Head of Department

eNL Legal Recruitment; Devon and Torbay; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

Christmas and birthday leave

Monthly wellness leave

Cycle to work scheme

Regular social and networking events

Job summary

eNL Legal Recruitment is seeking an experienced Head of Litigation & Disputes in Devon to lead a growing team. The role combines high-value fee earning with leadership, business development, and strategic responsibility within a supportive firm.

You will manage a varied caseload, provide commercial advice, draft pleadings, negotiate settlements, and contribute to growth plans while mentoring junior colleagues. This role offers a competitive salary and hybrid working.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor or chartered legal executive with significant litigation experience.
• Experience handling contentious matters from instruction to conclusion.
• Strong civil litigation and dispute resolution knowledge.
• Excellent communicator, negotiator and advocate.
• Leadership experience supervising or mentoring colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Manage a varied caseload of litigation and dispute resolution matters.
• Provide clear, commercial legal advice to clients.
• Draft pleadings, witness statements, applications, and settlement agreements.
• Negotiate settlements and represent clients in mediation.
• Lead, mentor, and develop fee earners and support staff.
• Contribute to departmental business planning and growth strategies.
• Build relationships with clients, referrers and professional contacts.
• Attend networking and business development events.
• Support the achievement of departmental financial targets.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and risk management requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Business development

Communication

Negotiation

Advocacy

Mentoring

Education

Qualified Solicitor or Chartered Legal Executive qualification

Job description

Head of Litigation & Disputes | 5+ PQE | Devon | Competitive Salary + Hybrid Working

An established law firm in Devon is seeking an experienced Head of Litigation & Disputes to lead and grow its Litigation team. This is an excellent opportunity for a senior litigation lawyer looking to combine high-quality fee-earning work with leadership, business development, and strategic responsibility.

The Role

• Manage a varied caseload of litigation and dispute resolution matters, including complex and high-value disputes
• Provide clear, commercial legal advice to clients
• Draft pleadings, witness statements, applications, and settlement agreements
• Negotiate settlements and represent clients in mediation and related proceedings
• Lead, mentor, and develop fee earners and support staff
• Contribute to departmental business planning and growth strategies
• Build relationships with clients, referrers, and professional contacts
• Attend networking and business development events
• Support the achievement of departmental financial targets
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and risk management requirements

About You

• A qualified Solicitor or Chartered Legal Executive with significant litigation experience
• Experienced in handling contentious matters from instruction to conclusion
• Technically strong with excellent knowledge of civil litigation and dispute resolution
• A confident leader with experience supervising or mentoring colleagues
• Commercially aware with strong business development skills
• An excellent communicator, negotiator, and advocate
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Additional Christmas and birthday leave
• Monthly wellness leave
• Cycle to work scheme
• Regular social and networking events
• Ongoing career development opportunities

This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious litigation professional to shape and lead a growing Litigation & Disputes team within a supportive and forward-thinking law firm.

At eNL we value diversity and inclusion. We want to attract people at all levels and encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates whatever your ethnicity, religion, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or any characteristics protected by law in the jurisdictions in which we operate