What does the role involve?

We are looking for a Principal or Senior Associate who is a 4 - 9 years PQE Solicitor to join our growing team in Manchester (Legal 500: Tier 1 and Chambers & Partners Band 1 for Professional Negligence).  You will work with Partners Ben Hardiman and Niall Innes in Manchester and the wider Insurance Disputes National Service Line (NSL), led by Niall Innes.

You will have a good background in professional indemnity litigation including up to date pre-action and litigation procedural knowledge. You will have experience of the insurance market and ideally you will have experience of advising insurers and professionals about construction disputes.

At this level, you will be expected to perform as follows:

Client service

• Deliver outstanding client service to both internal and external clients to encourage client retention and referrals
• Have a sound understanding of clients' legal, commercial and service requirements
• Have effective client relationship and client service skills
• Demonstrate strong business development credentials in terms of growth from existing clients and bringing in new work

Technical excellence

• Have strong technical competence and knowledge of professional indemnity litigation
• Deliver high quality and commercially focussed advice
• Carry out supervision of junior lawyers

Areas of work are:

The work has a professional indemnity focus, predominantly acting for the construction professionals and their insurers (including contractors, architects, engineers and other consultants). The team handles a range of disputes ranging from relatively low value claims arising out of domestic and commercial projects, through to multi-million pound multi-party litigated disputes. You will also have the opportunity to work on claims against other professions such as lawyers (both solicitors and barristers), accountants, insurance brokers and surveyors.

Our clients are located nationally, with work referred at their nomination or directly by insurers, many of which are located close to our London office but with developed regionally based teams.

The person

You will be 4 - 9 years’ PQE gained in a reputable firm with a substantive professional indemnity practice.

Skills and attributes

Given the nature of this role, it is likely that your background and experience will include the following:

• Good academics – 2.1 degree or equivalent with good A levels or equivalents

• Clear enthusiasm for professional indemnity

• Self-starting with common sense and initiative, and ability to work as a team-player working on complex matters

• Great time and documentation management skills

• Keen attention to detail

• Ability to supervise and assist more junior lawyers

• Ability to build very good relationships with clients and potential clients

• Excellent interpersonal and team skills, including ability to work with others, influence and persuade

• High level of IT skills

• Good research skills, including an ability to use online information sources

• Marketing and business development skills

• Litigation experience

Why should I apply?

Mills & Reeve is a major UK law firm renowned for its outstanding service to national and international clients, for its collaborative culture and for its deep sector expertise. At Mills & Reeve you will be encouraged and given the opportunity to develop your career in the way you want to develop it.

Quite simply, Mills & Reeve is a great place to work and this is an ideal opportunity to build your skills and experience with a major UK law firm with a market leading reputation. We are proud to be listed as one of the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For consecutively for 19 years - the only law firm to achieve this.

Pre-employment screening

Please note that, in the event that we make an offer of employment, we will conduct pre-employment screening that includes checks relating to your professional and academic qualifications, references from previous employers, your eligibility to work in the UK and any disciplinary history recorded with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). You will also be required to complete a self-declaration to assess your character and suitability.

Disclosure and barring service check and security clearance

This post is also subject to a satisfactory response from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) (to check for any previous criminal convictions) and, given the nature of the work-type, you may also be required to undergo national security vetting to SC level – the latter can be undertaken following commencement of employment.

And finally

Mills & Reeve is committed to building a diverse workforce and fostering an inclusive environment in which all our people can thrive. We hire people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our firm stronger, and we have a collaborative culture that celebrates different perspectives and values respect for one another, working together, and openness and integrity. Our approach to flexible working means that we work in a way that achieves the right balance for our people, our clients and for our business.

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