Litigation Lawyer

idibu; England; Hybrid; GBP 49,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK water company is seeking a Litigation Lawyer for a maternity cover fixed-term contract. You will manage a busy caseload primarily involving third-party damage and illegal connections, with responsibilities including case progression, risk assessment, and negotiation. A competitive salary of up to £58,000 and generous benefits are offered. This hybrid role is based in Reading.

Benefits

Competitive salary

26 days holiday, increasing to 30

Performance-related pay plan

Generous Pension Scheme

Health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in managing a busy caseload of civil litigation claims.
• Experienced in managing own self-development and professional requirements.

Responsibilities

• Identify and assess legal risks.
• Provide legal advice to teams.
• Negotiate with third parties to secure outcomes.
• Progress cases through Court.
• Attend court with Counsel when required.

Skills

knowledgeable and experienced qualified Legal Executive or solicitor

Strong organisation and drafting skills

Understanding of relevant Pre-Action Protocols and Civil Procedure Rules

Ability to advise on costs and mediation

Job description

Overview

This is an exciting opportunity for a legal executive or litigation lawyer seeking a rewarding and fast-paced role in a friendly and supportive environment.

You will be working closely with the Third Party Damage and Illegal Connections team, managing a busy caseload of claims on behalf of Thames Water. The caseload will be varied, interesting and challenging, incorporating strict liability, negligence and infrastructure charges claims.

What you’ll be doing as a Litigation Lawyer

• Identify and assess legal risks.
• Provide general legal advice and support to the Third Party Damage Team and Illegal Connections Team.
• Where required, seek support and advice from specialist legal advisors internally and externally, Counsel and expert witnesses (including sending legal instructions).
• Progress cases through the Court from the issue of proceedings through to enforcement.
• Negotiate with third parties, their insurers or legal representatives to secure the best possible outcome in Thames Water’s claims.
• Work closely with the Third Party Damage Team and the operational teams, gathering further evidence and witness statements where required.
• Arrange and attend mediations and settlement meetings with third parties.
• Attend court with Counsel when required.
• Manage ongoing training and personal development to meet CiLex or SRA requirements.

This is a Maternity cover fixed-term contract, 12 – 14 months

Base location – Hybrid – Clear Water Court, Reading

Requirement – UK valid driving licence

What you should bring to the role

To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need are:

• knowledgeable and experienced qualified Legal Executive or solicitor
• Extensive experience in managing a busy caseload of civil litigation claims.

• Strong organisation and drafting skills, managing cases from the point of instruction through to settlement, judgment and enforcement.
• A strong understanding of relevant Pre-Action Protocols and Civil Procedure Rules is essential for this role.
• The ability to advise on costs, mediation and other forms of dispute resolution, expert reports and disclosure is also essential.
• Experienced in managing own self-development and professional requirements.
• An essential aspect of the role will be to keep abreast of legal and procedural developments and to provide adequate updates or training to the Third Party Damage Team, including updating the legal precedent pack.

Extra qualities that would be a great fit for our team:

• Knowledge of the waste industry

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary of up to £58,000 per annum depending on experience
• Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays)
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to both company and individual performance measures and targets
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

Find out more about our benefits and perks

Who are we?

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Learn more about our purpose and values

Working at Thames Water

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else, just let us know. We’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Disclaimer: Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.