Location: Remote
Starting Salary: £40,000
Reporting To: Head of Civil Billing
Role Overview:
We are seeking an experienced Legal Help Manager to oversee the legal help claims process, manage a team, and ensure compliance with relevant regulations. This role requires a detail-oriented professional with strong leadership and technical expertise in legal help and civil billing.
Key Responsibilities:
- Legal Help Claim Approval & Compliance
- Review and approve all legal help claims prepared by fee-earners before submission.
- Ensure ledger rates, funding evidence, and documentation are accurate and compliant.
- Minimise rejections, appeals, and lost costs through thorough review and process improvements.
- Billing & File Management
- Monitor and action dormant file reports to ensure timely billing of all legal help files upon case conclusion.
- Oversee the submission of EC claims within required timeframes.
- Work closely with the Head of Civil Billing to improve billing processes and maximise profitability.
- Team Management & Growth
- Manage and support at least one team member, with scope to recruit additional staff as required.
- Develop training programs to enhance efficiency and compliance within the team and more widely throughout the firm.
- Provide ongoing guidance and support to fee-earners on legal help queries (approx. 115 fee-earners in civil and family teams).
- Strategic Planning & Reporting
- Work collaboratively with the Head of Civil Billing to set and meet departmental targets.
- Contribute to the overall strategy for legal help claims and civil billing.
- Identify areas for process improvements and efficiencies.
- Process Development & Expansion
- Over time, recruit, train, and manage additional staff to take on legal help billing, freeing up fee-earner capacity.
- Compliance & Audit Preparation
- Ensure adherence to all relevant regulations, including:
- Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
- Standard Civil Contract and Specification
- Costs Assessment Guidance (2018/2024)
- Prepare for and support the firm during Legal Aid Agency audits.
Required Experience & Skills:
- Extensive experience in legal help, EC claims, and the above associated funding regulations.
- Prior management experience in a legal billing environment.
- Strong knowledge of Legal Aid Agency requirements and audit processes.
- Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to train, manage, and develop a growing team.
This role offers an opportunity to lead a vital function within our civil billing team, drive improvements, and contribute to the firm’s financial and operational success.
Please submit your CV and a cover letter to our dedicated HR team via email at: recruitment@gtstewart.co.uk
