Advocate
Job Code: 29881/CB
Practice Area: Connected Services
Recruitment Partner: Claire Bowden
Office: Leeds
We are one of Europe's most innovative Law firms as voted by the Financial Times.
We have won numerous awards, including being independently ranked as 1 of the top employers for working families, as well as being in the top 2 law firms for employee satisfaction.
With offices nationwide and overseas, we are growing and are looking for top talent to come on board and be part of our success.
Main function of job:
This is an in-house advocate role within a top 20 national law firm. The Advocate will conduct, inter alia, all interlocutory hearings, applications, disposal hearings and costs and case management hearings for the insurance and litigation departments of the firm. As well as representing insurers and other clients at court the role will involve reporting to the file handler in line with internal procedures as well as written advocacy work.
The firm's national advocacy team is managed by an employed barrister and supported by its clerking team.
Relationships:
- Responsible to: An Advocacy Team Leader
- Liaison with: Barrister, Advocacy Team, Partners and Fee Earners, Clients
Person specification:
A successful candidate will preferably have previous advocacy experience in civil litigation, however this is not essential and extensive training can be provided.
Any successful candidate will be expected to have the commercial awareness, confidence and ability to seek out, secure and retain new clients from within the firm.
All candidates are expected to have achieved at least a 2.1 at undergraduate level and a Very Competent for the BVC/BPTC, though other similar qualifications will be considered.
We are looking to recruit both fully qualified barristers/solicitor-advocates (who will conduct all hearings, including those where higher rights of audience are required) and individuals who do not yet have a practising certificate (who will conduct hearings in chambers and in other venues where formal rights of audience are not required, e.g. the Employment Tribunal).
Main Duties:
- Representing clients in court on instruction from fee earners
- Drafting legal documents on instruction from earners
- Displaying time management skills so as to fully prepare for all instructed matters
- Liaising with fee earners, both before and after hearings
- Managing relations with fee earners so as to ensure the future growth of the team
- Business development to help grow the team's offering and revenue
The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your evolving role within the organisation and the overall business objectives of the organisation.
Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at DWF
Nurturing talent is very important to us. We are committed to equal opportunities in all areas of work and business. We want people to achieve their best, which will positively impact on our clients and communities in which we live and work. At DWF we empower people to be themselves within an inclusive and supportive environment, enabling everyone to achieve their full potential in line with their abilities and career aspirations.
Disability Support
As an inclusive employer, DWF wants to see every candidate performing at their best. Please log in to Clear Talents at to tell us what reasonable adjustments you may need and to discover how we might improve your recruitment experience, examples of reasonable adjustments could include: additional time for exercises, a hearing induction loop, a request for information in an alternative format. DWF are committed to an ongoing programme of improvements to provide access to all.
To apply, please click 'apply now' and provide the job reference number: 29881/CB.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email Claire Bowden on .
No agency CVs will be accepted unless formally instructed on this specific role by the Recruitment Team.