Litigation Solicitor

Litigation Solicitor £40-70k DOE

Our client is looking for several solicitors to join their companies' new offices in Manchester M2, just 15 minutes' walk from Manchester Piccadilly/Manchester Oxford Road.

Litigation solicitors with any of the following:

Commercial Litigation, Insolvency, Bankruptcy, Debt Recovery, Consumer Claims, Civil Litigation, Real Estate.

We are interested in NQ - 6PQE and salaries are dependent on experience.

Office hours are 9am to 5.30pm and 1 hour for lunch.

Key responsibilities

• Managing a caseload of defended and undefended debt recovery and consumer claims from pre-action through to enforcement.
• Working with Directors and heads of departments.
• Supervision of Paralegals.
• Acting for regulated institutional clients, understanding their regulatory, reputational and commercial priorities, and tailoring strategy accordingly.
• Drafting pre-action correspondence, letters of claim, claim forms, particulars of claim, defences, replies, applications (including set-aside and relief from sanctions where relevant), witness statements and consent orders.
• Conducting or overseeing compliance with relevant pre-action protocols, negotiation and settlement (including structured repayment arrangements) and ADR where appropriate.
• Handling small claims and fast track matters (and selected multi-track cases where appropriate), including directions, disclosure, witness evidence and trial preparation.
• Supervising and quality-controlling the work of two paralegals, including task allocation, training on CPR basics, drafting standards and time-recording discipline, and undertaking regular file reviews.
• Ensuring accurate and timely time-recording and effective use of case management systems, contributing to MI and reporting for institutional clients.
• Working closely with Directors and Heads of Department on refinement of processes, precedents and workflows for institutional portfolios, and contributing to operational improvements.
• Ensuring strict compliance with SRA Principles, AML and data protection requirements in a high-volume, data-rich practice.
• Contributing to client care and business development, including attending client review meetings, assisting with tenders and panel reviews, and supporting new initiatives as the firm grows.
• Where appropriate, instructing and liaising with counsel on more complex or high-value matters (including test cases), preparing clear instructions and bundles.

Essential criteria

• Qualified solicitor in England and Wales (NQ-6 years PQE). High-calibre final seat experience in litigation or debt recovery will be considered for NQs.
• Strong working knowledge of the CPR across small claims and fast track, with an appreciation of multi-track procedure, including experience of or exposure to strike out, default and summary judgment, relief from sanctions and enforcement.
• Demonstrable focus on procedural compliance, including reliable diary management, adherence to court orders and directions, and risk management around limitation and sanctions.
• Experience managing a litigation caseload (trainee experience acceptable for recently qualified individuals) with responsibility for progressing matters proactively under supervision.
• Experience of, or clear aptitude for, supervising and developing junior team members or support staff, including structured feedback and quality control.
• Experience or a clear desire to act for institutional or repeat-player clients, and an understanding of the need for consistency, reporting and MI.
• Strong drafting skills (correspondence, pleadings, applications and witness statements) and clear written communication.
• Commercially minded, able to advise on proportionality, settlement options and costs, with client care at the forefront of decision-making.
• Comfortable working in-office for most of the week and in close proximity with Directors and Heads of Department for supervision and training.
• High standards of professional ethics, confidentiality and regulatory compliance (SRA, AML, data protection).

Full details of the roles are available on application.