Commercial Litigation Solicitor

VanRath; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

VanRath Belfast is seeking a Northern Ireland-qualified Commercial Litigation Solicitor to join a focused Property Recoveries practice. You will handle plaintiff-focused matters for a range of commercial clients, with ownership of your own caseload from instruction through to settlement or trial.

You will work on subrogated recoveries, uninsured losses and indemnity disputes, with opportunities to develop leadership skills and a specialist practice in a supportive team.

Qualifications

• NI-qualified solicitor with commercial litigation experience.
• Solid background in property damage, recoveries or related contentious practice is a plus.
• Strong drafting, analytical and negotiation skills.
• Excellent organisation and ability to manage own caseload and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Manage own portfolio of plaintiff-focused recovery, defence and indemnity claims.
• Develop clear case strategies aligned with client commercial objectives.
• Advise clients and negotiate settlements.
• Draft pleadings, correspondence and other legal documents.
• Progress pre-litigated and litigated matters from instruction to conclusion.
• Build strong client relationships and contribute to business development.

Job description

Commercial Litigation Solicitor | Property Recoveries | Belfast

Northern Ireland Qualified | Litigation Experience | Specialist Practice | Career Progression

Looking for a different type of litigation role?

If you're a Commercial Litigation Solicitor who enjoys the strategic and commercial side of disputes and wants the opportunity to develop a specialist practice, this could be an interesting next move.
We're working with a well-established Belfast legal team that is looking to appoint a solicitor to its Property Recoveries practice.

This is a predominantly plaintiff-focused role, acting for a broad range of commercial clients, including insurers, across a varied portfolio of property recovery, defence and indemnity matters.

You'll have genuine ownership of your own caseload, while also gaining exposure to a specialist area of litigation that offers plenty of scope to develop your technical and commercial expertise.

And importantly, you don't need previous property recoveries experience. If you have a solid litigation background, a commercial mindset and the ambition to develop, the team is willing to support you in building the specialist knowledge required.

What will you be working on?

The work is varied and commercially focused, including:

• Subrogated property recoveries - recovering repair costs following damage to commercial and residential properties and motor vehicles.
• Uninsured loss recoveries.
• Recovery of overpayments and duplicate payments.
• Property damage defence.
• Property damage indemnity matters.

You'll handle a mixture of pre-litigated and litigated matters, giving you the opportunity to develop your experience across the full lifecycle of a claim.

What will you be doing?

You'll take ownership of your own caseload and be responsible for progressing matters efficiently from instruction through to settlement or conclusion.

Your role will include:

• Managing your own portfolio of recovery, defence and indemnity claims.
• Developing clear case strategies with the client's commercial objectives in mind.
• Advising clients and negotiating settlements.
• Drafting correspondence, pleadings and other legal documentation.
• Applying relevant legislation, technical guidance and case law.
• Progressing litigated matters and ensuring deadlines are met.
• Managing risk and compliance across your caseload.
• Building strong relationships with clients and becoming a trusted point of contact.
• Supporting business development and client relationship activity where opportunities arise.

More than just fee earning

The role also offers the opportunity to take on early supervisory and leadership responsibility.
You'll support and mentor junior colleagues, including paralegals and trainee solicitors, while working alongside the senior members of the team.
This is a particularly good opportunity if you're looking to move beyond simply managing your own files and start developing the leadership, client-management and commercial skills that will support your longer-term progression.

Who are we looking for?

We're keen to speak with Northern Ireland-qualified Solicitors with experience in commercial litigation, property damage or another relevant contentious practice area.

You don't need to have worked in property recoveries previously.

The strongest candidates are likely to have:

• Solid practical litigation experience.
• Strong drafting, analytical and negotiation skills.
• A commercial approach to litigation and settlement.
• Experience managing your own caseload.
• Excellent organisation and attention to detail.
• Strong client communication skills.
• The ability to manage competing deadlines and priorities.
• Good commercial awareness, including an understanding of the financial aspects of legal work.
• The confidence to work independently while contributing to a wider team.
• A willingness to learn and develop expertise in property damage investigation and recovery.

Experience with case management systems and strong IT skills would be advantageous.

Why consider it?

This isn't simply another commercial litigation vacancy.

It's an opportunity to develop a specialist practice, gain exposure to interesting commercial disputes and build your profile within a growing team.

You’ll have:

Specialist experience
Develop expertise in property recoveries, a niche and commercially focused area of litigation.

Real ownership
Manage your own pre-litigated and litigated caseload and take responsibility for your matters.

Commercial exposure
Work with established commercial clients and develop your understanding of the commercial drivers behind litigation.

Leadership opportunities
Support and develop junior colleagues while gaining early supervisory experience.

Support and development
Build your technical knowledge with support from experienced members of the team.

Career progression
Develop the skills and experience needed to take the next step in your litigation career.

Interested?

If you're a Northern Ireland-qualified Solicitor with litigation experience and are interested in developing a specialist practice, I'd be keen to have a confidential conversation.

You may already have experience in property damage or recoveries, or you may simply be a strong litigator looking for a new challenge and a more specialist direction.

All enquiries will be treated in the strictest confidence.