Complex Injury Junior Costs Negotiator

Junior Costs Negotiator / Draftsperson assessing, negotiating, and settling legal costs claims while supporting the complex injury team, with full training provided for graduates or junior candidates.

Our Costs team in Southampton are seeking to recruit a Junior Costs Negotiator / Costs Draftsperson. The Costs team deal with the high value costs that run along side the complex injury team dealing with RTA, EL and PL cases. The role of costs negotiator will be to assess and settle claims for costs and to deal with all procedural aspects up to agreement or assessment.

It is important that you can quickly review files & formulate initial costs strategy, provide comprehensive advice to clients, commence early telephone negotiations with other side and liaise, as required, with Insurers throughout the life of the file.

You need to be able to build strong working relationships with both your colleagues in Costs and with the wider business.

This is an exciting opportunity for either a junior costs handler, who has a base knowledge of cost handling and negotiation and is looking to develop their career and take the next step or a law graduate looking for their first role. Full training and supervision will be provided, therefore extensive costs experience is not required.

Key Responsibilities

• Setting strategies and negotiating costs 

• Drafting the following documents:

• Chronology

• Costs Strategy Document

• Points of Dispute

• Interlocutory applications (basic)

• Part 18 requests

• Consent orders

Evidential Reviews and Assessments

• Carrying out detailed review of file and preparing chronology

• Assessing claim for costs and setting strategy/reserves

• Assessing replies

• Reviews of incoming disclosure and documentary evidence

• Referral for supervision

• Assessing outcome of PA

Reporting

• Drafting advice on NDA files to client.

• Preparing outcome reports once the case has concluded

• Preparing non-strategic updates to client on cases assisting lead on

Settlement Negotiations

• Assessing part 36 offers/other settlement proposals

• Negotiation with third party

• Completing MI; payment request and outcome report to client

• To ensure compliance with the SRA Standards & Regulations

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• English & Maths GCSE grade A to C/Level 5 or equivalent

• Evidence of wanting to work in a legal role shown either through education or previous work experience 

• A basic understanding of the Costs role and what the department does

• IT literate (Microsoft Office)

• Organisational skills particularly the ability to prioritise and multitask

• Interpersonal skills

• Oral communication 

• Customer services skills

• Ability to work as part of a team

• Ability to work independently

• Ability to take initiative

• Attention to detail

• An understanding of client needs/requirements

• Proficient use of a case management system

Desirable

• Legal office experience

• Previous experience held in a file handling role

• Use of a Case management system

• Degree/Equivalent experience/qualification

Job 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

• 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

About Keoghs

Keoghs is a leading provider of legal and claims solutions to insurers, businesses and other suppliers to the insurance sector. We manage more than £1bn worth of insurer claims and resolve in excess of 100,000 claims per year working in partnership with leading insurers, MGAs, brokers, corporates and the public sector.

With more than 50 years’ experience we have an in-depth understanding of the insurance claims process, enabling us to contain and lower litigation rates, shorten claims lifecycles and reduce overall claims costs.

We combine proven processes, technology and low cost infrastructure with extensive legal and insurance market knowledge. This enables us to create individual solutions for each of our clients that match their requirements in terms of quality, performance and value for money.

We invest heavily in specialised services, technology and innovation for our insurance clients, and we are the first to launch a true artificial intelligence (AI) insurance lawyer. Through our proprietary AI lawyer, Lauri, we’ve transformed the claims handling process for low-value personal injury claims; we’ve reduced claim lifecycles and reduced costs for our clients. Supported by commercial acumen and innovative products, Keoghs leads the way in providing legal solutions to the insurance industry.