Large Loss Senior Associate

Our national Large Loss team provides an expert, experienced legal service dealing with claims of high value and complex technical insurance work. Weightmans’ Large Loss team handles claims reserved at over £150,000 including injuries of the utmost severity, representing over £800 million of client reserves. The claims are varied including Motor, employers’ liability, public liability and product liability.  Typical cases involve brain, spinal and amputation injuries, chronic pain/FND and also substantial dependency fatality claims.  As in all insurance work, we are vigilant when it comes to fraud - at any value. 

The successful candidate will largely assist partners in running catastrophic injury claims, including delegating to junior lawyers.  There will be a large degree of autonomy in terms of the day to day aspects of running a case load.  There are also opportunities to handle cases of up to £500,000 in own name.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Assist the partners and manage own caseload of catastrophic and high value PI cases
• Assist in initial investigations and in reporting to clients/ preparing internal strategy report as appropriate
• Liaise with other solicitors, insurers, police, HSE and witnesses to gather evidence
• Instruct various experts as appropriate
• Control Case Manager Diary and action lists
• Attend at court hearings as appropriate
• Attend conferences and JSMs as directed by partner, subject to client approval
• Draft letters, reports, reserve sheets and action plans as directed
• Assist with the management, supervision and development of more junior members of the team
• Complete client and firm MI procedures
• Comply with Data Protection Compliance and Procedures
• Comply with CPR and rehabilitation protocols
• Keep up to date with legal developments in defendant personal injury work
• Achieve set financial and chargeable targets/KPIs
• Ensure relevant deadlines and quality measures are adhered to
• Comply with relevant Weightmans and client policies and procedures
• Work in accordance with Weightmans’ values

This list is not intended to be exhaustive and you will be expected to perform other duties and have other responsibilities that fall within the wider remit of the role.

• You will have previous experience  and a genuine and demonstrable interest in the above area of work.

  We also require you to have/be:

  • Circa 5 years + PQE solicitor
  • Experience of managing a defendant personal injury litigation caseload (Motor work preferred but EL/PL also relevant).  Experience of high value Large Loss work is not strictly necessary
  • An eye for detail is essential
  • The ability to work to deadlines/ targets and work under pressure.
  • Ability to work as part of a team or on own initiative
  • Knowledge of CPR procedures/technical ability

Weightmans is a Top 40 law firm with offices throughout the UK. Having been recognised as the leading legal employer and 10th overall employer at the annual Britain's Top Employers awards 2024 and achieved record rankings in Chambers UK.

We are proud to be an accredited living wage employer.

Click here to find out more about industry recognition for excellence, through our achievements, awards and accreditations.

The independent research showed "Weightmans provides exceptional employee conditions, nurtures and develops talent throughout all levels of the organisation."

We are truly committed to fostering a culture of equality and diversity, where everyone in the firm is respected and recognised on merit for the work that they do.

We strongly encourage applications from people of all ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations and disabilities. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustment at any stage of the application process.

Please feel free to note your preferred pronouns in your application.

Work for a firm where people matter – work for Weightmans – We See the possibility in you.

As well as being immensely proud of the work we carry out for our clients and the culture we provide to our people we offer a wide range of benefits including;

• 28 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rated for part time)
• Hybrid working including provision of home office equipment*
• Healthcare cover/ Medicash
• Pension plan
• Life Insurance 4 x salary
• Interest free travel loan scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme including counselling, legal and consumer advice service
• Discounted gym membership
• Discounted dental scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Offers & discounts
• Great reward and recognition scheme

*there are a small number of roles that cannot be performed from home, your Recruitment Adviser can confirm.

Please note

• We encourage candidates to speak to us direct/apply direct for the opportunities we have available.   

• Any reference to experience or PQE in our adverts or job descriptions is to be used as a guideline only. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and with different levels of experience who can demonstrate that they fulfil the requirements of the role.

• The successful candidate appointed to this role will be subject to our standard background checking process, and any offer of employment made is conditional upon successful completion of those checks. Further details can be obtained from the Recruitment team.

• We are open to part time/job share applicants.

Recruitment agencies (PSL /non-PSL)

Weightmans operates a strict 'preferred supplier list' (PSL) and is committed to working closely with the recruitment agencies that feature on that list. As such, Weightmans does not accept speculative or unsolicited CVs, profiles or any other introductions from both our PSL and non-PSL agencies.  If a PSL or non-PSL agency chooses to submit a speculative or unsolicited CV, profile or introduction without instruction from a member of Weightmans’ recruitment team, we will reserve the right to treat the introduction as a gift and contact the candidate directly without accepting or entering into the agency’s terms nor being liable for a recruitment fee.

Eligibility to work in the UK

Eligibility to work in the UK will be verified in the final stages of the selection process. All candidates must either already have a right to work in the UK before commencing employment, or meet the Home office criteria for Visa sponsorship. Candidates who require sponsorship should evaluate the Home Office eligibility criteria for a Skilled Worker visa before applying.