Special Counsel - Melbourne

The Role

This role sits within our Casualty & Commercial Lines practice group and reports into Practice Group Leads, Iona Sjahadi and Courtney Steele. The specialist industry work is a combination of professional indemnity, public liability and general insurance matters.

This is a permanent full-time opportunity located in our Melbourne office supported by true agile working.

As Special Counsel within the HBA Legal team, your responsibilities include:

• managing a small team of paralegals and lawyers;
• ensuring high quality advice is provide to clients;
• ensuring compliance with client KPIs;
• assisting with client management;
• assisting with financial management of the team;
• engaging in business development activities, supported by your supervising partner.

You will be provided with support from the partnership to develop and grow your own practice with opportunity for promotion.

Key Responsibilities

In this role, you will be responsible for:

Our People:

• With direction from the Supervising Partner, creates practical strategic thinking in establishing goals for self and team in line with firm objectives.
• Supports the firms’ People strategies by communicating, and enforcing values, policies, and procedures, participating in recruitment activities and where necessary supporting Partner with selection, onboarding, training, coaching and PPA process.
• Prevents disruptive conflicts by observing and resolving disagreements among specialty groups and between service areas; remaining objective; identifying root causes of internal problems; implementing pragmatic solutions; promoting harmonious work relationships.
• Undertakes and completes work autonomously and with minimal input, supervision, and guidance.
• Supervise, mentor, delegate and manage work for team members including support and administrative employees.
• Acts as a point of contact for team when the Partner is on leave.
• Demonstrate commitment to the firm’s core values – Generous, Genuine, Creative, Collaborative

Fiscal Responsibility & Growth:

• Contributes to law firm operational strategies by supporting the Partner to evaluate trends, establishing production, productivity, quality, and client-service strategies.
• Creates understanding and positive image of the law firm by building strong client and other relationships and maintaining credibility within the industry as well as supporting the Partner to do so.
• Provides pro bono representations as required by HBA with a commitment to the delivery of work.
• Generates revenues by retaining clients ensuring service is constantly at optimum levels.
• Maintains law firm stability by supporting and communicating a law firm value system, enforcing ethical legal practices and inspiring service excellence.
• Demonstrates thought leadership and influence through active participation in both internal and external forums, including but not exclusively, industry forums and events.
• Manages case assignments and distribution ensuring employee workload is balanced and fair.
• Compile and deliver client training and presentation on a regular basis.
• Compile and deliver internal and external CLEs on a regular basis.
• Draft and publish articles on a regular basis

Operational Excellence:

• Being sought as a subject-matter expert by maintaining professional networks within the industry
• Maintaining and developing strong client relationships through participating in value adding activities and support, keeping clients informed of case progress during the matter.
• Providing advice and managing files in a clear and logical manner within required timeframes developing sound case management strategies.
• Proactively sharing knowledge, experience, and insights with immediate and wider team in order to enhance client experience and internal knowledge management.
• Conducting investigations, including interviewing witnesses and reviewing relevant documents, advising on complex claims management, liability and jurisdictional issues.
• Drafting advices in accordance with client expectations and timeframes.
• Drafting Court documents.
• Attending Conciliations and settlement conferences autonomously.
• Keeping abreast of industry updates including constitution, statutes, decisions, regulation, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases and clients.

Essential:

• Bachelor of Laws degree or equivalent
• Current Practising Certificate
• At least 8 years of PQE (or equivalent and direct industry experience). The industry experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Admitted as a practitioner in Victoria.
• High level of technical expertise in their area of specialisation
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Sound financial planning and strategic abilities
• High level oral and written communication skills

Overview of HBA

Crawford Legal Services (operating as HBA Legal) is a team of award-winning solicitors offering a highly competitive suite of legal and technical claims services to meet the needs of today’s insurance marketplace. We have offices across the country in Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Newcastle. Whether as a stand-alone service provider or synchronising with other parts of the Crawford & Company network, we offer something very different when compared to traditional law firms. Our integrated model means clients’ challenges are tackled by our end-to-end approach across claims, adjusting and legal.

While recently becoming part of the global Crawford business, we are continuing to operate as a stand-alone firm and trusted advisor to underwriters, brokers, insurers, insureds, corporates and governments across Australia. We lead the way in these markets when it comes to creative problem solving and commercially oriented solutions. We pride ourselves on alternative solutions to legal challenges and exceptional outcomes for clients aligned with their business goals.

Why HBA?

We strive to create an environment where people can and do perform at their very best. They understand what we are creating, and they want to be a part of it, because they understand the difference that we make to our client’s lives. And where we succeed, we share the rewards and recognise people in ways that celebrate our achievements.

HBA is all about doing things differently. We challenge the stereotypes associated with traditional law firms in terms of our structure, management style and way of life. Creativity and innovation are at the heart of everything we do.

Benefits & Perks?

• Agile working policy: work in a way that works best for you. Opportunity for hybrid and work from home arrangements.
• Up to 12 weeks Paid Parental Leaving depending on years of service.
• Enjoy your birthday off with friends and family with an extra day of birthday leave per year.
• Internal mobility: have the desire to work in other locations within our HBA/Crawford ecosystem? after 12 months of tenure, the world is your oyster!
• Interested in furthering your career by undertaking professional qualifications? Apply to have your fees covered by HBA.
• Fun nights out, team bonding events, and bi annual parties (EOFY & Christmas) with the celebration of moments that matter throughout the year through our Culture Committee!
• Our Mental Health Offering: Employee Assistance Program with24/7 complimentary confidential counselling, nutrition, legal, and financial advice. Corporate headspace membership.
• Complimentary in office or pharmacy flu vaccinations every year.
• Employee discounts on thousands of retailers via Rewards @ Crawford. Save on all things electronics, fitness, health, accessories and more!

Next steps

If you’re interested in a career with HBA, then please apply to this vacancy via Seek or reach out to us directly at ***********@hbacrawford.com.au

Please know that as much as we would like to, we can’t always get back to everyone. At this stage, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

We encourage people of all genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disabilities and people with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to apply for this role.

Please note: in order to comply with our regulatory obligations, all successful candidates must consent to HBA Legal conducting background checks (Police, Sanctions and ASIC).