Senior Costs Lawyer/Law Cost Draftsman
Senior Costs Lawyer/Law Cost Draftsman
Salary dependent on experience
PermanentFull time
Location: Huddersfield
Ridley & Hall are an award-winning firm of solicitors, based in Yorkshire, with a national profile; Passionate about making a difference to peoples' lives by being innovative and forward thinking. Caring about helping their clients to solve their legal problems. Avoiding complicated legal jargon and clear about the cost involved of any advice that is given.
We are looking to recruit a Senior Costs Lawyer/Law Cost Draftsman with a minimum of 3 years' experience dealing with all aspects of legal costs billing from Legal Aid to private civil matters, including drafting CCMS claims, detailed assessment bills, High Costs Case Plans, points of dispute, and budgets and where necessary negotiating with other parties and attending upon costs assessments hearings. The candidate must also be highly proficient in the use of CostsMaster.
This is a permanent contract and provides competitive salary for the right candidate based upon AAE. We are also prepared to offer a flexible working environment with a supportive and highly trained team.
The role will include drafting Legal Aid bills for assessment & High Cost case plans, inter partes bills and private client bills. You will be anticipated to draft bills, negotiate, perform costs budgets and be able to demonstrate points of dispute and points of reply.
Prior knowledge in drafting bills in some of the following areas of practice will be helpful: Family/Children, Court of Protection, Personal Injury, and Litigation.
Applications are invited from an ambitious Costs Lawyer/Law Costs Draftsman who will need to have a good standard of education and a professional qualification would be preferred. The successful candidate will have strong technical knowledge and experience in the full life cycle of costs. Experience in advocacy will be an advantage.
Main responsibilities
You will be required to work as part of a team handling costs for the Family/Care, Community Care, and Litigation Teams. You will undertake work for two offices within the firm and be involved in a range of issues including:
drafting bills of costs for detailed assessment in both legally aided and privately funded matters
Preparing High Costs Case Plans
Dealing with claims through CCMS
drafting Replies to Points of Dispute
drafting Costs Budgets and liaising with the opponent with a view to narrowing the issues or agreeing ahead of a CCMC
undertaking negotiations with the opponent
Skills and qualifications
You will work as part of a team and be able to work on your own initiative, whilst also supporting your team colleagues. The ability to organise your day and to prioritise work is essential whilst remaining calm and professional in your approach.
Essential Experience:
Costs Lawyer or Costs Draftsperson with at least 3 years' experience
experience of managing a case load of files
good working knowledge of the CPR
Desirable Experience:
experience of using CostsMaster
experience of working to billing and time recording targets
experience of building relationships with internal contacts at all levels
Additional Skills and requirements for the role are:
IT literate with experience of using Word, Excel and the internet
Confident communicator and negotiator
Accuracy and attention to detail
Ability to prioritise, be organised and efficient
Flexibility with the capability to adapt to change, new practices and cope under pressure but with the ability to recognise when to seek assistance
Able to integrate within a team and able to work on your own initiative
Friendly and helpful approach
Quality and customer service orientated
Client focused with an ability to build strong relationships with clients
Due to the nature of the work undertaken, confirmation of employment will be subject to a variety of checks which will be carried out once an offer of employment is accepted. These checks will include references, proof of ID and current address.
Closing Date 1st June 2018
Salary dependent on experience
PermanentFull time
Location: Huddersfield
Ridley & Hall are an award-winning firm of solicitors, based in Yorkshire, with a national profile; Passionate about making a difference to peoples' lives by being innovative and forward thinking. Caring about helping their clients to solve their legal problems. Avoiding complicated legal jargon and clear about the cost involved of any advice that is given.
We are looking to recruit a Senior Costs Lawyer/Law Cost Draftsman with a minimum of 3 years' experience dealing with all aspects of legal costs billing from Legal Aid to private civil matters, including drafting CCMS claims, detailed assessment bills, High Costs Case Plans, points of dispute, and budgets and where necessary negotiating with other parties and attending upon costs assessments hearings. The candidate must also be highly proficient in the use of CostsMaster.
This is a permanent contract and provides competitive salary for the right candidate based upon AAE. We are also prepared to offer a flexible working environment with a supportive and highly trained team.
The role will include drafting Legal Aid bills for assessment & High Cost case plans, inter partes bills and private client bills. You will be anticipated to draft bills, negotiate, perform costs budgets and be able to demonstrate points of dispute and points of reply.
Prior knowledge in drafting bills in some of the following areas of practice will be helpful: Family/Children, Court of Protection, Personal Injury, and Litigation.
Applications are invited from an ambitious Costs Lawyer/Law Costs Draftsman who will need to have a good standard of education and a professional qualification would be preferred. The successful candidate will have strong technical knowledge and experience in the full life cycle of costs. Experience in advocacy will be an advantage.
Main responsibilities
You will be required to work as part of a team handling costs for the Family/Care, Community Care, and Litigation Teams. You will undertake work for two offices within the firm and be involved in a range of issues including:
drafting bills of costs for detailed assessment in both legally aided and privately funded matters
Preparing High Costs Case Plans
Dealing with claims through CCMS
drafting Replies to Points of Dispute
drafting Costs Budgets and liaising with the opponent with a view to narrowing the issues or agreeing ahead of a CCMC
undertaking negotiations with the opponent
Skills and qualifications
You will work as part of a team and be able to work on your own initiative, whilst also supporting your team colleagues. The ability to organise your day and to prioritise work is essential whilst remaining calm and professional in your approach.
Essential Experience:
Costs Lawyer or Costs Draftsperson with at least 3 years' experience
experience of managing a case load of files
good working knowledge of the CPR
Desirable Experience:
experience of using CostsMaster
experience of working to billing and time recording targets
experience of building relationships with internal contacts at all levels
Additional Skills and requirements for the role are:
IT literate with experience of using Word, Excel and the internet
Confident communicator and negotiator
Accuracy and attention to detail
Ability to prioritise, be organised and efficient
Flexibility with the capability to adapt to change, new practices and cope under pressure but with the ability to recognise when to seek assistance
Able to integrate within a team and able to work on your own initiative
Friendly and helpful approach
Quality and customer service orientated
Client focused with an ability to build strong relationships with clients
Due to the nature of the work undertaken, confirmation of employment will be subject to a variety of checks which will be carried out once an offer of employment is accepted. These checks will include references, proof of ID and current address.
Closing Date 1st June 2018