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Legal Costs Assistant

Employer
Simpson Millar LLP
Location
Leeds, West Yorkshire
Salary
Up to £16,000 Depending on experience
Closing date
6 Apr 2019

View more

Practice area
Public law
Contract type
Permanent
Hours
Full time
PQE
Newly qualified, 1 year
Position
Legal finance & costs
Sector
Private practice, In-house

Job Details

Role Purpose

    To provide Assistance to the Legal Costs and General Ledger Clerk

Key Responsibilities:

MONTHLY REPORTS

  • Compile calculations of profit costs figures to be included on claims to the LAA and providing input to the various upcoming monthly reports.
  • Compile accurate details of disbursement figures to be included on claims and various upcoming monthly reports.
  • Ensuring that key information can be accessed remotely by the Legal Aid Contract Manager when producing monthly reports.

PAYMENT ON ACCOUNT PROCESS

  • Assist in the co-ordination of the payment on account process through the use of Microsoft Word Excel.
  • Assist in ensuring that interim claims for profit costs are co-ordinated in a prompt and accurate manner in order to assist fee earners to meet their financial targets.
  • Assist in ensuring that interim claims for disbursements are co-ordinated in a prompt and accurate manner in order to maintain a positive relationship between the firm and various service providers.
  • Accurately record and update details of all active Legal Aid funding certificates including details of costs limitations and upcoming payment on account claims..

PREPARATION OF CLAIMS FOR PAYMENT

  • Under supervision promptly and accurately complete form EC CLAIM1 for Telephone Advice and Legal Help Controlled Work matters from all offices within the Education and Community Care Department (i.e. Lancaster, Islington, Wimbledon, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle)
  • Assist in promptly and accurately complete forms CLAIM1 and CLAIM2 to include the drafting of costs schedules and case narratives.
  • Under supervision consider careful application of costs enhancements in order to maximise profit and avoid reduction/rejection of costs decisions made by the Legal Aid Agency.
  • MONTHLY REPORTS

    • Compile calculations of profit costs figures to be included on claims to the LAA and providing input to the various upcoming monthly reports.
    • Compile accurate details of disbursement figures to be included on claims and various upcoming monthly reports.
    • Ensuring that key information can be accessed remotely by the Legal Aid Contract Manager when producing monthly reports.

    PAYMENT ON ACCOUNT PROCESS

    • Assist in the co-ordination of the payment on account process through the use of Microsoft Word Excel.
    • Assist in ensuring that interim claims for profit costs are co-ordinated in a prompt and accurate manner in order to assist fee earners to meet their financial targets.
    • Assist in ensuring that interim claims for disbursements are co-ordinated in a prompt and accurate manner in order to maintain a positive relationship between the firm and various service providers.
    • Accurately record and update details of all active Legal Aid funding certificates including details of costs limitations and upcoming payment on account claims..

    PREPARATION OF CLAIMS FOR PAYMENT

    • Under supervision promptly and accurately complete form EC CLAIM1 for Telephone Advice and Legal Help Controlled Work matters from all offices within the Education and Community Care Department (i.e. Lancaster, Islington, Wimbledon, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle)
    • Assist in promptly and accurately complete forms CLAIM1 and CLAIM2 to include the drafting of costs schedules and case narratives.
    • Under supervision consider careful application of costs enhancements in order to maximise profit and avoid reduction/rejection of costs decisions made by the Legal Aid Agency.
    • Ensure that hard copy proof of chargeable work can be found on file.
    • Ensure that the IT running record of costs is accurate prior to submission for assessment by the Legal Aid Agency.
    • Monitor the claim’s process up until payment by the Legal Aid Agency. Complete the file closure process once payment has been received.

    TRADITIONAL DRAFTING OF BILLS

    • Accurately draft bills for matters funded by private payment schemes (i.e. Fixed fee bills and bills calculated on an hourly rate basis)

    RECONCILIATION OF PAYMENTS

    • Assist the firm's main Accounts Department with the management of bulk funds paid by the Legal Aid Agency and to distribute them accordingly amongst individual matters. (i.e. To accurately produce internal bills for profit costs and disbursements and to update the reconciliation spreadsheet)

    MONTHLY REPORTING

    • Assist fee earners with the Legal Help reporting on the online LAA portal

    NEGOTATION OF COSTS

    • Assist solicitors within the Education and Community care Department with the process of costs negotiations.
    • Assist in accurately draft bills in accordance with orders issued by the courts.
    • Liaising with the other side during the costs negotiation process on behalf of solicitors in a professional manner.

    PAYMENT ENQUIRIES FROM SERVICE PROVIDERS

    • To be a point of contact for all service providers instructed by fee earners within the Education and Community Care Department.
    • Promptly respond to queries in a professional and polite manner.

    ARRANGING PAYMENTS OF INVOICES

    • Assist in ensuring that all outstanding invoices from service providers are paid promptly in order to preserve a positive relationship between the firm and service providers.
    • Accurately produce Financial Transaction forms to be forwarded to the main Accounts Department for payments to be processed.

KPI’s

  • To consistently achieve set targets within the role such as billing targets and time recording targets.
  • When carrying out a task be able to demonstrate a good understanding of the task by producing work to an excellent standard.
  • Produce work which is consistently to an accurate and reliable standard
  • Develop good working relationship with the Public Law Team.
  • Develop good working relationship with the other Service teams within the organisation.
  • Ability to prioritise workload.
  • Ability to stick to deadlines

Experience / Knowledge / Qualifications

  • Devise and implement improved systems for payments processes.
  • Respond promptly to any problems or queries that may arise.
  • Maintain up to date knowledge of services & procedures both the Legal Aid Agency
  • To be committed to the improvement of staff engagement within the Public Law department.
  • Drafting both the private and CLA monthly telephone advice rotas.
  • The ability to work independently without supervision and to prioritise accordingly
  • Strong Microsoft Excel skill.
  • Excellent attention to detail
  • High level of accuracy
  • Ability to deal with calls effectively and efficiently

Company

Simpson Millar is a national law firm with over 500 staff and offices in Bristol, Cardiff, Kingston-upon-Thames, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Morecambe and Southport.

Company info
Website
Telephone
0808 278 9918

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