Debt Recovery Lawyer

Job Description Job Title: Debt Recovery Lawyer \n Location: Sharston, Manchester M22 4SN \n Salary : A basic salary dependent on experience. Along with a very generous commission scheme, paid monthly in arrears. \n Job type: Full Time, Permanent \n About Us: \n Established in 2000, Express Solicitors is an award-winning, no win no fee law firm specialising exclusively in personal injury claims. Headquartered in Manchester, we support clients nationwide across all areas of personal injury, including employers' liability, serious injury, clinical negligence, occupiers' and public liability, road traffic accidents and industrial disease. \n We are ranked 64th in The Lawyer UK Top 200, out of more than 10,000 law firms nationwide, and after achieving a 20% year-on-year growth, Express Solicitors are the largest personal injury claimant firm in the UK. \n Our commitment to outstanding client care is reflected in our Trustpilot rating of 4.8 (Excellent), placing us among the highest-rated firms in the sector. \n About the role: \n We are seeking a proactive lawyer with experience in debt recovery, consumer claims and housing disrepair to join our Consumer team. The successful candidate will manage a varied caseload for individual and corporate clients while maintaining high standards of service, compliance and commercial performance. \n We offer a generous, uncapped commission structure with no hurdles. The role offers genuine progression, potentially to a training contract. We currently have 96 trainee solicitors across five departments. \n Responsibilities: \n \n Manage a substantial caseload of debt recovery, consumer and housing disrepair matters with minimal supervision. \n Take ownership of files from instruction to conclusion, progressing matters efficiently and commercially. \n Assess merits, evidence, liability, quantum, recoverability and litigation risk, providing practical legal advice. \n Draft pre-action correspondence, claims, applications, witness statements, settlement agreements and other litigation documents. \n Prepare and manage County Court and High Court proceedings, ensuring compliance with deadlines. \n Conduct legal research and advise on recovery strategies, consumer rights, housing disrepair and litigation risk. \n Manage defended claims, prepare cases for trial and liaise with Counsel where appropriate. \n Negotiate settlements and payment arrangements with debtors, landlords, solicitors and third parties. \n Advise on enforcement strategies, including CCJs, Writs of Control, Charging Orders, Orders for Sale, Attachment of Earnings Orders, Third Party Debt Orders and insolvency proceedings. \n Manage housing disrepair claims, including evidence gathering and advising on landlord and tenant obligations, remedies and compensation. \n Ensure compliance with the CPR, Pre-Action Protocols, consumer protection legislation, housing legislation, SRA requirements and internal procedures. \n Maintain strong client relationships through regular updates and effective expectation management. \n Supervise junior colleagues where required and support business development and process improvement. \n Achieve individual and team financial and performance targets. \n \n Person Specification: \n \n Lawyer, CILEx or experienced Paralegal with significant experience in debt recovery, civil litigation, consumer claims and/or housing disrepair. \n 3-5 years' relevant experience. \n Proven ability to manage a high-volume caseload independently. \n Strong knowledge of CPR, Pre-Action Protocols, enforcement, consumer protection and landlord and tenant law. \n Experience handling consumer and housing disrepair claims through negotiation and litigation. \n Excellent drafting, analytical, research, negotiation and client care skills. \n Strong organisation and time management, with high attention to detail. \n Ability to supervise and mentor junior colleagues. \n Excellent written and verbal communication skills. \n Proficient in Microsoft Office and legal case management systems; Proclaim experience desirable. \n Law degree, LPC, SQE, CILEX qualification or Solicitor admission desirable, or essential for a Solicitor role. \n \n Hours: \n \n Our standard working hours are 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday-Thursday and 8:30am to 5pm Friday. There is a degree of flexibility which can be discussed at interview. \n \n Benefits: \n \n Hybrid Working - 3/2 hybrid working pattern after probation. \n 23 Days Holiday - Rising to 26 days, plus bank/public holidays. \n 3 holiday buy backs and an extra day for your birthday after service length requirement. \n Private medical insurance available after 2 years' service, annual flu jab and Employee Assistance Programme. \n 24/7 onsite Gym, Netball/Football team, 10km Manchester team and more. \n Active social committee with generous departmental and firm-wide social budget. \n \n Recruitment Process: \n Interviews will be conducted by MS Teams and will include scenario-b