Principal Associate - PI Serious Injury Team

Higgs LLP; Brierley Hill; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Dress for your diary

Flexible hours

Disability Confident Interview Scheme

Job summary

Higgs LLP in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced Principal Associate to join our Personal Injury Team, specialising in catastrophic injury claims. You will handle complex, high-value multi-track cases, including brain and spinal injuries, and lead junior colleagues to deliver excellent client outcomes.

The role combines technical expertise with leadership, client care and business development, with hybrid working and a focus on delivering lasting impact for clients and the firm.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a team or function in personal injury.
• Proven ability to manage catastrophic injury cases end-to-end.
• Strong client-facing skills with empathy and discretion.
• Commercial awareness and strategic thinking.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of catastrophic injury claims.
• Provide expert legal advice with a client-focused approach.
• Conduct litigation, instruct counsel and experts, attend hearings.
• Mentor team members and promote professional development.
• Support business development and referrals for the practice.
• Ensure compliance with SRA guidelines and risk standards.

Skills

Team leadership

Commercial awareness

Client relationship management

Litigation

Tools

Case management software

Job description

Job title

Principal Associate

Department

Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence – PI Serious Injury Team

Our Purpose

To forge long-term relationships that have a positive impact on our people, our clients, our business partners, and our communities.

Our Commitment to Our People

We do not think there is a magic formula to the Higgs culture. The key is to listen to and respect our people. If we take care of our people and our people take care of our clients, then everything we want as a firm will take care of itself. We are friendly and open to new ideas.

Our Core Values

Higgs core values are “CLEAR” – Care, Legacy, Excellence, Authenticity, Relationships

Role Purpose

We are seeking an experienced Principal Associate to join our Personal Injury Team, specialising in catastrophic injury claims. This is a fantastic opportunity to work on complex, high-value multi-track cases involving life-changing injuries, including brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations, and serious orthopedic trauma.

Key Responsibilities

• Case Management: Handle a caseload of catastrophic injury claims.
• Client Care: Provide expert legal advice with a client-focused approach, ensuring empathy and understanding for individuals and their families. Managing client expectations appropriately, which includes negotiating with defendant insurers/solicitors and other professionals to secure the desired objectives of the client
• Litigation & Advocacy: Conduct litigation, instruct counsel and experts, attend court hearings, and negotiate settlements.
• Leadership & Supervision: Support and mentor team members, promoting their professional development.
• Business Development: Assist in growing the firm's catastrophic injury practice, participating in networking, marketing, and relationship-building with referrers and insurers.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure compliance with relevant legal and regulatory standards, including SRA guidelines and industry best practices.

Person Specification

The criteria below will be assessed via application (A), interview (I), Test (T), or multiple (A/I/T).

Essential Criteria

• Experience leading a team or function and providing recognised expertise that supports good decision-making, consistent quality, and the development of others. (A/I)
• Demonstrates efficient and commercially aware practice, with an ability to recognise sector developments and adjust approach to meet evolving client needs. (A/I)
• A proven ability to understand what matters to stakeholders and strengthen relationships.
• A people centered approach to identify opportunities and contribute to the firm’s success through collaborative engagement. (A/I)
• Ability to model constructive behaviours, support colleagues and help create a clear sense of direction through good judgement and positive influence (A/I)
• Ability to manage complex and competing demands with confidence, provide clear and reasoned guidance, and build effective working relationships with key stakeholders across the business. (A/I)
• Shows a clear understanding of financial hygiene and contributes to achieving team and individual performance goals. (A/I)

Technical Knowledge

• Proficient user of core business and legal systems.
• Excellent understanding of data security, confidentiality and risk.
• Adopts relevant tools and stays informed about new technologies.
• A strong appreciation of the core legal process in serious/catastrophic injury claims.
• Solid understanding of The Rehabilitation Code, Serious Injury Guide and their application to major trauma cases.

What You Need To Know

We offer more than just a job. Our benefits reflect our commitment to your development, wellbeing and work-life balance.

• Higgs offers hybrid working wherever possible.
• Our Higgs’ Best FIT (flexible, inclusive, together) principles are designed to ensure that people can complete their best work from the most appropriate location.
• If you are looking to work flexibly then let us know and we will do what we can to accommodate your request.
• We also encourage a ‘dress for your diary’ approach which means dressing in a manner appropriate for your schedule or the specific appointments you have on any given day.

Equal Opportunities

Higgs LLP is proud to be a signatory of The Law Society’s Diversity, Inclusion Charter and a Disability Confident Committed Employer. These commitments reflect our dedication to building a workplace that is inclusive, accessible, and welcoming to all. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities.

As part of our Disability Confident commitment, we offer a guaranteed interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role and choose to opt into the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.

We are also committed to ensuring that all applicants can fully participate in the recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments, please let us know by contacting us at [e-mail]

We recognise that inclusion is an ongoing journey, and we regularly review and publish our diversity data, which can be accessed here.

People Driven. Legal Excellence.