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SalaryAbout your new role
Our Public Sector team is one of the largest in the UK, with extensive experience working with local authorities, local authority consortia, police forces, fire authorities and NHS Trusts. Our lawyers have hands-on experience of working in local government and the public sector. Our approach is focused on solving our client's legal problems as quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. We are brand leaders in defendant litigation services for local and public authorities, with in-depth expertise in all types of claims including motor, public liability and employers' liability. We have considerable experience in handling sensitive and/or high profile claims, such as bullying, failure to educate and abuse, and are equally skilled in handling the media attention that these cases sometimes attract.
We are currently recruiting for a Principle Associate to join our Local Authority team in Birmingham.
We are a highly regarded team in the sector with interesting high profile work from across the country. We have individuals ranked in the Legal 500 and Chambers. The role will be to manage your own caseload of personal injury employers liability, public liability, housing disrepair and highways claims, and complex psychiatric injury Social Care claims (abuse and neglect). In addition you will provide assistance to senior case handlers in the team.
Main duties and responsibilities
- Specialise in acting on behalf of various local authorities and insurers, protecting their interests
- Manage a caseload of non-litigated and litigated claims including but not limited to failure to monitor, take into care, failure to remove, abuse in foster placement, failure to protect, negligent removal, Human Rights Act, data breach, abuse by teachers in schools, employers liability, public liability, housing disrepair and highways claims.
- Assist the TM and other team members with their cases, client development, client training, networking and potentially public speaking where required
- Liaise with various parties such as other solicitors, insurers, experts, counsel and clients
- Control Case Manager diary and action lists
- Attend at court hearings as appropriate
- Draft various documents such as letters and reports
- Satisfy standards of client care in accordance with guidelines and directions
- Complete Client MI procedures
- Achieve set financial and chargeable targets
- Comply with relevant rules, policies and procedures
- Keep up to date with legal developments
- Work in accordance with Weightmans’ values
This list is not intended to be exhaustive and you will be expected to perform other duties and have other responsibilities that fall within the wider remit of the role.
About You
You will have previous personal injury claims handling experience and a genuine and demonstrable interest in the above area of work. As the role is varied, we are looking for you to have a flexible approach to the work you do and be able to adapt to different tasks. We also require you to have/be:
- The experience and skill level to be Principle Associate
- Personal injury experience is essential, with proven experience of handling and valuing claims.
- Social care experience would be beneficial however we appreciate this is a niche area and training will be provided.
- Preferably experience of defending litigated claims but candidates who have claimant litigation experience will also considered
- Excellent knowledge of the CPR and litigation
- Ability to influence a broad range of people including key decision makers
- Excellent organisation skills
- Excellent time management skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Excellent IT skills
- Ability to work to strict deadlines and targets
- Ability to work as part of a team or on own initiative
- Flexible approach to work and a willingness to travel
Why work for us
Weightmans is a Top 40 law firm with offices throughout the UK. Having been recognised as the leading legal employer and 10th overall employer at the annual Britain's Top Employers awards 2023 and achieved record rankings in Chambers UK.
We are proud to be an accredited living wage employer.
We are truly committed to fostering a culture of equality and diversity, where everyone in the firm is respected and recognised on merit for the work that they do.
We strongly encourage applications from people of all ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations and disabilities. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustment at any stage of the application process.
Please feel free to note your preferred pronouns in your application.
Work for a firm where people matter – work for Weightmans.
As well as being immensely proud of the work we carry out for our clients and the culture we provide to our people we offer a wide range of benefits including;
- 28 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rated for part time)
- Agile / working from home including provision of home office equipment*
- Healthcare cover/ Medicash
- Pension plan
- Life Insurance 4 x salary
- Interest free travel loan scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme including counselling, legal and consumer advice service
- Discounted gym membership
- Discounted dental scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Offers & discounts
- Great reward and recognition scheme
- there are a small number of roles that cannot be performed from home, your Recruitment Adviser can confirm.
Please note
- We encourage candidates to speak to us direct/apply direct for the opportunities we have available.
- Any reference to experience or PQE in our adverts or job descriptions is to be used as a guideline only. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and with different levels of experience who can demonstrate that they fulfil the requirements of the role.
- The successful candidate appointed to this role will be subject to our standard background checking process, and any offer of employment made is conditional upon successful completion of those checks. Further details can be obtained from the Recruitment team.
- We are open to part time/job share applicants.
Recruitment agencies (PSL /non-PSL)
Weightmans operates a strict 'preferred supplier list' (PSL) and is committed to working closely with the recruitment agencies that feature on that list. As such, Weightmans does not accept speculative or unsolicited CVs, profiles or any other introductions from both our PSL and non-PSL agencies. If a PSL or non-PSL agency chooses to submit a speculative or unsolicited CV, profile or introduction without instruction from a member of Weightmans’ recruitment team, we will reserve the right to treat the introduction as a gift and contact the candidate directly without accepting or entering into the agency’s terms nor being liable for a recruitment fee.
Eligibility to work in the UK
Eligibility to work in the UK will be verified in the final stages of the selection process. All candidates must either already have a right to work in the UK before commencing employment, or meet the Home office criteria for Visa sponsorship. Candidates who require sponsorship should evaluate the Home Office eligibility criteria for a Skilled Worker visa before applying
