Newly Qualified Solicitor / Paralegal - Defence Litigation

This hybrid role offers an excellent development opportunity for a newly qualified solicitor to handle their own caseload of County Court Employer’s Liability and Public Liability matters for leading insurance and self-insured clients, including well known retailers.

The successful candidate will also assist Lead Lawyers with progression of High Court matters, including discovery, analysis of quantum evidence, liaising with counsel and experts, trial preparation and legal research.

Keoghs is the leading provider of legal and claims solutions to insurers, businesses and other suppliers to the insurance sector. Keoghs Northern Ireland has grown year on year since inception in the local market 2019 and now has over 50 staff solely dedicated to defendant insurance litigation services. The strong and well-respected reputation of our experienced team has been recognised in the Legal 500 and Chambers Directories.

We work in partnership with our insurance clients and their policyholders, providing a supportive team focused approach, resulting in excellent outcomes. There is a great team ethos within our Northern Ireland office, where we encourage personal development and wellbeing. We offer hybrid working, a relaxed dress code and opportunities for flexible working hours. Our team is friendly, supportive and there are opportunities to become part of our social committee, participate in charity events and to get involved in client development initiatives. We pride ourselves on our agile working policy and this is a hybrid role.

Progression

We have ambitious growth plans for our future. We have a clear Career Progression Pathway, and each team member engages in a Continuing Conversation with our Leadership Team to ensure we support you in developing your talent with internal promotions to Associate, Team Lead and Partner, as we celebrate and reward our successes. We are fully committed to recognising contribution and rewarding high performance, making Keoghs a great place to develop your career.

The caseload you will handle will be varied and exciting, with opportunities to develop into specialisms of particular interest to you, as we play to the strengths of each team member.

· Work within the casualty team as an insurance defence litigation specialist, to pursue completion of files in line with client instruction to the commercial benefit of Keoghs.

· Communicate, build and utilise relationships with colleagues, clients and third parties in a professional and knowledgeable manner; including all methods of communication: in person, over the phone and written

· Proactively identifying next steps required on matter and handling cases within your agreed handling authority,

· Interviewing witnesses and drafting statements.

· Liaising with parties involved in claims including the insured, insurer, witnesses etc.

· Drafting pleadings and applications.

· Instructing counsel and attending conferences, consultations, mediations both remotely and in person.

· Attend court in person or by telephone, attend trials, settlement conferences etc as required.

· Delivery of agreed performance targets and quality standards.

· Maintaining case management systems with up to date management information for clients.

· To ensure compliance with the LSNI regulations.

35 hours per week

Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm with 1 unpaid hour for lunch.

Primary location for this role is Belfast Office.

· This role would be best suited to a Newly Qualified Solicitor or experienced file handling Paralegal. Experience of Industrial Disease claims is desired, but not essential.

· Experience of indemnity, liability and quantum desirable.

· Experience of cases involving complex medical issues preferred.

· Good telephone advocacy skills.

· Positive, confident and enthusiastic.

· Excellent listening, verbal and written communication skills including the ability to compose professional written communications.

· Good advocacy skills.

· Excellent inter-personal and client care skills.

· Understanding of case law and litigation practice and process, and Court Practice Rules.

· Ability to plan and prioritise workloads, keep to deadlines and work under pressure.

· Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail.

· Ability to weigh facts, apply the law and make decisions.

· Ability to anticipate problems and identify solutions.

· Driven to achieve to take development opportunities when they arise with a positive attitude.

· Confidence to take initiative to innovate and adapt to changing situations.

· Confidence to seek advice and guidance when dealing with new tasks.

· Ability to follow instruction and with attention to detail and to give clear instruction, direction and guidance to more junior members of the team.

· Ability to recognise when sensitivity and tact are required.

· Ability to effectively work within a team.

· Proficient IT skills (Word, Excel and Office).

* after successfully completing probation

We are a specialist professional services and technology firm, working in partnership with leading insurance, highly regulated and global businesses.

We help our clients to manage risk, operate their core business processes, transform and grow. We deliver professional services and technology solutions across the risk and insurance value chain, including excellence in claims, underwriting, distribution, regulation & risk, customer experience, human capital, digital transformation & change management.

Our global team of more than 6,500 professionals operate across ten countries, including the UK & the U.S. Over the past ten years Davies has grown its annual revenues more than 20-fold, investing heavily in research & development, innovation & automation, colleague development, and client service. Today the group serves more than 1,500 insurance, financial services, public sector, and other highly regulated clients.