Costs Draftsperson
Department: Legal
Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time
Location: Bolton
Compensation: £30,000 - £45,000 / year
Description
The Costs Draftsperson is responsible for preparing bills, schedules of costs and other pleadings, resolving costs claims predominantly as a receiving party representative.
Key Responsibilities
- Ability to draft bills of costs and recovery of costs through the Detailed Assessment process, including negotiating costs, drafting budgets either Claimant and/or Defendant and conduct own advocacy.
- Responsible for management of own caseload using in-house case management system including timely and accurate maintenance of the system along with billing and management information – ensuring completeness of records in order to aid business decision making.
- Responsible for hitting chargeable hours target every day.
- Delegation of tasks where available and appropriate to other members of the team.
- Drafting Bills and Schedules of Costs
- Preparing replies and considering points of dispute Identifying strengths and weaknesses and preparing a document to reflect this.
- Preparing cost strategy reports, and providing strategic costs advice.
- Dealing with correspondence and telephone calls.
- Undertaking periodic reviews of files in line with Client requirements.
- Provide written updates by email or letter to clients detailing case activity to ensure that they receive up to date and accurate information about progress when requested.
- Conduct own advocacy or instructing advocate as required
Skills, Knowledge & Expertise
- Experience in a similar costs Draftsperson role - bill drafting and costs recovery for receiving party.
- Have a good understanding of the Detailed Assessment process, Cost Case Laws and Insurance Litigation practice & process. Previous experience of client liaison.
- Good standard of education – 3 GCSE’s grade C or above or equivalent including Maths, English & Science as a minimum.
- Good telephone negotiation skills
- Previous experience of handling own caseload.
- Ability to use own initiative.
- Ability to plan and prioritise workloads.
- Excellent listening and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to make decisions.
- Ability to remain calm under pressure.
- Ability to act as part of a team.
- Proficient IT skills.
Desirable
- Education – Degree and/or LPC and/or ALCD or equivalent.
- Conducted own advocacy.
Job Benefits
- Davies Incentive Plan
- 25 days holiday per year which increases with level of service (opportunity to buy & sell 3 days)
- 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 – after 1 years’ service
- 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