Paralegal - Costs

Paralegal - Costs

Department: CSG - Strategic (Advocacy / Costs / Safety, Health and Environment / Criminal / Abuse / Travel)

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Birmingham

The CSG costs product currently deals with some 700 instructions a month dealing with a wide range of work types referred from all the different clusters within DAC Beachcroft LLP. The strategic aim of the department is to provide litigation costs expertise on demand across the broad range of work carried out throughout the business from low value injury claims to complex multi-million international commercial litigation.

Currently the product has two Partners, six Legal Director and two Associates. There are in total 53 lawyers across a broad range of experience including Solicitors, Chartered Legal Executives, Costs Lawyers and Paralegals.

• The costs product comprises several distinct teams specialising in a specific area of costs including paying party teams (challenging claims for costs of up to £100,000) and two complex claims teams. There are also two receiving party recovery teams. An opportunity has arisen for at least one paralegal role within the paying party section. The paying party section consists of three teams and deals with claims of costs arising from a wide variety of civil litigation including personal injury, disease, clinical negligence, property damage, cyber, commercial and accidents abroad.
  
  There is also a Scottish jurisdiction unit.

We are currently accepting applications from candidates with no or minimal experience in costs as paralegals. This is a full-time position to be based in our Birmingham office.

Specific responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Handle a case load of costs challenges where individual costs claims are up to £100,000 in value.
• Assume responsibility for quality control and benchmark compliance on own caseload, including accuracy and timeliness of management reporting and information.
• Demonstrating a high level of financial management in respect of own files.
• To hit, maintain and apply a consistent approach to all individual targets of chargeable time, financial performance, realisation rates, settlement rates and average claim spend, achieving a minimum budgeted annual target of 1440 chargeable hours per year.
• Maintaining and developing technical knowledge through attendance at training sessions, reading appropriate publications.

• Educated to law degree or equivalent.
• IT literate with a good working knowledge of Excel and Word.
• Have an ability to adopt a commercial perspective to legal issues rather than a purely academic approach.
• Must be able to work under pressure and be dedicated to meet required deadlines.
• Demonstrates alignment with the Firm’s Cultural Principles (Clear, Creative, Determined and Supportive).

• High levels of flexibility and a great work life balance –
• A well‑rounded remuneration package (which includes private medical insurance, income protection insurance and discounted gym membership, amongst many other benefits).
• Opportunities for growth and progression including professional funding.
• In person and remote social events.
• Opportunity to get involved in a range of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) activities.

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, which aligns closely to our cultural principles (Determined, Clear, Creative and Supportive). If you are excited about this role and being part of our culture, but your past experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles!