Claims Handler/ Paralegal

DAC Beachcroft LLP; West of England; Vor Ort; GBP 25.000 - 35.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

DAC Beachcroft in Bristol is seeking a paralegal to support the Professional Negligence Team in handling professional indemnity and management liability claims. You will work under supervision to develop expertise in liability assessment and case strategy.

The role involves drafting correspondence, liaising with insurers and insured professionals, and coordinating with experts and external counsel to deliver high-quality client service.

Qualifikationen

• Graduate calibre with an excellent academic record.
• Previous experience of working as a claims handler or similar within the field of professional indemnity is useful but not essential.
• IT literate with working knowledge of Word and Excel.

Aufgaben

• Manage a caseload of lower value claims under supervision.
• Conduct the review of new cases.
• Drafting correspondence to clients.
• Maintain ongoing contact with the insurer and insured professional throughout the process to report on progress and take further instructions.
• Instruct experts and external counsel where appropriate.
• Handle confidential information in line with the firms data security protocols.

Kenntnisse

Graduate calibre

Claims handling experience

IT literate (Word & Excel)

Tools

Word

Excel

Jobbeschreibung

Key Responsibilities

Our Professional Negligence Team specialises in advising professionals and their insurers when negligence claims arise. We work across a variety of service lines, including law, construction, architecture, property consultants, financial services, and accounting, offering tailored advice for each sector. Our expertise covers a wide range of claims, from straightforward disputes to complex, high-value cases, assessing professional standards and mitigating risks for our clients. We also handle Management Liability claims i.e. directors and officers and employment practices liability claims.

We take a proactive approach to resolving disputes, often employing creative solutions to avoid litigation where possible. The team is also well-versed in alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation, helping to achieve favourable outcomes efficiently and cost-effectively.

Through our deep knowledge of industry-specific standards and regulations, we ensure that our clients receive expert guidance on navigating claims in their respective fields.

The Professional Negligence Team sits within the wider Professional and Commercial Risks team in our Bristol office. The team is ranked in Tier 1 in both the Legal 500 and Chambers directories, with a number of leading individuals named. It includes commercial litigation together with the longest established professional negligence team in Bristol, acting for most of the leading insurers, as well as large professional services firms themselves including leading global surveyors, solicitors and insurance brokers. Alongside the team sits a market leading claims handling team, DAC Beachcroft Specialist Claims Services, handling several thousand professional indemnity claims on an outsourced basis on behalf of London Market Insurers.

This role is a claims handling/paralegal role within the Professional Negligence Team handling Professional Negligence claims, Directors and Officers and Employment Practices Liability claims.

The overall purpose of this role is to provide a timely, professional and high-quality service to clients in the management of Professional Negligence and Management Liability claims. The role will require you to:

• Manage a caseload of lower value claims under supervision. This will include developing a knowledge of professional indemnity law, employment practices liability, insurance law and coverage issues as well as the civil procedure rules and aspects of alternative dispute resolution. The role will provide training and supervision with a view to enabling you to independently assess liability and quantum, and advise on strategy for a claim;
• Conduct the review of new cases;
• Drafting correspondence to clients;
• Maintain ongoing contact with the insurer and insured professional throughout the process to report on progress and take further instructions;
• Instruct experts and external counsel where appropriate;
• Handle confidential information in line with the firms data security protocols.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Graduate calibre with an excellent academic record;
• Previous experience of working as a claims handler or similar within the field of professional indemnity is useful but not essential;
• IT literate with working knowledge of Word and Excel.
• Able to work to deadlines, prioritise own workload effectively under pressure and manage conflicting priorities;
• Proactive and demonstrating initiative in driving forward matters on own accord, seeking guidance and input from others where appropriate;
• Very good attention to detail and accuracy with drafting;
• Team oriented. A collegiate approach to sharing knowledge and working with colleagues across locations is essential;
• Committed and enthusiastic with a mature attitude to work and a desire to commit long term to a career in this field;
• Confident oral and written communication skills.

Additional Information

As a Disability Confident Scheme employer, we’re committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you need any reasonable adjustments at any stage (including the application, assessment or interview process), please contact [e-mail] in confidence with the vacancy reference in the subject line, and we’ll be happy to help.

About DAC Beachcroft

We are a leading international legal business with over 3,000 colleagues and a diverse range of capabilities. We are market leaders in insurance, health and real estate but with a full-service offering, including growing Financial Services and Tech capabilities. We represent a wide range of clients – from household names to government departments and NHS bodies. We act for nearly all of the top-20 UK and global insurers, we're market leaders in the provision of strategic, commercial and regulatory advice to providers and commissioners in the health sector, and in real estate we advise all of the UK’s top-five housebuilders.

We are a fast-growing international business with offices around the globe. In addition to our 11 UK offices, we also have offices in Bogota, Buenos Aires, Dublin, Dubai (DIFC), Lima, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, New York, Paris, Rome, Santiago de Chile, and Singapore plus a representative office in Miami and broad network of affiliations across the globe.

At DAC Beachcroft we are committed to and recognise the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion across the board, including and beyond the protected characteristics. We take decisions based solely on merit. We value, welcome and seek out people with different backgrounds and life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, ways of thinking and identities.

We are happy to talk flexible working with our Flex Forward scheme. We would encourage you to talk to us about our approach to flexible working during the hiring process if you would like to explore this further.

Note for Recruitment Agencies

DAC Beachcroft manages all vacancies via our in-house recruitment teams, prioritising direct sourcing and referrals. When external support is required, roles are released to selected agencies on our Preferred Supplier List (PSL).

For PSL queries, please contact: [e-mail] or [e-mail]

QWE

Will this role count as your QWE, and who will confirm it?

Check it against the SRA’s questions in two minutes. If there is no COLP or solicitor where you work, the SRA lets a solicitor outside confirm it: an FQPS solicitor can, from £149.