Costs Draftsperson / Costs Lawyer

Shakespeare Martineau is a Top 55 law firm that combines creativity, commerciality and clarity. We work with blue-chip companies, leading organisations, high street brands and individuals across the country.

As enterprising and original thinkers, we’re driven to create exceptional experiences for our clients and our people. We handle personal and business-critical issues and game-changing deals across many dynamic sectors. It’s stimulating and rewarding.

We’re hardworking and deeply ambitious about creating opportunities for our employees; to move forward and achieve our ambition together. We provide an environment in which you’re supported to reach your potential.

Our people have a blend of excellent technical and business skills with the talent to do things differently.

Here you’ll find top quality work, cutting edge training, high profile clients, and supportive colleagues. We think it could be time you joined us.

Our Lime & Corclaim Business has a long-standing experience of working with some of the most successful and influential businesses in the UK and also internationally. Our specialist teams combine expertise with a sound understanding of the commercial landscape to provide exceptional solutions for every aspect of our clients’ corporate requirements.

Our Costs team handles all aspects of the legal costs process for a number of internal as well as external clients, dealing with both pre-litigated and litigated matters. We deal with costs matters from both a receiving party and paying party perspective. We offer a full range of service on claims of all sizes including the provision of advice, preparation of Bills of Costs, drafting Points of Dispute and Replies, preparing Costs Budgets and dealing with all aspects of the cost budgeting process to include attendance at CCMCs, drafting skeleton arguments on technical challenges, negotiating settlements, attending Detailed Assessment hearings and dealing with part 8 cost procedures.

The role:

Are you an experienced Costs Draftsperson looking for a new challenge? Do you have strong communication skills and boast a keen eye for detail? Are you looking to develop a career in a dynamic and expanding law firm? If so read on....

We are looking for both a Claimant Costs Draftsperson and a Defendant Costs Draftsperson to join our Costs Team, part of the firm’s Lime & Corclaim Business.

General key duties for both roles will be:

• drafting Precedent H cost budgets
• advocacy at cost management hearings and / or detailed assessment hearings
• managing a caseload of files
• formulating offers and negotiating settlements
• dealing with general correspondence
• handling telephone calls, and handling queries and enquiries where appropriate
• drafting schedules of costs

Additional key duties specific to the Claimant role will be:

• handling receiving party costs matters and drafting bills of costs
• drafting points of replies

Additional Key duties specific to the Defendant role will be:

• drafting points of dispute

Skills and experience you will have:

• a minimum of 2 years’ experience in a similar role, gained from working in either a Claimant or Defendant role
• strong numerical ability

Skills and experience specific to the Claimant role, you will have:

• experience in drafting bills of costs

Skills and experience specific to the Defendant role, you will have:

• experience in drafting points of disputes

Key competencies you will need:

• strong commitment to the principles of good customer service and an enthusiasm to develop a career in the field of costs work
• excellent attention to detail and a high degree of accuracy
• the ability to prioritise your workload
• commitment and a team player approach with the ability to work in a busy team
• excellent communication skills over the phone and in person

Due to the nature of the work undertaken, confirmation of employment will be subject to a variety of checks which will be carried out once an offer of employment is accepted. Details of the checks can be found here.

Shakespeare Martineau is a committed equal opportunities employer. We seek to attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. We value and respect individuality and encourage a culture within our business where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths and experiences. Everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, regardless of their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.