Assistant Lawyer

Job Title: Assistant Lawyer – Complex Injury (Solicitor / Legal Executive / Paralegal / Lawyer) Salary: Discussed upon initial application Contract type: Fixed Term Contract. Full or Part-Time hours will be considered Location: Manchester We currently have an opening in our North West office for an Assistant Lawyer on a fixed term contract working with Lead Lawyer and Associate Lee Cook. It is highly likely there will be roles within the department following the completion of the contract for the successful individual. Your Role: As our next Assistant Lawyer to join the Manchester office, you will be working alongside Lee, helping progress his cases whilst delivering an exemplary client service. In this role, you will assist Lee on EL, PL & RTA cases up to and over £1million . Your work will be supervised and feedback given in order to maximise your own potential and career aspirations. This is a great opportunity to gain valuable experience in Large Loss and CAT PI claims. The role also includes the need to engage with sophisticated senior claims handlers in long-standing insurance clients. In this role, you may also be required to assist Lee in activities which enhance and develop Keoghs’ profile such as networking, client events, industry activity. This role will be offered on a fixed term contract (if an external candidate) or a secondment basis (if already an employee). As Assistant to Lee: You will work as part of a team progressing each file from receipt of papers from the insurer client to resolution of the claim. The role will include:

• Working with Lee and the team made up of another assistant and paralegal – help manage a caseload of complex injury claims including high value multi-track and catastrophic injury claims involving complex orthopaedic injury, Chronic Pain, Fundamental Dishonesty, brain injury, spinal cord injury, and fatal claims
• Communicate with insurer clients, deal with queries and provide updates as matters progress
• Forensic analysis of voluminous quantum evidence, preparing chronologies, identifying anomalies and other relevant information across various sources and categories of evidence.
• Using your existing knowledge of complex injury symptomology to identify relevant issues within medical records in order to instruct medical experts, drawing key issues to their attention.
• Critical analysis of sources of liability evidence and identifying any gaps.
• Drafting concise technical advice on all aspects of claim handling to include advice on indemnity, liability, quantum and causation issues and claims resolution for strategy discussion with the Lead Lawyer.
• Proactively identifying next steps required on matter, discussing those aspects with the Lead Lawyer and taking action as agreed.
• Interviewing witnesses and drafting statements.
• Liaising with parties involved in claims including the insured, insurer, witnesses etc.
• Drafting pleadings and applications.
• Instructing counsel and attending conferences, JSMs, mediations both remotely and in person.
• Attend court in person or by telephone, attend trials, settlement conferences etc as required.
• Delivery of agreed performance targets and quality standards.
• Delegate assigned tasks for a Legal Assistant and/or Paralegal and be fully engaged in their development in terms of technical ability and achievement of objectives.
• Maintaining case managements systems with up to date management information for clients.

Your benefits at Keoghs: Working at Keoghs as part of The Davies Group, you will receive a host of benefits that can be flexed to suit your needs:

• working 1 day minimum per week in office
• into the Davies Incentive Plan
• medical insurance
• health insurance
• illness cover
• Care Cash Plan
• 25 days plus 8 bank holidays (opportunity to buy & sell 3 days), holidays rise to 26 days after 5 years’ service and 27 days after 10 years’ service
• In Service – after 1 year
• Pension Contribution
• to Work Scheme, Tech Scheme, Season Ticket Loan, Gym Flex

What you’ll have:

• will be a qualified solicitor or Legal Executive or have proven relevant experience
• will have experience from a defendant complex, large loss personal injury role
• will have experience of indemnity, liability and quantum
• advocacy skills
• will be a well-rounded lawyer with a deep understanding of case law, litigation practice & process and Court Practice Rules as well as excellent communication skills
• will be fully engaged in the development of yourself and others
• will have the ability to deliver an outstanding service to clients

Our culture is focussed on making Keoghs sustainable and successful for our people and clients, with this our four values are at the heart of everything we do. Keoghs values:

• are connected
• are Dynamic
• are Innovative
• succeed together

Should you wish for an informal discussion prior to your application please do not hesitate to reach out. We look forward to your application.