Job Description

Assistant File Handler

Department: Legal

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Bolton

Reporting To: Julie Ridings

Description

The Assistant File Handler will manage a caseload of EL/PL fixed fee cases on behalf of a number of insurance clients. The role requires a forensic and analytical approach to the issues together with experience and/or appreciation of the documents and evidence required in these types of cases. The work type likely to feature in the case load are Pre-action disclosure files, Infant Approval Hearings and MOJ Stage 3 files handled on a Delegated Authority basis. In addition the Assistant File Handler will support File Handlers on tasks within their caseloads.

Key Accountabilities

Duties on the Assistant File Handler’s own caseload:

• Considering and responding to Applications for Pre-action disclosure
• Handling matters in accordance with client SLA’s
• Instructing Counsel/advocate
• Reviewing evidence
• Legal Research
• Negotiations/ Drafting Payments into Court
• Dealing with routine correspondence
• Initial review and setting strategy for the management of the claim
• Reviewing matters throughout
• CRU

Duties as an Assistant to File Handlers in the team

• Dealing with disclosure
• Reviewing evidence (including medical / personnel records)
• Conducting investigations with Insured’s / obtaining witness statements
• Liaising with parties involved in claims including the insured, Claimant Solicitors and witnesses
• Instructing Counsel / Experts
• Attending conferences and Trials with Counsel and note taking
• Dealing with routine correspondence
• Reviewing quantum
• Drafting Tomlin Orders and Consent Orders
• Draft Cost schedules
• Dealing with general or straightforward queries
• Telephone chasing activities
• Filing out Allocation Questionnaires and witness summon

Ensuring compliance with the SRA Standards & Regulations.

Working Hours

35 hours per week

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

Primary location for this role is Parklands, Bolton Office

Experience, Skills and Qualifications

Essential

• Some legal work experience
• Self-confident with good telephone and communication skills with people at all levels inside and outside the business
• An ability to organise and prioritise tasks using initiative
• Calm under pressure with the ability to re-prioritise and delegate effectively when required
• An ability to maintain attention to detail when dealing with repetitive tasks
• Good Literacy and IT skills
• Good team worker with the flexibility to do what is required to get a result and ensure client service levels are met
• Ability to work effectively within the Keoghs Shared Behaviour framework
• Contributes actively to an environment in which colleagues work cooperatively with each other.
• Ability to meet performance targets
• Positive, confident and enthusiastic
• Excellent listening, verbal and written communication skills
• Good client care skills and evidence of working to client guidelines on a delegated basis
• Ability to prioritise work, keep to deadlines and work under pressure
• High level of analytical skills

Desirable

• Legal Education- ILEX, LPC or equivalent work experience
• Experience of handling a caseload of EL/PL files would be advantageous.
• Previous litigation experience.
• Good advocacy skills.

Values

Our culture is focussed on making Keoghs sustainable and successful for our people and clients, with this our four values are at the heart of everything we do;

Our Values

We are connected

We are Dynamic

We are Innovative

We succeed together

Benefits

• Davies Incentive Plan
• 25 days holiday per year which increases with level of service (opportunity to buy & sell 3 days)
• Simply Health Care Cash Plan
• WeCare – 24/7 online GP, mental health support and virtual wellbeing covering a whole host of topics to do with health, mental health, wellbeing & healthy living and financial & legal wellbeing
• Death In Service – after 1 years’ service
• Pension Contribution based 5% Employee / 3% Employer
• Employee Resource Groups
• Employee Volunteering Programme
• Cycle to Work Scheme*
• Tech Scheme*
• Season Ticket Loan*
• Gym Flex*
• Access to Online Discount Sites
• Discounted Gourmet Society Membership
• Discounted Tickets for Merlin Attractions nationwide
• Discounts at local retail outlets

*after successfully completing probation