Public Law Clerk, 7BR

7BR is a leading multi-disciplinary set with a long-established history of excellence in advocacy and advisory services. Members provide an unrivalled offering of knowledge across a broad spectrum of the law; including child and family work, clinical and professional negligence, personal injury, public law, local authority liability, insurance disputes, employment, fraud, contract and tort, regulatory, anti-money laundering and white-collar crime. 83 members, including 13 QCs, practise in courts and tribunals throughout England and Wales and internationally. 7BR barristers pride themselves on an approachable and down-to-earth service, working closely with clients at all times.

About the Role:

We are looking for a dynamic, self-motivated professional who can hit the ground running. The successful candidate will be excited by the opportunity to offer exceptional business development support and will be able to add immediate value to a growing team.

The ideal candidate will have a strong working knowledge of public law, a good understanding of civil clerking, and a general interest in the legal landscape. In addition to general clerking duties, the ideal candidate will feel confident networking with clients and will actively pursue new avenues for business development.

Who you are:

  • Experience of building up a small specialist area of work and co-ordinating business development.
  • Experience of the Public law and local authority sector essential
  • Ability to develop and create relationships with clients
  • Experience in general civil clerking for individual barristers at all levels
  • Full working knowledge of the billing intricacies in this area such as LAA, GLD and local authority systems
  • Experience of Diary and Practice Management, and Fees
  • Knowledge of the Code of Conduct for Barristers practising in England and Wales
  • Ability to communicate professionally with Chambers’ clients
  • Ability to work under own initiative
  • Well-presented and articulate
  • Good team player

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

Strategy and Business Planning

  • Co-ordinate and take responsibility to grow Public Law work.
  • Developing public law work and working together with the Public Law Strategy and Seminar Groups.
  • Participate in practice group meetings and to carry out practice development meetings with individual barristers involving their client care, income and career direction.
  • Carrying out market research to build profiles of client segments within practice areas.
  • Coordinate the development and regular review of Chambers’ public law contact list
  • Monitor the presentation of Chambers’ public law offering, and support members to enhance their profile, and the profile of the team (e.g. support with social media and directories)
  • To keep up to date with market knowledge regarding the Public Law sector.
  • Attend internal and external events, as directed by the Senior clerk or by members, and on own initiative.
  • Develop and maintain relationships with clients and the courts to promote members’ interests.
  • To draft a monthly commentary on marketing activities for the Management Committee.
  • In conjunction with the Senior Clerk, the CEO and Members to help to draft an annual Business Plan and events diary for the Public Law team

General Practice Management

  • Daily diary and practice management of the members of the Public Law team ensuring the fair allocation of work to members and the choice of member appropriate for the instruction.
  • Communicate appropriately with counsel to notify them of changes to their diary.
  • Processing of papers and briefs in a timely manner to provide members with sufficient time for preparation.
  • Preparing written fee quotations and written tenders and negotiating and agreeing fees by telephone and in writing through negotiating fees, calculating fees, recording fees for work done and processing fees as required.
  • Working closely with the Senior Clerk, to regularly analyse and produce a report on instructions for the team for the CEO
  • Working closely with the Senior Clerk, to carry out 6 monthly practice reviews and assist in developing members’ practices
  • Be aware of the standards imposed upon Chambers by the Legal Aid Authorities , the Bar Standards Board and the Bar Council and act in accordance with these standards when necessary.
  • Assist other clerks by sharing knowledge and experience as appropriate to facilitate the smooth running of the clerking team.
  • General administration duties as required in the course of normal clerking duties.
  • To perform such additional tasks as may from time to time be required by the Chief Executive, Senior clerk and or Chambers’ management.
  • To work as part of the wider staff team, maintaining good working practices and relationships with Reception, Administration and Marketing staff, in addition to maintaining good working relationships with those clerks in other practice areas

Competitive salary with annual performance related bonusSept 2017

7 BEDFORD ROW, LONDON, WC1R 4BS, UK DX: LDE 347 CHANCERY LANE

T+44 (0) 20 7242 3555 F+44 (0) 20 7242 2511 W