Job Details –Costs Draftsman/Costs Lawyer (or Experienced (Unqualified) Costs Clerk)
Drafting Inter-Partes and Legal Aid bills for assessment
Sending bills to paying party and following through assessment procedure to payment.
Drafting replies to points of dispute
Negotiating costs with paying party.
Lodging bills at Court and the Legal Aid Agency for assessment.
Monitoring performance of external costs draftsman in relation to turnaround times and work produced.
Maintaining up to date excel spreadsheet of billing information.
Ensuring prompt payment of finalised bills where payment is due from opponent.
Checking bills drafted by costs assistants
Undertaking other clerical and administrative duties as may reasonably be required from time to time.
Person Specification
(The skills and knowledge and experience required to fulfil the role satisfactorily)
Essential Requirements
Experience of drafting inter partes and legal aid bills
Experience of using CCMS to bill legal aid files
Computer Literate
High Level of numeracy and accuracy when dealing with figures. Attention to detail.
Knowledge of Excel, Word and Outlook
Willing to learn new skills
Quick learner
Good Administrative background with experience of being able to manage and prioritise own workloads
Desirable Requirements
Knowledge and experience of:
- Legal Aid Agency rules for billing and costing of publicly funded files.
- Court rules for lodging bills.
- An understanding of the rules governing inter parte bills preparation.
- Court costs assessment procedures
- Working in a publicly funded organisation