Paralegal - Property Insurance - Bristol

Job Introduction

The Claims Solutions Group Property team provides advice and claims management to the insurance industry.  We are now accepting applications from paralegals looking to establish an exciting career within a supportive team and ambitious firm.

Role Responsibility

The overall purpose of this role is to provide a timely, professional and high-quality service to a client in the management of litigated and non-litigated property recovery cases.  Other responsibilities will include:

• Managing a varied property recovery caseload under supervision. This will include developing a knowledge of legal issues in respect of a variety of peril based recoveries as well as building an understanding of liability issues
• Hitting, maintaining and applying a consistent approach to all individual targets of financial performance, realisation rates, settlement rate and average claim spend
• Assessing liability and quantum and establish a strategy for each case
• Accessing and utilising direct access to client computer systems as well as those of other supply chain companies
• Resolving claims through negotiation and/or litigation where necessary and within client service standards
• Drafting and issuing court claim forms and particulars and handle Small Claims litigated cases through to trial or earlier settlement, under supervision. Handling fast and multi track cases through to point of litigation referral
• Ensuring court directions are complied with at all times
• Maintaining ongoing contact with the client throughout the litigation process by regular reporting and/or updating of management information
• Instructing experts and external counsel where appropriate
• Playing a key role in developing and maintaining client relationships
• Ensuring that the client’s brand and methodology are promoted effectively in all dealings with third parties
• Ensuring that case management system and hard copy files are updated with diary dates as required by the case
• Assuming responsibility for quality control and client protocol compliance on own caseload, including accuracy and timeliness of record keeping, file management and management reporting and information
• Ensuring that the DAC Beachcroft brand and standards are maintained in managing the outputs of other panel firms

The Ideal Candidate

• Previous experience of working as a paralegal or insurance claims handler within the field of property recovery is desirable but not essential or placement student
• Experience of court processes would be an advantage
• Previous experience of working within an insurance environment is desirable
• IT literate with working knowledge of Word and Excel. Knowledge/previous experience of case management systems would be an advantage but training will be provided. Good keyboard skills are also essential
• Client focused with an ability to build strong relationships with client and third party contacts at all levels
• Able to work to deadlines, prioritise own workload effectively under pressure and manage conflicting priorities
• Proactive with a tenacious approach to identifying issues and solving problems
• Quality and customer service oriented with a concern for accuracy and an eye for detail
• Team oriented. A collegiate approach to sharing knowledge and working with colleagues across locations is essential
• Committed and enthusiastic with a professional attitude to work and a desire to commit long term to a career in this field
• Confident oral and written communication skills

About the Company

We are a leading international legal business with over 2,500 colleagues and a diverse range of capabilities. We have 11 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, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Central America, the USA, Australia and Germany.

We are a broad-based commercial firm with a strong heritage in 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 all of the UK’s top-ten insurers, we are market leaders in the provision of strategic, commercial and regulatory advice to providers and commissioners in the health sector, and in real estate we advise all of the UK’s top-12 housebuilders.

We have an impressive legal pedigree, with 142 Chambers UK 2021 practice area and individual lawyer rankings. In Legal 500 UK 2021, the firm received a top tier ranking for 37 of its practice areas, and 58 DACB lawyers were singled out in the ‘Leading Individual' rankings.

Our successes have been recognised by the legal industry and the markets in which we operate. These accolades include two top prizes in the ‘Excellence in Business Development’ and ‘Excellence in Technology & Innovation’ categories of the 2020 Law Society Excellence Awards – the highest accolade for law firms in England & Wales. Our health sector team won the ‘Crisis Management Team of the Year’ award at the 2020 British Legal Awards for its support to the NHS at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our Cyber & Data Risk team received the ‘Business Development Innovation Award’ at the 2020 Legal Innovation Awards, as well as ‘Cyber Law Firm of the Year’ at the prestigious Insurance Insider Cyber Rankings Awards, for its market-leading suite of digital tools to help our clients prepare for and respond to cyber and data risk crises.

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.

Application Details

At DAC Beachcroft, we don’t just accept your differences we celebrate them.  From bespoke solutions for our clients, to treating you like an individual.  Our strength comes from your diverse ideas and bringing the whole you to work. So if you’re good at what you do, come as you are.  We welcome direct applications and are happy to talk flexible working.

We also want you to be at your very best.  Please feel free to let us know of any changes we can make at any point in the recruitment process that will help support your application.  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.com

DAC Beachcroft