Costs Lawyer

Are you an experienced Law Costs Draftsperson looking to make a significant impact in a dynamic Costs Team? We are seeking a highly skilled professional to join our Costs Department, working to maximise costs recovery and effectively manage a diverse caseload. This role involves handling PI Multi Track cases, including Serious Injuries, Asbestos, Clinical Negligence, and high costs matters, from the preparation of cost budgets to the preparation and negotiation of bills of costs in the detailed assessment process.

In this role, you will be preparing Costs Budgets (Precedent H), Statements of Costs for Summary Assessment (N260s), Estimates, and Formal Bills of Costs. You will also be responsible for negotiating costs budgets and settling claims for costs on the best possible terms, as well as attending Costs CMCs, Detailed Assessment hearings and application hearings. Alongside managing all aspects of your own caseload in line with Costs Department protocols and service standards, you will also play a key role in supporting colleagues by providing day-to-day coaching and technical guidance as a "Supervision Buddy."

We are looking for a confident and organised individual who can work independently while also contributing effectively within a team. Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential, along with the ability to demonstrate persuasive advocacy, confident negotiation and a professional telephone manner.

You will have excellent attention to detail, strong file management and organisational skills, and be comfortable using standard IT packages such as Outlook and Word. Experience of Costs Master would be beneficial.

Whilst qualified Costs Lawyers are preferred, we would also welcome applications from experienced non-qualified Costs Practitioners. Ideally, you will have at least two years' experience in personal injury costs recovery in Multi Track matters and a good understanding of the CPR.

• £4,000 car allowance in addition to base salary
• Contributory pension scheme
• 5 days additional leave over Christmas (Xmas shut down)
• Permanent health insurance
• Healthcare Cash Plan (MediCash)
• Life assurance
• Disability Confident Employer
• 25 days annual leave (in addition to bank holidays)
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Cycle to work scheme
• Organised sports and social club
• Annual travel and parking loans
• Financial assistance for professional development

For 100 years, leading social justice law firm, Thompsons Solicitors, has been fighting for the rights of the injured and mistreated and changing lives for the better. Since 1921, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with trade unions to implement key legal reforms and give a voice to those who might otherwise have been disadvantaged and marginalised.

Thompsons ran:

• the case that established the right for injured workers to be compensated in 1937

• the first asbestos case that was successful in the House of Lords in 1972

• the first equal pay for equal value claim in the UK (1988) and later in Europe (1993)

• the case against UK construction companies for blacklisting union members in 2016

• hundreds of cases on behalf of women who received negligent treatment at the hands of disgraced breast surgeon, Ian Paterson (2017) and behalf of those injured by mesh (2019).

Today, Thompsons employs 800 staff who work at 18 offices right across the UK. Key areas of legal specialism include: personal injury, serious injury, asbestos diseases, medical negligence, road traffic accidents, accidents at work, industrial diseases and trade union law. As a point of principle, the firm has never worked for employers or insurers.

Over the last 100 years, we have consistently won the cases that have advanced the law for working people, but, as long as there are employers who put profit before the safety and rights of their workforce, there is always more to do. We continue to expose injustice, holding those responsible to account and campaigning for positive change.

We want to hear from anyone who is keen to progress a legal career with a firm that won't let up in its quest for fairness.