Costs Lawyer

Simpson Judge; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Simpson Judge have partnered with a leading national firm who are seeking a talented Costs Lawyer to join a specialist Costs and Advocacy team based in Birmingham.

You will work on a varied portfolio of high-value and complex costs matters arising from commercial and personal injury litigation, including attendance at CCMCs and application hearings, while supporting wider litigation lifecycle activities within the team.

Qualifications

• Previous experience within legal costs and exposure to Defendant and Claimant work.
• Experience in advocacy at costs hearings, drafting Budgets, Bills of Costs, Points of Dispute and Schedules of Costs.
• Strong ability to negotiate costs settlements and manage high-value, complex litigation.

Responsibilities

• Managing your own caseload of costs matters.
• Drafting and preparing Costs Budgets.
• Preparing and assessing Bills of Costs.
• Drafting Points of Dispute and Replies.
• Preparing Schedules of Costs.
• Providing costs estimates and supporting the reserving process.
• Negotiating costs settlements and achieving commercially effective outcomes.
• Attending and providing advocacy at CCMCs and application hearings.

Skills

Attention to detail

Analytical skills

Workload management

Communication skills

Negotiation

Teamwork

Proactive approach

Pressure resilience

Job description

Costs Lawyer

Location: Birmingham

Firm: Legal 500

Department: Motor / Claims

The Role

Simpson Judge have partnered with a leading national firm who are seeking a talented Costs Lawyer to join a specialist Costs and Advocacy team based in Birmingham.

This is an excellent opportunity to work on a varied portfolio of high-value and complex costs matters arising from commercial and personal injury litigation. The team provides specialist costs support throughout the entire lifecycle of a claim, working closely with legal teams from initial reserving and cost estimates through budgeting, litigation and final resolution.

The role will offer exposure to a broad range of complex work, including attendance at Costs and Case Management Conferences (CCMCs) and application hearings. You will provide support across wider aspects of litigation, rather than being limited solely to traditional costs work.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing your own caseload of costs matters.
• Drafting and preparing Costs Budgets.
• Preparing and assessing Bills of Costs.
• Drafting Points of Dispute and Replies.
• Preparing Schedules of Costs.
• Providing costs estimates and supporting the reserving process.
• Negotiating costs settlements and achieving commercially effective outcomes.
• Supporting matters through the costs budgeting and detailed assessment process.
• Attending and providing advocacy at CCMCs and application hearings, where appropriate.
• Working closely with legal teams throughout the lifecycle of a claim.
• Handling high-value and complex matters across personal injury and commercial litigation.
• Providing practical and commercially focused costs advice to internal stakeholders and clients.

This list is not exhaustive, and the successful candidate may be required to undertake additional responsibilities consistent with the wider remit and seniority of the role.

About You

The ideal candidate will have previous experience within legal costs and, ideally, exposure to both Defendant and Claimant work.

Experience in some or all of the following areas would be highly beneficial:

• Advocacy and attendance at costs hearings.
• Drafting Costs Budgets.
• Preparing Bills of Costs.
• Drafting Points of Dispute and Replies.
• Negotiating costs settlements.
• Preparing Schedules of Costs.
• Handling high-value and complex litigation matters.
• Personal injury and/or commercial litigation costs.

For junior candidates, a strong interest in developing a career within legal costs is essential, together with a commitment to working towards qualification as a Costs Lawyer.

Skills and Experience

To succeed in this role, you will demonstrate:

• Excellent attention to detail and strong analytical skills.
• Effective workload management and the ability to prioritise competing deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Confidence in negotiation and dealing with a range of stakeholders.
• The ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• A proactive and commercially minded approach.
• The ability to work efficiently and accurately under pressure.

The Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity for a Costs Lawyer looking to develop their career within a specialist and supportive costs team. You will gain exposure to complex, high-value litigation and work alongside experienced legal professionals, with genuine opportunities for professional development and progression.