Case Handler

A leading UK law firm with a network of offices from the South Coast to Scotland, working together as one national team. An innovative practice and the first top 100 law firm to achieve “Gold Standard” Investors in People, our values and culture are not just words on our website but are the heartbeat of the firm. The lack of barriers between departments, a real lack of hierarchy, zero tolerance for arrogance and pomposity makes Shoosmiths a fantastic place to work.

Our Recoveries Services Group provides a complete range of debt recovery services utilising cutting edge technology and with specialists dealing with different debt types, all operating under a centralised management structure allowing us to deliver consistently excellent service. Our structure ensures we can provide a full range of volume recoveries and litigation options, whilst ensuring that we have the expertise and experience to deal with complex and technical issues arising from volume recoveries.

Our specialist book debt collections team has extensive experience in receivables finance recoveries and insolvent company debt collection. Whether the client is having difficulty with a single assigned debt or a volume ledger, our team is on hand to assist with their recovery requirements. It is adept and experienced at quickly resolving claims that arise from companies becoming financially stressed or entering into a formal insolvency process. The team works alongside Shoosmiths' receivables finance and banking litigation and insolvency teams to maximise recoveries where matters become defended or complex. Our team is based at the Manchester office and is headed up by Harold Brako.

The role is part of our Recoveries Services Practice Group (RSG), this department works with the debtors of our banking and restructuring & insolvency clients. The purpose of the role is to be involved in conducting litigation, enforcement proceedings and collections on behalf of clients of Receivables in respect of litigation, dealing with clients, their debtors, solicitors, County Court staff and any other third parties by telephone, in correspondence and in person.

• Processing of pre-legal debt recovery referrals
• Dealing with key stages of litigation within a case management system
• Negotiating repayment(s) and/or settlements
• Maintaining integrity of data for own case load
• Ensuring electronic post and emails are correctly catalogued and saved to  relevant files on a daily basis
• Assisting with the compilation of client reports
• To achieve and maintain an up to date task list
• Assisting with client billing and collection of unpaid client invoices
• To maintain a professional manner within the office environment, with clients and any other third parties
• To answer and return calls in accordance with the firms policy and client's Service Level  Agreements
• To comply with client Service Level Agreements
• To complete tasks/activities upon instruction of a Team Leader or other senior member of the team/department
• General administration duties.

• Degree, LPC or Ilex qualification preferred
• Ideally previous legal experience in Debt Recovery, Insolvency or Credit Control, or previous Paralegal experience within a Law Firm
• Excellent client care skills
• Self confidence and ability to demonstrate initiative
• Ability to grasp things quickly and easily.
• Enthusiastic with a positive, can do attitude
• Good working knowledge of various applications – word, excel, outlook
• Taking care and attention into all correspondence and documentation
• Flexible with the ability to adapt to change, new practices and remain calm under pressure and find solutions
• A methodical and organised approach with keen attention paid to every detail
• Excellent organisational skills are required for this role to ensure that the tasks are effectively scheduled within working time available, and that urgent work is completed and returned within the specified timescales.
• Friendly and helpful approach to dealing with queries
• Excellent communication skills
• Able to integrate within a team as well as working on ones own initiative
• Ability to deliver a quality service to both internal and external clients.

Shoosmiths is a committed Equal Opportunities employer promoting equality of opportunity. This means that everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, whatever their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.