication skills

Ability to act as part of a team

Proficient IT skills in Microsoft packages

Personal Effectiveness

Team commitment: Values others perspective
Resilience: Demonstrates self-control
Passion for growth and improvement:Systematically improves performance
Embracing Change:Responds positively to change

Business Focus

Client Care:Works to add value for the client
Decision Making:Operates within formal authority
Negotiation, Influence and Persuasion
Commercial Insight:Considers some commercial implications
Monitors own performance against objectives set by Team Leader

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) - will automatically be at single cover level but can opt into family option within first month of joining.
Simply Health Care Cash Plan
WeCare – 24/7 online GP, mental health support and virtual wellbeing covering a whole host of topics to do with health, mental health, wellbeing & healthy living and financial & legal wellbeing

Death in Service

Critical Illness Cover

PHI/Income Protection (Private health insurance)

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

Legal Costs Team Leader

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