Assistant Solicitor - Associate

Keoghs LLP; North East; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Davies Incentive Plan

25 days holiday per year

Private Medical Insurance (Bupa)

Simply Health Care Cash Plan

PHI/Income Protection

Pension Contribution 5%/3%

Cycle to Work Scheme

Tech Scheme

Season Ticket Loan

Gym Flex

Discounts at Merlin Attractions

Discounts at local outlets

Job summary

Keoghs LLP in Newcastle seeks a qualified solicitor to join our Complex Injury Claims Team. You will manage high-value multi-track catastrophic injury cases with input from a partner who also handles national insurer relationships.

We look for NQ+ solicitors with defendant experience, strong attention to detail, and solid knowledge of indemnity, liability and complex medical issues. Flexible-hour arrangements can be discussed.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor or legal executive with NQ+ status.
• Proven experience in personal injury, handling multi-track and complex injury claims is preferred.
• Experience of indemnity, liability and complex medical issues is preferred.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking to assess evidence.
• Excellent client care and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Progress files from receipt to closure, liaising with insurers and clients.
• Manage a caseload of high-value injury claims, including liability and quantum.
• Instruct medical experts and instructions to counsel; attend conferences and mediations.
• Draft pleadings, applications and technical advice on indemnity, liability and causation.
• Ensure compliance with SRA standards and regulations.

Skills

Qualified solicitor or legal executive

NQ+

Personal Injury experience

Litigation experience

Indemnity knowledge

Liability knowledge

Medical issues knowledge

Excellent communication skills

Ability to prioritise and meet dead­l­

Research skills

Job description

Description

This role offers the opportunity for a qualified solicitor to work with a recognised market leader in catastrophic injury work within our Complex Injury Claims Team. The Partner with whom the Assistant Lawyer will work manages a team of lawyers handling RTA non-delegated, high value multi track and catastrophic injury claims with a special interest in brain, spinal and amputation injuries. The Partner is also a key client relationship contact for a number of national insurers.

We are looking for an ambitious individual who has solid previous experience in personal injury. You will be NQ+ , ideally have defendant experience and with a keenness to progress in this specialist area of law.

Experience of indemnity, liability and complex medical issues is preferred and excellent attention to detail essential. The role will also involve the need to engage with senior claims handlers in long-standing insurance clients as well as assisting the Partner in activities that enhance and develop Keoghs' profile. This is a fantastic opportunity to build on existing experience in a complex, high value area of law.

This role is working with our Newcastle team, but office location can be flexible. Part time hours or flexible working arrangements can be considered, and all details will be discussed at application.

Key Responsibilities

You will work as part of a team progressing each file from the receipt of papers from the Insurer to claims resolution dealing with aspects of liability and quantum. The role will include:

• Working with senior members of the team to manage a caseload of complex injury claims consisting of claims valued anywhere between £50 thousand and in excess of £1 million.
• Communicating with insurer clients, dealing with their queries and updating them as the matter progresses.
• Forensic analysis of voluminous quantum evidence, preparing chronologies, identifying anomalies and other relevant information across various sources and categories of evidence.
• Using your existing knowledge of complex and catastrophic injury symptomology to identify relevant issues within medical records in order to instruct medical experts, drawing key issues to their attention.
• Critical analysis of sources of liability evidence and identifying any gaps.
• Drafting concise technical advice on all aspects of claim handling to include advice on indemnity, liability, quantum and causation issues and claims resolution for strategy discussion with senior lawyers and handlers.
• Proactively identifying next steps required on matter, discussing those aspects with the senior lawyer and taking action as agreed.
• Interviewing witnesses and drafting statements.
• Liaising with parties involved in claims including the insured, insurer, witnesses etc.
• Drafting pleadings and applications.
• Instructing counsel and attending conferences, JSMs, mediations both remotely and in person.
• Making full use of the firm's Case Management System in progressing files from receipt to closure.
• Attending court in person or remotely from time to time, attending trials, settlement conferences etc as required.
• To ensure compliance with the SRA Standards & Regulations

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

As well as all the key ingredients that make you a successful lawyer we are essentially looking for:

• Qualified solicitor or legal executive - NQ+
• Proven experience in a Personal Injury role having handled multitrack work as a minimum
• Experience of litigation, indemnity, liability and complex medical issues is preferred
• Critical thinking and quantum analysis experience required
• Good telephone advocacy skills
• Excellent listening, verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent client care skills
• Ability to prioritise work, keep to deadlines and work under pressure
• Excellent research skills
• A strong knowledge of relevant insurance principles

Job 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 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