Senior Applications Analyst

Hempsons LLP; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading law firm is seeking a Senior Applications Analyst to manage and develop core legal applications. This role involves maintaining systems, troubleshooting issues, and developing innovative AI solutions. The ideal candidate will have expertise in Aderant Expert and SQL Server, with a hybrid work schedule requiring office attendance at least two days a week. A competitive benefits package includes private health insurance and a holiday purchase scheme.

Benefits

Private health insurance

Life assurance

Critical illness cover

Cycle-to-work scheme

Qualifications

• Proven experience with Aderant Expert and workflow optimisation.
• Hands-on skills in Microsoft 365, including SharePoint and Power BI.
• Ability to manage SQL Server databases and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and develop core legal application systems.
• Provide troubleshooting and resolution of technical issues.
• Collaborate on AI capabilities using the firm's Generative AI platform.

Skills

Aderant Expert administration

SQL Server management

Microsoft 365

C#

PowerShell

Data integrations

Cyber security best practices

Tools

Microsoft Azure

Power Platform

Visual Studio

Power BI

Job description

Overview

We are seeking an experienced and proactive Senior Applications Analyst to support the management, development, and optimisation of our core legal applications and data systems. The successful candidate will join the Applications and Data team who are responsible for ensuring business-critical applications are maintained, upgraded, and integrated effectively. Working alongside the other Applications Analysts in the team, reporting to the Applications and Data Manager, you will contribute to the day-to-day support of Legal applications, and you will also be involved in key projects to deliver new applications to the business. You will be given the opportunity to work with innovative technologies, including Generative AI and Data Analytics, that support the firm\'s wider business strategy. This is a wide-ranging role including project work that will drive innovation and change within the firm. This is a Hybrid working role that requires the Senior Applications Analyst to attend the office at least 2 days a week. Additional days may be required in the office to support specific tasks and projects. The job description is not exhaustive and may vary in line with changes in the team\'s objectives and firm\'s policy.

Responsibilities

• The Senior Applications Analyst, alongside the wider Applications and Data Team, is responsible for maintaining and developing the firm’s core legal application systems. You will possess hands-on expertise in Aderant Expert, Legal Case Management applications and Microsoft 365, including workflow optimisation, system integrations, and low-code development using the Power Platform. You will also have experience with SQL Server administration and reporting and be comfortable designing secure data integrations across business platforms.
• Technical ownership of the firm\'s practice management system (PMS), including Expert Time.
• Create, maintain, and optimise workflows to support business processes.
• Manage and execute upgrades, patches, and system maintenance.
• Provide advanced troubleshooting and resolution of technical issues.
• Deliver and oversee integrations with other legal systems.
• Visual Files: Oversee the configuration, maintenance, and development of Visual Files case management system.
• Database Administration (SQL): Maintain and support SQL Server databases underpinning core business applications; ensure data integrity, security, and performance optimisation.
• Reporting: Write, maintain, and optimise SQL queries and reports; build, manage and maintain Power BI dashboards and data flows; provide accurate data and reporting solutions to stakeholders across the firm.
• Artificial intelligence: Developing capabilities utilising the firm\'s chosen Generative AI platform; collaborating with the AI working group to identify AI use cases; creating playbooks to support AI use cases; developing Prompt Engineering capabilities within the Applications Team; AI knowledge transfer to the IT training team and AI champions within the business.
• Microsoft 365: Maintain and support the firm\'s SharePoint intranet; continued development of the firm\'s Client Portals solution built on SharePoint and Aderant Drive; low-code development utilising the Power Platform (Power Apps / Power Automate / Power BI).
• Application Development: Maintain and support bespoke applications, services and background processes, using C#, PowerShell, Python, ASP, VBScript and other similar programming languages; develop bespoke solutions to meet business requirements where out-of-the-box solutions are not available; comfortable working within Visual Studio or similar IDEs.
• Cyber Security: Ensuring that cyber security best practices are adhered to in application configuration and development; adhering to and maintaining the firm\'s Cyber Security standards in the context of legal application systems; understanding of ISO27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus. The entire IT team is expected to contribute to maintaining adherence to these standards.
• Visual Files CMS: Experience enabling generative AI use cases, creating playbooks, and prompt engineering.
• Key communication and Relationships: Reports to the Applications and Data Manager; works alongside the Applications and Data team and the IT Training Team; provides technical escalation for the IT Service Desk.

What can we offer you?

Our benefits package is designed to enable all colleagues to thrive in an inclusive and supportive environment. These benefits include: holiday purchase scheme, private health insurance, life assurance & critical illness cover protection, season ticket loans, cycle-to-work scheme and much more.

• Proven administration of Aderant Expert including workflow optimisation and system integrations.
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft 365, SharePoint Online, and Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI).
• Comfortable working in Public Cloud environments (Microsoft Azure, AWS etc.).
• Strong SQL Server management and SQL reporting (SSRS) skills for accurate data and MI delivery.
• Practical knowledge of designing and supporting data integrations across legal and business systems.
• Familiarity with IT change, release, and service management frameworks for reliable operations.
• Consistent application of access, security, and data protection policies in line with firm standards.
• Creation of high-quality documentation and facilitating knowledge sharing across teams.
• Familiarity with ISO27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus.

Core Technical Skills

• Aderant Expert PMS.
• Aderant Expert Time.
• Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online and Power Platform.
• Microsoft Azure - Server management, and fundamentals.
• Microsoft SQL Server and SSRS.
• Microsoft Desktop and Server Operating Systems.
• Basic Application Development
• Scripting / Programming (C# & PowerShell at a minimum)

With 250 staff and lawyers working across five offices nationwide, Hempsons is a leading law firm for the health and social care, charity, and social enterprise sectors.

We help our clients tackle a constantly changing array of opportunities and challenges - never more so than now. Our aim is to provide outstanding legal services that deliver the best possible client outcomes whilst nurturing a culture that makes us a "great place to work".