Costs Lawyer/Draftsman - Costs Budgeting Team (5666)

Irwin Mitchell; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A national law firm is seeking a highly experienced Costs Lawyer/Draftsman in Sheffield. This role involves managing budgets, collaborating with fee earners, and producing tailored cost budgets for litigation. The ideal candidate has a strong background in legal costs, is a confident communicator, and can manage multiple cases in a dynamic environment. The firm offers a supportive and inclusive culture with a focus on social responsibility.

Benefits

25 days holidays plus bank holidays

Flexible pension schemes

Paid volunteering days

Health membership benefits

Hybrid working approach

Qualifications

• Experience in costs budgeting, ideally in a similar, senior-level role.
• Confident communicator, able to collaborate effectively with legal teams.
• Comfortable managing multiple cases at once.

Responsibilities

• Producing bespoke costs budgets for a wide range of cases.
• Collaborating with fee earners on financial strategy.
• Liaising with courts and external parties on budget estimates.

Skills

Costs budgeting

File handling

Effective communication

Multi-case management

Job description

Overview

We're looking for a highly experienced Costs Lawyer / Draftsman to join our Costs Budgeting team here at Irwin Mitchell. In this role, you'll play a pivotal part in managing budgets across multiple areas of the business. You'll work closely with fee earners to create tailored cost budgets and estimates for ongoing litigation matters, including disbursements such as medical records, translation services, and expert reports, ensuring strategic foresight across our legal teams. This is a highly specialised position, ideal for someone with a strong background in legal costs work, and particularly well-suited to individuals who thrive in a dynamic environment.

Responsibilities

• Producing bespoke costs budgets for a wide range of cases, often complex in nature.
• Working post-issue through to case management conclusion, tracking and estimating future litigation spend.
• Collaborating with fee earners to align on financial strategy and ensure compliance with filing dates and procedural requirements.
• Advising across the business on budgeting requirements and processes.
• Liaising with courts and external parties on budget estimates and costs discussions.
• Advocate where appropriate - this is a development opportunity for those interested in expanding their advocacy experience.

Qualifications

• Experience in costs budgeting, ideally in a similar, senior-level role.
• Previous file handling experience would be beneficial.
• Confident communicator, able to collaborate effectively with legal teams and stakeholders under time pressure.
• Comfortable managing multiple cases at once and adapting quickly to last-minute instructions.
• Advocacy experience is a plus, but not essential - a great opportunity for those looking to gain exposure in this area.

About the Firm and Culture

We're a national law firm with a local reach. Our legal experts are here for you. Whether it's personal or business, we understand that everyone's situation is different. But we're more than just a law firm - we're a team of people working together to help individuals and businesses navigate life's ups and downs. Working here you'll feel a part of our friendly and inclusive environment. We value you for who you are and what you bring. We support each other and push boundaries to achieve incredible things and make a real difference to our clients and communities. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace where our colleagues can flourish, and we have established a number of inclusion network groups across our business to support this aim.

Our commitment to Social Responsibility, community investment activity and tackling climate change is a fundamental part of who we are. It is made up of four strands: Our People, Our Community, Our Environment and Our Pro Bono.

Onboarding and Screening

As part of the Irwin Mitchell Group's onboarding process, all successful applicants are required to complete the group\'s employment screening process. This process helps to ensure that all new employees meet our standards in relation to honesty and integrity, protecting the interests of the Group, colleagues, clients, partners and other stakeholders. We carry out pre-employment screening to establish your eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record and financial checks with our trusted 3rd parties. The employment screening process will fully comply with Data Protection and other applicable laws.

Benefits

• 25 days holidays as standard plus bank holidays - you can buy up to 35 hours of extra holiday.
• Generous and flexible pension schemes.
• Volunteering days - two days of volunteering every year for a cause of your choice (fully paid).
• Westfield Health membership, offering refunds on medical services alongside our Aviva Digital GP services.
• Flexible by Choice programme for a hybrid working approach, subject to role, team and client requirements. Our Wellbeing initiatives support positive mental health and we have been ranked in the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing for Large Organisations for 2024.