Junior Costs Negotiator

Are you a recent graduate looking to take the first step into your legal career?

As a Junior Costs Negotiator, you’ll assess and settle claims related to costs. Your tasks include file review, formulating initial costs strategy, providing advice to clients, and negotiating with the opposing party.

This is an exciting opportunity for a junior costs handler, who has a base knowledge of cost handling and negotiation and is looking to develop their career and take the next step. Full training and supervision will be provided, therefore extensive costs experience is not required.??

Key Accountabilities

• Setting strategies and negotiating costs up to £50K - expected FA £25K

Drafting the following documents:

• Chronology
• Costs Strategy Document
• Points of Dispute
• Interlocutory applications (basic)
• Part 18 requests
• Consent orders
• Evidential Reviews and Assessments
• Carrying out detailed review of file and preparing chronology
• Assessing claim for costs and setting strategy/reserves
• Assessing replies
• Reviews of incoming disclosure and documentary evidence
• Referral for supervision
• Assessing outcome of PA
• Reporting
• Drafting advice on NDA files to client.
• Preparing outcome reports once the case has concluded
• Preparing non-strategic updates to client on cases assisting lead on
• Settlement Negotiations
• Assessing part 36 offers/other settlement proposals
• Negotiation with third party
• Completing MI; payment request and outcome report to client
• To ensure compliance with the SRA Code of Conduct 2011.

Working Hours

35 hours per week Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm with 1 unpaid hour for lunch. Primary location for this role is Coventry 1 day a week, 4 days from home

Essential Skills and Attributes:

• Experience of negotiating costs, including preparing points of dispute, considering replies proceeding cases to PA and DA. Good standard of education - 3 GCSE’s grade C or above or equivalent, including maths and English
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal including previous experience of client liaison
• Good telephone negotiation skills
• Previous experience of handling own caseload, and meeting service level agreements and key performance indicators
• Ability to use own initiative
• Ability to plan and prioritise workloads. Excellent listening skills
• Ability to make decisions
• Ability to remain calm under pressure
• Ability to act as part of a team
• Proficient IT skills.

Desirable:

• Education - Degree and/or LPC and/or ALCD or equivalent
• Conducted own advocacy.

Values

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;

We are connected
We are Dynamic
We are Innovative
We succeed together