Costs Draftsman

Our client is an excellent legal aid firm within the city of Birmingham and are looking to bring in a Costs Draftsman within their firm. This role is ideal for both an established, or junior Costs Draftsman. The ideal costs lawyer will be drawing their own bills, alongside legal aid submission & serving bills, and the ideal costs clerk will be supporting the team submitting legal aid and serving bills returned externally.

Costs Draftsman role

• Assisting the Costs Lawyer and another Costs Clerk to attend to various costing procedures arising from the work of the firm and its internal operation.
• Processing files for billing including sending files to external Costs Draftsman where appropriate.
• Sending bills to paying party and following through assessment procedure to payment.
• Negotiating costs with paying party.
• Preparation of Legal Aid bills.
• Preparation of Inter-Partes bills (preferred, not essential)
• Lodging bills at Court and the Legal Aid Agency for assessment.
• Monitoring performance of external Costs Draftsman in relation to turnaround times and work produced.
• Maintaining up to date excel spreadsheet of billing information.
• Ensuring prompt payment of finalised bills where payment is due from opponent.
• Undertake other clerical and administrative duties as may reasonably be required from time to time.

Essential and desirable skills of Costs Draftsman

• Computer Literate
• High Level of numeracy and accuracy when dealing with figures. Attention to detail.
• Knowledge of Excel, Word and Outlook
• Willing to learn new skills
• Quick learner
• Good Administrative background with experience of being able to manage and prioritise own workloads.
• Legal Aid Agency rules for billing and costing of publicly funded files
• Court rules for lodging bills
• Drafting Inter partes and/or legal aid bills

• An understanding of the rules governing inter parte bills preparation.
• Legal Aid billing procedures
• Court costs assessment procedures

Benefits for Costs Draftsman

• Salary DOE
• Full training provided
• OTE

If you would like more information or know of a Costs Draftsman who might be interested in this opportunity, we welcome your application.