The Insurance team in Bristol are seeking a Solicitor of 3yrs - 6 yrs PQE with a minimum of one year experience of Large Loss defendant Personal Injury claims. If you are interested, or know of a suitable applicant who may be of interest to us, please send an up to date CV and covering letter detailing your interest and suitability to the recruitment team at recruitment@morgan-cole.com, clearly stating the reference number 81/08. JOB PURPOSE

To provide clients of the firm with high-quality legal expertise and advice in a specialist area.

To participate in developing client relationships, business development, administration and training as required.

For more experienced solicitors to promote and encourage the development of less experienced lawyers within the team to ensure high standards and quality work.

KEY DUTIES AND CONTRIBUTIONS (COMPETENCIES)

• Provide quality advice to clients within a specific area of law.
• Run own files beginning to end, with supervision from a more senior fee earner if necessary – files to be Lexcel compliant.
• Undertake discussion and negotiation with clients and other parties as required to agree key issues in connection with client matters.
• Draft documents for clients in connection with particular matters, and/or from team precedents.
• Represent clients in Court, Tribunal or other forums as required.
• Carry out investigations/searches of documents.
• Participate in marketing activities as requested, including attending seminars, client training or events, writing articles for publication, etc.
• Develop own network of clients and contacts and build relationships internally and externally.
• Contribute to tenders for new work in conjunction with other fee earners and BD team.
• Provide fee estimates for jobs (eg fixed fee work), or provide input into fee estimates being prepared by more senior fee earners.
• Ensure accurate time recording
• Ensure that bills are raised promptly and in accordance with fee estimates and arrangements agreed with the client.
• Raise documentation to time and quality standards.
• Guide or supervise work done by support staff.
• Provide input into performance appraisals for secretaries or trainee solicitors in the team as appropriate.
• Actively monitor and review own development needs to ensure that professional skills are developed, up to date and comply with Solicitors Regulation Authority CPD requirements.
• Propose improvements to work methods.  Raises ideas for new approaches/procedures/research.

 

KEY MEASURES

Client meetings and negotiations are conducted appropriately

Files are Lexcel compliant

Feedback on performance received from clients and colleagues

Produces articles and attends events as requested

Attends and contributes actively  to meetings.

Feedback received from seminars,  training events.

Time recording up to date

Fee estimates produces, write offs minimised, debts chased in conjunction with credit control.

Clients billed in accordance with arrangements

Conducts, or provides feedback for, appraisal carried out by others.

Up to date on latest legislation/case studies and annual CPD requirements met

DIMENSIONS

Required to undertake work appropriate to experience as decided by the Supervisor/Partner.

Required to achieve an annual fees target for solicitors as laid down by the PALs annually.

Required to undertake an annual number of chargeable hours for solicitors as laid down by the PALs annually.

The job holder carries out professional activities with senior colleagues available for advice if required.

Many cases have deadlines imposed by clients' budgetary requirements.

For fee earners with less than two years experience outgoing post is checked by the supervisor.

Performance Assessment is carried out annually by the Supervisor.

Required to act as mentor for less experienced fee earners of the team as and when appropriate.

To strengthen and develop relationships between the firm and relevant clients.

To promote the practice by taking on a marketing role within the group.

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Qualified Solicitor with experience and interest in ……………………….

Member of the Law Society.

Ability to assimilate information and analyse it accurately.

Solid understanding of "technical terms" in the specific area of work

Excellent document drafting skills

Time management skills to manage large case loads, work to and meet deadlines.

Strong communication skills both interpersonal and written.

A team player ready to help others, develop positive relationships, work well with others and contribute to the overall success.

Commercially aware and client focussed to understand, anticipate and fulfil the needs and expectations of clients.

Well developed marketing skills with the ability to develop excellent relationships with existing and potential clients.

At a more senior level experience of transaction organisation and management

Where appropriate, supervisory, advocacy and project management skills

TEAM CHART

Partner or Senior Associate

Associate

Solicitor

Secretary (Usually working for various fee earners)

CONTACTS

Internal Contacts                   External Contacts

Partners                                    Clients           

Team members                         Solicitors

Support Staff                             Counsel

                                                Accountants

                                                Banks

                                                Estate agents

                                                Surveyors

CHALLENGES

Professional decisions on cases are taken by the post holder, although the Supervising Partner is available for advice.

Intellectual challenge - mastering client requirements, challenging legal argument and producing quality results

To be able to deal with divergent client and work levels/types, within strict (and often conflicting) time limits to a consistently high professional standard, with the minimum supervision.

Developing new work and providing coaching to others in the team.

Achieving financial targets

Keep up to date on case law  in relevant area

Strengthen cross selling between the team and other practice areas across the firm

OTHER INFORMATION

The role of a solicitor varies depending upon the practice area in which the individual is working and the partner to whom the solicitor reports.  The role also develops over time as the solicitor acquires greater experience and becomes more involved in wider, non-fee earning activities.  The level of supervision in connection with fee earning work decreases over time, with solicitors with more than 2 years experience seeking active supervision of work only where they feel that it is required.

Individual solicitors may have additional responsibilities, such as the supervision of a trainee solicitor, increased involvement in marketing activities or responsibility for certain aspects of team administration.  they may also take on co-ordination roles within their team or department (Knowledge).

The level of secretarial support available to solicitors varies across the firm, so some solicitors carry out more of their own typing and general administration than others.

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