Found First Recruitment
Inter Partes Senior Costs Draftsman / Costs Lawyer
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Company Description
Found First Recruitment connects skilled professionals with opportunities across a range of industries, with particular expertise in Legal and IT recruitment. Each specialist area is supported by team members with direct industry experience, ensuring a deep understanding of the roles they recruit for. Candidate profiles and CVs are reviewed by professionals who have worked in the field, helping to present applications accurately and effectively. The company offers tailored career guidance, including salary benchmarking and market insights, to support informed career decisions. Employers benefit from a careful, quality-focused screening process that introduces well-matched professionals and supports long-term hiring success.
Role Description
This full-time Senior Costs Draftsman / Costs Lawyer role is based in the Greater Manchester Area, United Kingdom, with a hybrid working arrangement that allows some work from home. The role involves preparing detailed and accurate bills of costs, budgets, and points of dispute across a range of civil and commercial inter partes matters. The individual will review case files, analyze documentation, and advise on costs strategy, recovery prospects, and negotiation tactics.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Day-to-day responsibilities include:
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
- Drafting N260s, Precedent H budgets, statements of costs, and replies
- Conducting negotiations with opposing parties
- Attending detailed assessment hearings where required
- Liaising with fee earners and clients
- Providing clear advice on costs-related issues
- Contributing to process improvements
- Supporting junior colleagues through mentoring and guidance
Qualifications and Experience
- A minimum of 4-5 years experience in a legal costs role is essential
- Strong technical knowledge of costs law, including CPR and relevant case law, with proven experience drafting bills of costs, budgets, and points of dispute.
- Demonstrated ability to review complex case files, analyze financial and legal documentation, and provide clear, practical costs advice to internal and external stakeholders.
- Excellent negotiation and advocacy skills, with experience in settling costs, engaging with opponents, and, where applicable, attending detailed assessment hearings.
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail, with strong drafting, written communication, and document management skills.
- Effective time management and organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple files, meet deadlines, and work autonomously within a hybrid environment.
- Qualified Costs Lawyer or experienced Senior Costs Draftsman with a significant track record in civil and/or commercial litigation; professional memberships (e.g., ACL) are advantageous.
- Comfort with legal practice management and costs-drafting software, as well as standard office applications (e.g., Word, Excel), and willingness to adopt new tools and systems.
- Collaborative approach, with the ability to support, mentor, and share knowledge with junior team members, and to build strong working relationships with fee earners and clients.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills