Head of Litigation & Disputes (Permanent)

RLS Legal Recruitment; Devon and Torbay; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private health insurance

Cycle to Work Scheme

Gifted Christmas leave

Gifted birthday leave

Free indoor bike storage

Regular staff social events

Job summary

RLS Legal Recruitment in Plymouth seeks a Head of Litigation & Disputes to lead a busy, high-value practice. The role combines hands-on complex litigation with strategic leadership, people development, and business growth.

You will manage senior fee earners, mentor junior staff and shape the department's future direction within a well-established firm.

Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor or Chartered Legal Executive with full practice rights.
• Significant post-qualification experience in litigation and dispute resolution.
• Extensive experience managing contentious matters independently.

Responsibilities

• Manage a varied caseload of civil litigation and dispute resolution matters.
• Lead and develop the wider Litigation & Disputes team.
• Provide commercially focused, practical legal advice to clients.
• Draft pleadings, statements, applications and other litigation documents.
• Negotiate settlements and represent clients at mediations.

Skills

Communication skills

Negotiation

Advocacy

Commercial awareness

Strategic thinking

Business development

Client relationship management

Leadership

Education

Solicitor with full rights

Chartered Legal Executive with full rights

Job description

Location: Plymouth, Devon

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience - Circa £65 to £75k

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Working Pattern: Office-based / hybrid

Contract: Full-time

Experienced Litigation Solicitor or Chartered Legal Executive sought to join a well-established Plymouth practice as Head of Litigation & Disputes.

This is a senior opportunity combining a high-quality contentious caseload with responsibility for the leadership, development and growth of the firm's Litigation & Disputes department.

The successful candidate will take a key role in shaping the future direction of the team, with responsibility for people management, business development and financial performance alongside their own complex and high-value litigation work.

Position Overview

You will manage a varied caseload of litigation and dispute resolution matters from instruction through to conclusion, including complex and higher-value disputes. Alongside your fee-earning work, you will lead and develop the wider Litigation & Disputes team.

Responsibilities will include:

• Managing a varied caseload of civil litigation and dispute resolution matters
• Handling complex and high-value disputes
• Providing commercially focused, practical legal advice to clients
• Conducting proceedings in accordance with the Civil Procedure Rules and relevant pre-action protocols
• Drafting pleadings, witness statements, applications, settlement agreements and other litigation documentation
• Negotiating settlements and representing clients at mediations and settlement discussions
• Acting as a senior technical resource for the department
• Supervising and mentoring qualified fee earners, trainees, apprentices and support staff
• Supporting the allocation of work and professional development of team members
• Developing and implementing the department's annual business plan
• Building relationships with existing clients, prospective clients and professional contacts
• Identifying opportunities to generate new instructions and increase departmental revenue
• Participating in networking, marketing and other business development initiatives
• Working collaboratively with other departments to develop cross-referral opportunities
• Monitoring billing, WIP, debt management and overall departmental financial performance
• Ensuring high standards of compliance, risk management and client care

This is a genuine leadership position and would particularly suit an experienced litigator who enjoys combining technical legal work with developing people and growing a successful department.

Requirements

• Qualified Solicitor or Chartered Legal Executive with full practice rights
• Significant post-qualification experience in litigation and dispute resolution
• Extensive experience managing contentious matters independently from instruction through to conclusion
• Strong technical knowledge of civil litigation procedure and dispute resolution
• Experience handling complex and high-value disputes
• Strong commercial awareness and strategic thinking
• Demonstrable business development and client relationship management experience
• Experience supervising, mentoring or developing junior lawyers
• Excellent communication, negotiation and advocacy skills
• Ability to provide commercially focused and pragmatic advice
• Strong organisational and financial management skills
• Existing professional network and/or track record of generating new business would be advantageous
• Previous departmental leadership or management experience would be beneficial

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• 25 days' annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Additional gifted Christmas leave
• Gifted birthday leave
• Private health insurance
• Monthly wellness leave
• Regular staff social events and networking opportunities
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Free indoor bike storage
• Genuine opportunity to lead and develop an established Litigation & Disputes department
• Significant scope to influence departmental strategy, growth and future direction
• Senior position within an established Plymouth practice

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious and commercially minded Litigation Lawyer seeking a genuine Head of Department role with the autonomy to develop a team, grow the practice and play an important part in the firm's wider success.