Costs Litigation Assistant - 2nd November 2026

Express Solicitors Limited; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid Working

23 Days Holiday (rising to 26)

Private medical insurance after 2 yrs

Onsite gym and social activities

Job summary

Express Solicitors Limited in Manchester is seeking a Costs Litigation Assistant to learn the financial side of legal cases. You will receive full training on Cost Master and Proclaim, review client files for billable work, and work with the costs team to ensure recoveries.

The role offers hybrid working after probation, a salary of £28,500 with a £200 monthly commission if targets are met, and clear progression paths toward Trainee Costs Draftsperson or a Solicitors Training Contract.

Qualifications

• A degree in Finance, Business or a related field.
• GCSE Maths and English at C grade or above.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong numerical and written information analysis.
• High motivation, able to work under pressure and on own initiative.

Responsibilities

• Preparation of costs schedules for trial.
• Counting and drafting breakdowns of costs at case conclusion.
• Liaising with service providers to barristers to ascertain final fees.
• Preparation of risk assessments.
• Making calls to progress costs negotiations and payments on account.
• Assisting with cost budgets.
• Reviewing the work and preparing chronologies and descriptions of steps taken.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Numerical analysis

Initiative

Under pressure

Education

Finance or Business degree

Tools

Cost Master

Proclaim

MS Office

Job description

Costs Litigation Assistant - 2nd November 2026

Would you like to begin your career in Law? We welcome Law graduates as well as graduates from Business and related fields, who are eager to develop their skills in the legal sector.

We are seeking a highly motivated and detail oriented Law or Business graduates to join our legal team as a Costs Litigation Assistant. Don’t worry you don’t need to have experience in Costs Law or even general Law!

We provide full training on all aspects of the role. You will learn how to use our cost drafting software: Cost Master, and our case management system: Proclaim. You will learn how to review a client file of papers accurately in order to bill all the client’s legal work and disbursements. Training will be given in new starter groups and one to one at your desk (both in person and over MS Teams). You will have a work Buddy and work closely with your Line Manager.

You will get involved in:

Preparation of costs schedules for trial.

Counting and drafting breakdowns of costs at case conclusion, to assist with recovery of costs from between the parties to litigation and to assist with calculating client charges.

Liaising with service providers to our clients such as barristers to ascertain final fees and fee estimates.

Preparation of risk assessments.

Making telephone calls to progress cases in terms of costs negotiations and payments on account of cost.

Assisting with the preparation of cost budgets.

Reviewing the work done for the client and preparing chronologies and descriptions of the steps taken.

We offer a Salary is £28,500 per annum, as well as a monthly commission of £200 if targets are achieved.

We have a cohort of Costs Litigation Assistants starting on Monday 2nd November 2026. If you are available to start full time from then, we would love to hear from you.

We set you up to succeed

We provide full training through our Costs Training Programme on all aspects of the role. A Costs Litigation Assistant works with the costs team and solicitors to manage the financial side of legal cases. This includes preparing, checking and negotiating costs, bills and schedules (which are lists of expenses). They also help make sure the firm recovers the money it's owed.

Training will be given in new starter groups and one to one at your desk (both in person and over MS Teams).

We are committed to providing our employees with the guidance and resources they need to succeed in their roles and advance their careers.

This role has great career progression routes such as:

Trainee Costs Draftsperson : A tailored in-house training programme rotating throughout the three different costs roles (file handling, technical bill drafting and budgeting)

Solicitors Training Contract to qualify as a Solicitor for those who have completed a law degree.

The training provided was comprehensive and hands-on, helping me build a solid foundation in cost management while also giving me real-world experience. The learning environment was supportive, with mentors and peers alike always willing to share their knowledge and insights. The best part is how well the role aligns with my skills and interests, allowing me to grow professionally while contributing meaningfully to the team and business.

The foundation of my professionalism has been built with the continuous support received in my first corporate graduate role. Starting as a Cost Litigation Assistant has truly provided me with an abundance of knowledge, skills and a strong work ethic to thrive in my career.

My journey at Express Solicitors began as a Costs Litigation Assistant, and through the firm's dedication to my growth, I've advanced in my training and am now a qualified Costs Lawyer. Not many firms truly invest in their people, but Express Solicitors has consistently supported my educational and career development. In the Costs department, we're fortunate to foster strong working relationships across the firm, which creates a collaborative and supportive environment that allows us to thrive together.

What are we looking for?

A degree such as Finance, Business or other similar degree.

GCSE Maths & English at C grade or above.

Excellent written and oral communication skills.

The ability to produce work that is highly accurate with excellent attention to detail.

The ability to assess and analyse both numerical and written information.

Be highly motivated, with the ability to work under pressure.

The ability to work under your own initiative.

Have a working knowledge of IT systems like Microsoft Office packages.

About us

Established in 2000, Express Solicitors is an award-winning, no win no fee law firm specialising exclusively in personal injury claims. Headquartered in Manchester, we support clients nationwide across all areas of personal injury, including employers' liability, serious injury, clinical negligence, occupiers' and public liability, road traffic accidents and industrial disease.

We are ranked 60th in The Lawyer UK Top 200, out of more than 10,000 law firms nationwide, and after achieving a 20% year-on-year growth, Express Solicitors are the largest personal injury claimant firm in the UK.

Our commitment to outstanding client care is reflected in our Trustpilot rating of 4.8 (Excellent), placing us among the highest‑rated firms in the sector.

We work hard and play hard

Law has always been seen as a challenging profession. Express Solicitors expect you to work hard for our clients. But we also love to have fun, with regular department socials, yearly Christmas parties (paid for by the business) and every other year a Summer social at the CEO's house paid for by James, himself.
We are also have lots of other regular activities, with weekly football and netball games, a running club and a board game night.

Hybrid Working

4/1 hybrid working pattern after probation.

23 Days Holiday

Rising to 26 days, plus bank/public holidays.

3 holiday buy backs and an extra day for your birthday after service length requirement.

Looking After Your Health

Private medical insurance available after 2 years' service, annual flu jab and Employee Assistance Programme.

24/7 onsite Gym, Netball/Football team, 10km Manchester team and more.

Work Life / Balance

Active social committee with generous departmental and firm-wide social budget.

Where are we?

Resolution House
317-319 Palatine Road
Manchester
M22 4HH

Recruitment Process

The interview process will consist of a Video Interview, and if successful a MS Teams interview with Carly Schofield (Partner).

We rate skill and ability above all else and our recruitment policy encourages applications from all.

Need more info?

Harrison Hunt, our Emerging Talent Administrator, is happy to answer any questions you may have, about what Express Solicitors can offer you.

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