Advocate

Job Title: Advocate

Salary: Competitive

Location: Northenden, Manchester

Job Type: Full Time, Permanent

Express Solicitors is a top 200 Law firm that specialises in all areas of personal injury including public liability, occupier’s liability, road traffic accidents, employer’s liability, industrial disease, serious injuries and clinical negligence. We pride ourselves in the work we do helping injured people.

We are Law Society accredited and are a Legal 500 Leading Firm for both Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence. Six of our Partners are members of the Law Society Specialist Personal Injury Panel.

Our employees are our most important asset and have been instrumental in helping us recover millions of pounds each year for injured people. No doubt at Express Solicitors we rate skill and ability above all else and our recruitment policy encourages applications from all.

The Role:

We are looking for a talented Advocate to join our advocacy team. Candidates will ideally have sound knowledge of the personal injury sector, but it is not essential. We welcome applications from individuals with all levels of qualification or experience, but are particularly interested in hearing from BPTC graduates and candidates with some practical experience (e.g. advocacy, paralegal).

This role will give you the chance to work with a successfully established and growing company with Solicitor owner-managers. You will be part of the advocacy team, working closely with the Head of Advocacy (Partner/Barrister). This is an excellent opportunity to gain and develop first-hand advocacy skills.

Responsibilities;

• To undertake advocacy requirements that might arise, including but not limited to interlocutory application hearings, case management hearings, and infant approval hearings.
• To undertake drafting tasks as required, such as advices (formal and informal), pleadings and skeleton arguments.
• To keep up to date with procedural changes, caselaw and developments in legislation.
• Ensuring the provision of a high-quality advocacy service.
• Extensive travel across England and Wales that might require overnight stays.

In addition to the above, you must be able to work independently and to a high standard, prioritising workloads and have fantastic attention to detail. While you will be working within the advocacy team, you will be provided with instructions in a similar way to external counsel.

The Candidate:

Essential

• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Sound working knowledge of the Civil Procedure Rules.
• Fast learner with the ability to hit the ground running.
• Resilience and able to think and perform under pressure to meet strict deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Flexible approach
• Able to act upon own initiative as well as taking direction from management where appropriate.
• Strong understanding of confidentiality – tact and discretion are absolutely essential.
• Strong academic achievement – (Minimum 2.1 at degree level and minimum Very Competent for the BPTC).
• Good IT skills including all Microsoft Office and knowledge of Case Management Systems.

Desirable

• Knowledge of Proclaim Case Management System
• Own car preferred (although travel allowance will be available)

Benefits

• A basic salary – Dependant on experience.
• Excellent regular training including away days.
• Strong development opportunities and regular supervision.

• Our standard working hours are 8:30am to 5:30am Monday-Thursday and 8:30am to 5pm Friday.
• 23 days holiday, rising 1 day per year to a max of 26 days, plus bank/public hols. Please note, the office is closed between Christmas and New Year and 3 holidays are reserved for this period.
• 3 holiday buy backs per year after 1 year of service
• Private medical insurance available after 2 years’ service
• Death in Service – 2 x salary based on annual salary only – eligibility commences when you join the company
• Active social committee, firm pays for trips to e.g. Bowling, Chester Races, Christmas party, Summer Barbecue
• Active training culture and various groups and events such as Diversity & Inclusion.
• Netball / Football team, 10km Manchester team and more.
• Usual ancillary benefits including Employee Assistance Programme etc.

Interviews will be conducted by MS Teams or Telephone and will include scenario-based questioning.

Please click on the APPLY button to send your CV and Cover Letter for this role.