Junior Costs Draftsperson

Davies; Royton; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Davies Incentive Plan

25 days holiday per year (plus buy/sow

Simply Health Care Cash Plan

WeCare - 24/7 online GP, mental health

Pension Contribution 5% Employee / 3%

Employee Resource Groups

Employee Volunteering Programme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Tech Scheme

Season Ticket Loan

Gym Flex

Discounts at Merlin attractions

Discounts at local retail outlets

Job summary

Davies is seeking a Junior Costs Draftsperson to manage a caseload on Property, Risks & Coverage claims. You will draft budgets, points of dispute, and schedules of costs, while negotiating settlements with opponents and liaising with insurers.

You will develop through mentoring and play a key role in delivering client SLAs and KPIs, working within the Costs Recoveries and PRC team under Darren Lee and with the Head of Costs, Howard Dean.

Qualifications

• Degree and/or LPC and/or ALCD
• Previous experience of client liaison - taking instructions and providing advice both verbally and in writing
• Good telephone negotiation skills
• An understanding of current cost case law and insurance litigation practice and process
• Ability to use own initiative and make decisions
• Ability to plan and prioritise workloads and to remain calm under pressure
• Excellent listening and verbal communication skills
• Ability to act as part of a team
• Proficient IT skills in Microsoft packages

Responsibilities

• You will manage your own caseload from receipt of papers to resolution of costs.
• Formulate an initial costs strategy and settlement parameters.
• Prepare costs schedules and bills to proceed through costs litigation; points of dispute; and consider replies.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses of both own and opponent’s case.
• Negotiate settlement of costs by telephone and update clients on progress.
• Handle correspondence and telephone calls within SLAs.
• Periodically review files in line with client requirements.
• Settle costs within agreed negotiation parameters.
• Instruct counsel and attend conferences; detailed assessment hearings and mediations, remotely and in person.
• Attend court for application and detailed assessment hearings and mediations, remotely and in person to conduct advocacy.
• Deliver on performance targets; Keoghs quality standards; and client SLAs, KPIs and MI requirements.
• Delegate tasks to a Paralegal and mentor their development in terms of technical ability.
• Ensure compliance with the SRA Standards & Regulations

Skills

Client liaison

Telephone negotiation

Cost case law

Initiative

Workload planning

Active listening

Team player

Microsoft Office

Education

Law degree / LPC

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Description

To pursue the settlement of legal costs as soon as practicably possible on a range of Property, Risks & Coverage claims through drafting budgets, points of disputes, bills, schedules of costs and other formal documents.

A Junior Costs Draftsperson should be able to proactively review cases; formulate an initial costs strategy and settlement parameters; provide comprehensive advice to clients; commence early telephone negotiations with opponents; and liaise, as required, with Insurers throughout the life of the file.

The Junior Costs Draftsperson should be able to establish strong working relationships within the Costs team; the wider Keoghs business; and with our clients through use of excellent oral skills and succinct written communications.

The Junior Costs Draftsperson will be expected to attain their Objectives as well as Client SLAs and KPIs. Support and mentoring with their Personal Development Plan will be provided to enable technical development and career progression.

The Head of Costs is Howard Dean; Technical Director is Elaine Pitt; and Business Unit Director is Amanda Nuttall. This role is in the Costs Recoveries and PRC team managed by Darren Lee with support from Lead Lawyer, Matthew Luckhurst.

Key Accountabilities

You will be responsible for your own caseload, progressing each file from receipt of papers from the insurer client and/or Keoghs Property, Risks & Coverage team to resolution of costs. The role will include:

• Proactively reviewing cases to formulate an initial costs strategy and settlement parameters
• Preparing costs schedules; bills to proceed through costs litigation; points of dispute; and considering replies
• Identifying and documenting strengths and weaknesses of own case and opponent’s case
• Using the telephone to discuss; put forward meritorious arguments; and negotiate settlement of costs
• Updating reports to clients of progress made in resolving costs claimed
• Dealing with correspondence and telephone calls received within SLAs
• Undertaking periodic reviews of files in line with client requirements
• Settlement of costs within agreed negotiation parameters
• Instructing counsel and attending conferences; detailed assessment hearings; and mediations, remotely and in person
• Attending court for application hearings; detailed assessment hearings and mediations remotely and in person to conduct own advocacy
• Delivery of agreed performance targets; Keoghs quality standards; and client’s SLAs, KPIs and MI requirements
• Delegate assigned tasks to a Paralegal and be fully engaged in their development in terms of technical ability and achievement of objectives
• To ensure compliance with the SRA Standards & Regulations

Working Hours

• Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm with 1 unpaid hour for lunch.
• Primary location for this role is Bolton Office.

Essential Skills and Attributes

• Degree and/or LPC and/or ALCD
• Previous experience of client liaison - taking instructions and providing advice both verbally and in writing
• Good telephone negotiation skills
• An understanding of current cost case law and insurance litigation practice and process
• Ability to use own initiative and make decisions
• Ability to plan and prioritise workloads and to remain calm under pressure
• Excellent listening and verbal communication skills
• Ability to act as part of a team
• Proficient IT skills in Microsoft packages

Benefits

• Davies Incentive Plan
• 25 days holiday per year which increases with level of service (opportunity to buy & sell 3 days)
• Simply Health Care Cash Plan
• WeCare - 24/7 online GP, mental health support and virtual wellbeing covering a whole host of topics to do with health, mental health, wellbeing & healthy living and financial & legal wellbeing
• Death In Service - after 1 years' service
• Pension Contribution based 5% Employee / 3% Employer
• Employee Resource Groups
• Employee Volunteering Programme
• Cycle to Work Scheme*
• Tech Scheme*
• Season Ticket Loan*
• Gym Flex*
• Access to Online Discount Sites
• Discounted Gourmet Society Membership
• Discounted Tickets for Merlin Attractions nationwide
• Discounts at local retail outlets

*after successfully completing probation

We are a specialist professional services and technology firm, working in partnership with leading insurance, highly regulated and global businesses. We help our clients to manage risk, operate their core business processes, transform and grow. We deliver professional services and technology solutions across the risk and insurance value chain, including excellence in claims, underwriting, distribution, regulation & risk, customer experience, human capital, digital transformation & change management. Our global team of more than 8,000 professionals operate across ten countries, including the UK & the U.S. Over the past ten years Davies has grown its annual revenues more than 20-fold, investing heavily in research & development, innovation & automation, colleague development, and client service. Today the group serves more than 1,500 insurance, financial services, public sector, and other highly regulated clients.