Professional Negligence Associate

These are exciting times at DAS Law (part of ARAG UK), where we are going through a period of sustained growth across our litigation teams. This is a great time to join a hard-working and friendly group of around 50 lawyers who together make up the Complex Litigation unit at DAS Law (part of ARAG UK).  We are now seeking an Associate within the Complex Professional Negligence team, who is keen to manage a varied caseload of claimant professional negligence matters across a range of professions, acting on behalf of both individuals and business clients. This is an excellent opportunity for either Associates, or Paralegals that are keen to develop in a supportive environment.

Why us?

We have a unique and compelling business model which sets us apart from other mid- sized firms.

The insurance arm of our business underwrites legal expenses insurance and has millions of customers across the UK. When customers face a legal problem, whether a contract, property, employment or personal injury dispute, their legal cover gives them access to a panel of skilled lawyers to help resolve those disputes.

Only a stone’s throw from Bristol Temple Meads station, we have newly refurbished and modern city centre offices. Our staff are at the heart of everything we do, and we support flexible working options, and are happy to discuss part-time hours for these opportunities.

In addition to a steady supply of high-quality litigation from the Insurance Group, we offer a highly competitive benefits package including a generous pension, group income and legal protection and a host of products aimed at wellbeing.

More about the team:

Headed up by Laura Loney, you will join a highly-skilled and supportive team specialising in intermediate and multi-track professional negligence claims as well as ancillary claims arising from these cases including property misrepresentation claims.  The team also deals with wider commercial litigation cases as and when demand requires this.  The professional negligence team sits within the larger Complex Litigation unit headed up by a partner, Will Ellerton.

As a team we are passionate and enthusiastic about what we do. There is a genuine commitment to giving our people early responsibility and you will regularly run cases from inception to ADR or trial and assist other members of the team.

We are keen to hear from both Associates and Paralegals for this role. Previous professional negligence experience from either a claimant or defendant perspective is advantageous, but not essential. The ideal candidate will have previous case handling experience, as well as a good grasp of the Civil Procedure Rules and an awareness of the applicable pre-action protocols. Experience of resolving cases via mediation and other forms of ADR would be beneficial. Alongside professional negligence cases, the team also deals with a significant number of property misrepresentation claims. Experience of this case type is helpful although not essential as training will be given.

We encourage our people to work flexibly and achieve a work-life balance that works for them. In return for your commitment we will offer you generous remuneration and a benefits package to include:   

- 25 days holiday with the option to buy up to a further 5 days
- Company pension scheme with the option to increase contributions
- Group Income Protection for all employees
- Group Legal Protection for all employees
- A choice of either European Motor Assistance or Home Emergency Assistance
- Salary sacrifice benefits including Cycle scheme 
- A comprehensive wellbeing programme including an employee Health Cash Plan
- Access to our employee discounts hub offering exclusive discounts across thousands of retail partners, including discounted gym memberships at over 3,000 gyms across the UK
- The option to join our Sports and Social club which organises discounted events such as theatre visits, wine tasting and shopping trips

If you think you would be a good match for this role and can demonstrate some transferable experience please apply, regardless of whether you meet all the criteria listed above.

ARAG UK has been helping businesses and individuals gain access to justice for over 40 years. It’s our founding principle to enable everybody, not just those who can afford it, to assert their legal rights.

Thousands of businesses and individuals defend or pursue legal action each year safe in the knowledge that ARAG UK are paying their legal bills. Our businesses include a legal expenses insurance company and a law firm with many opportunities in both areas.

We have historically focussed on delivering legal services to customers solely via our Legal Expenses Insurance products, which provides a steady workload of litigated cases in areas such as;

• Personal Injury
• Litigation & Dispute Management
• Employment
• Business & Commercial

We believe these are exciting times for DAS Law as part of the wider ARAG UK and we are looking for likeminded individuals who share our ambition to make our high quality legal solutions accessible and affordable.

You can expect to join an organisation that will challenge and develop you to progress your career in ways that traditional law firms cannot. We are also committed to supporting continued professional development and promote both internal Training Contracts and alternative routes to qualification (SQE/CILEX).

By giving you every opportunity to develop yourself professionally and personally, we also pride ourselves on having an open, inclusive and high energy culture that encourages a fun working environment and places our customers at the very heart of everything we do.

If you are keen to become part of our exciting future then we would love to hear from you. In addition to the very genuine development opportunities we provide we also offer a generous reward and benefits package.