Professioinal Negligence Senior Associate

Your new companyOur client is a leading and highly regarded legal services organisation that are continuing growth within their Complex Litigation function, which has created an opportunity for a Professional Negligence Senior Associate to join its Bristol office.

Renowned for delivering high-quality, customer-focused legal solutions, the business has strong insurer relationships and a consistent flow of complex work. It promotes a collaborative, inclusive culture where leadership, autonomy, and continuous development are actively encouraged. With a modern approach to hybrid working and a clear commitment to employee wellbeing, this is an excellent environment for experienced lawyers ready to step into a senior leadership role.

Your new role Joining the Professional Negligence team you will play a key leadership role combining technical legal expertise with operational oversight.

You will be responsible for supervising and mentoring team members, promoting best practice and ensuring the delivery of high-quality legal advice, while also managing a targeted caseload of complex, multi-track professional negligence disputes. Matters may include claims involving professional advisers and misrepresentation, often funded through legal expenses insurance.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading, mentoring and developing junior lawyers, embedding high standards of technical excellence and client care
• Supervising case handling to ensure accuracy, efficiency and commercial outcomes
• Managing a small caseload of complex professional negligence and misrepresentation claims
• Conducting early case assessment and shaping dispute strategy
• Ensuring compliance with legal expenses insurance policy requirements and regulatory standards
• Driving performance against SLAs, KPIs and financial targets
• Supporting departmental strategy, change initiatives and continuous improvement
• Using management information to monitor performance and identify opportunities for optimisation
• Promoting a culture of collaboration, knowledge sharing and excellence in customer outcomes

This is a hybrid role, with a requirement to attend the Bristol office for part of the working week.

What you'll need to succeed

You will have:

• Qualified as a Solicitor or Chartered Legal Executive (CILEX) (or equivalent)
• Strong experience handling professional negligence disputes, ideally within a supervised or senior capacity
• Proven experience of technical supervision, mentoring or team leadership
• Experience working in an SRA-regulated environment
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to manage complex litigation strategically
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and client care skills
• The ability to prioritise effectively and work under pressure managing multiple demands
• Strong analytical skills, including identifying legal and operational risks
• A proactive approach, with the confidence to lead, influence and drive performance
  
  This role will suit a senior litigator or existing Senior Associate looking to combine high-level legal work with meaningful leadership responsibility.

What you'll get in return

In return, you will receive:

• A competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements
• High-quality, consistent complex litigation work from established insurer clients
• A clear leadership role with genuine influence on team and departmental performance
• A supportive, high-performing and inclusive culture
• Ongoing professional development and clear progression opportunities

What you need to do now

If you are a Professional Negligence Lawyer seeking a senior leadership opportunity in Bristol, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Apply now or contact Sheldon Carlisle at Hays Legal for a confidential discussion about this opportunity.

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