Paralegal - Complex Property

Job Introduction

The Claims Solutions Group Property team in Bristol provides advice and claims management to the insurance industry.  Our specialist Complex Property team is led in Bristol by 1 partner and 2 associates. We provide expert and practical advice over a range of areas, including:

• Public Liability / Property Damage claims 
• Policy coverage 
• Property recovery
• Fraud

We are now accepting applications from paralegals looking to join a supportive team and ambitious firm. Please note, this opportunity is for a 6 month fixed term contract. 

Role Responsibility

• Developing your knowledge of all aspects of property-related insurance claims, including policy coverage disputes, product liability, fraud, subrogated recovery claims and liability matters.
• Developing your knowledge of litigation tactics and a sound working knowledge of the CPR.
• Claims handling a variety of litigated and pre-litigated files.
• Task-based discrete activities assisting on claims for other fee earners in the team, including carrying out preliminary investigations and evidence gathering, ensuring technical and expert evidence obtained by insurers and their agents is sufficient to prove causation; obtaining witness statements; and contacting relevant parties to obtain contractual and other relevant documentation.
• Ensuring that the case management system and hard copy files are updated with diary dates as required by the case.
• Assuming responsibility for client protocol compliance both on own files and where working on task-based assignments.
• Handling confidential information in line with the firm's data security protocols
• Meeting and exceeding internal targets for time recording and billing.

The Ideal Candidate

• Preferably have a degree in Law (LLB or equivalent) or previous relevant legal experience. 
• Minimum 6 months paralegal experience
• Knowledge of the litigation process is desirable – either through experience, the LPC or ILEX.
• Be interested in and have a good working knowledge of general contract and tortious principles.
•  Be interested in and willing to learn insurance-based property damage law.
• Be interested in and willing to learn the technical aspects of construction and property investigation as required for the role.
• Be change-orientated, with a positive, flexible approach towards the implementation of new initiatives.
• Be IT-literate, with a good knowledge of Microsoft Office and previous knowledge or experience of a case management system advantageous (but not essential).
• Have a willingness to follow a process-driven system, working within set parameters.
•  Be team-orientated, with a willingness to share knowledge with and support other members of the team.
• Have an ability to adopt a commercial perspective rather than an ‘academic’ approach to claims settlement.

About the Company

We are a leading international legal business with over 2,400 colleagues and a diverse range of capabilities. We have 12 offices in the UK as well as offices in Dublin, Madrid, Paris, Singapore, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Miami. We also have associations/alliances with firms in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Brazil, Peru, Central America, Argentina, the USA, Australia and Germany.

We are known for our market-leading presence in sectors such as Insurance, Health and Real Estate. This is complemented by a fast-growing Business Advisory capability. We represent a wide range of clients, ranging from household names to government departments and NHS bodies. We act for the majority of the top 30 insurance and financial services companies operating in the UK. We are the asset management lawyers for the UK’s largest shopping centres and act for 9 of the UK’s top 10 housebuilders.

We have an impressive legal pedigree, with 155 Chambers UK 2019 practice area and individual lawyer rankings, including 30 rankings at 'Band 1' level. In Legal 500 UK, 2018, the firm received top tier ranking for 32 of its practice areas and 59 practice areas in the top two tiers. In March 2018, we were named as one of Legal Week's Best Legal Advisors for the third year running, achieving category-leading satisfaction scores for our commercial approach, service delivery, quality of legal advice, communication & responsiveness and overall relationships.

Our vision is to be leading business advisers, recognised for our insight and our outstanding commitment to clients, and for being the place where talented people want to work. For further details on our work and our culture, please visit www.dacbeachcroft.com.

DAC Beachcroft is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from every sector of the community. We also welcome direct applications. If this opportunity sounds of interest to you, please make an application and submit your CV. Your application will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence.

Note for Recruitment Agencies – the DAC Beachcroft recruitment team is responsible for managing all current vacancies through direct hiring and referrals wherever possible.  We do work with recruitment agencies and where we require external support we will formally release those vacancies to the agencies on our Preferred Supplier List deemed best placed to assist us.  Speculative CVs sent by any agency to any DAC Beachcroft employee without a specific request by the recruitment team will not be accepted and with no introduction fee applicable.  Our recruitment team can be contacted at recruitment@dacbeachcroft

DAC Beachcroft