At Switalskis, we’re always on the lookout for dedicated and passionate individuals who are keen on making a significant impact in the legal sector. Our firm thrives on diversity of thought, a wealth of expertise and a shared commitment to providing exceptional legal services.
Explore the various career opportunities available below and take a step towards a rewarding and fulfilling career with us. If you can’t find a role that suits you, please feel free to get in touch - we’re always interested in hearing from talented and ambitious people.
Switalskis is looking for a Payment Processor to process and verify all invoices and payments. You will be processing payments and invoices from different vendors in a timely manner. The Payment Processor will have to be able to follow instructions and understand the meaning of the documents.
Responsibilities
Key Skills
Switalskis has gone through considerable growth over the last couple of years, to support our growth we have a great new opportunity for a talent advisor to join our People Team. One of our three big goals as part of our vision is to be a great place to work and your energy and enthusiasm for recruiting great talent will help us achieve our goal.
The role is advertised as Huddersfield but we are open to a base office being at any of our West Yorkshire offices.
Working with the People team, you will be responsible for the end to end recruitment process, advising and guiding recruiting managers on the best strategy for recruitment campaigns and coaching them on recruitment and onboarding best practice.
You will use your experience of using a range of media channels to ensure we attract great talent. Continually reviewing and enhancing our talent attraction processes.
Essential role requirements :
Knowledge of recruitment best practice principles and procedures
Previous experience of recruiting in a busy recruitment / HR department
CIPD qualification level 5 or above
Have a good understanding and be able to help support with competency based interviewing techniques and questions across all areas of the business
To be confident in delivering training on recruitment best practices and our ways of working to other members of the company
Professional and confident with excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Candidates should have the ability to form effective relationships with people at all levels and to communicate well over the telephone, face to face and in writing
Excellent attention to detail
Strong planning and organising skills, diary management experience
Strong IT skills and experience of using databases
Highly collaborative and always seeking to improve
Flexible with the ability to work effectively under pressure and manage conflicting priorities, effectively managing expectations when required
A positive, proactive approach to resolving situations, using your own initiative where appropriate
Good time management skills
If you feel you are the right candidate for the role please apply below.
Our Commercial property department have an opening for a Solicitor to assist the team providing high quality legal advice, assistance and advocacy for clients of the firm and contribute to maintaining high standards of client care.
We are looking for a Solicitor with 0-4 PQE to be office based working two days a week out of our Knaresborough office and the other three days from one of our other offices – ideally the Bradford Office where the rest of the Commercial property team are based.
Job role responsibilities include (but not limited to):
· Attend clients, take instructions and provide legal advice and assistance. Initiate appropriate action to achieve the most satisfactory outcome for the client.
· Run a case load of client matters in accordance with office procedures and franchise specifications.
· Participate in departmental meetings and individual supervision/appraisal arrangements when required
· Assist in ensuring the firm’s work and files comply with procedures and systems incorporated in the firm’s office manual and the Legal Aid Board franchise criteria. Maintaining and improving such procedures.
· Provide advice, assistance and support to non-qualified staff working within the department.
· Deal promptly and efficiently with correspondence and documentation relating to those files where you are the designated fee earner.
· Undertake legal research and maintain legal knowledge through training.
· Delegate supervisory responsibilities as and when required.
· Maintain knowledge and skills through legal training and research.
Excellent IT and attention to detail is required as well as a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office including Outlook, Word and Excel. If you would like to be considered for this role please apply below.
· Contribute to maintaining a safe and healthy working environment and improving office procedures.
We have a position available within our Development Team for a project administrator to support the business with the day to day delivery of Development Services.
Duties will include but not be limited to :
Essential skills for the role include :
Previous experience of working in a law firm environment is desired as it a familiarity with legal case management systems.
If you feel you are the right fit for this role please apply below.
We have a number of fee earner positions available within our Clinical Negligence teams based at offices across the Yorkshire region, which includes Barnsley, York, Leeds, Sheffield and Huddersfield.
All positions are ideally full-time, but part-time applications will be considered.
About the Roles
The roles will involve working closely with a Senior Associate
and Director, assisting them on complex and high value clinical negligence
claims, while also maintaining a caseload of approximately 40 cases of lower
complexity and value, across all types of clinical negligence work.
On their own cases, the successful candidates would be
expected to undertake all aspects of a clinical negligence claim, from initial
case planning through investigation and obtaining evidence, the pre-action
protocol, issuing and serving of proceedings, and litigation all the way to
trial where necessary. They would of course be closely supervised, supported,
and trained by more experienced colleagues.
We will consider applicants who are qualified solicitors,
trainee solicitors, legal executives, or paralegals with experience of running
their own files. We will also consider those with experience of either Claimant
work or Defendant work.
The successful candidates will have the following: -
· An ability to learn quickly, to absorb, process, and understand large volumes of highly technical material, and then explain that information in a simple way to others.
· The ability to understand and apply complex and novel legal concepts, and be able to explain those in a straightforward manner, particularly to clients.
·
Excellent written and spoken communication
skills.
·
A successful candidate will be a team player,
well organised, and able to manage competing priorities and time pressures.
· They will either have experience of conducting clinical negligence claims, or a demonstrable enthusiasm for the work.
· They should have familiarity with Microsoft Office (Particularly Outlook, Word and Excel), case management software, and experience of time recording.
The Wills & Probate team have 2 new positions available for Right Legal advisors to join their expanding team. The roles will involve specific training provided by Right Legal which will commence in January 2024.
Job essential skills include :
The ability to communicate both face to face and over the phone is vital to build up a fantastic rapport between their clients.
They must be organised and have the ability to keep on top of all their administration tasks whilst seeing clients.
To work with the team to create and maintain a happy working environment, from which a friendly yet professional service is offered to all clients.
Have good organisational skills but be confident enough to ask when unsure
Excellent interpersonal and team working skills
Should be comfortable with older people and have a caring and empathetic nature, understanding that every case has potential to become contentious or difficult
Be punctual and reliable
Have a mature perspective
Have a confident and friendly manner on the telephone.
Good IT skills
Previous work experience involving dealing with the public
Be calm under pressure
Willingness and ability to learn on the job
Friendly, confident and reliable
No previous specific experience is required working
within a probate department, however we do require candidates to have a sound knowledge
of Microsoft software packages such as Outlook, Word and Excel generally, as
well as a willingness to travel to any of our office locations.
If you believe you are the right fit for this role please follow the application process below.
Our Brain and Spinal Injury department are looking for a NQ to 1 year qualified solicitor or chartered legal executive to join them working from our Doncaster office.
The role would involve working closely with a Senior Associate and assisting them on traumatic brain injury claims. The case types will vary from road traffic accidents, to employers and public liability claims.
Candidates would be expected to assist in the following (a non-exhaustive list):
Frontline contact with our clients, providing regular updates and feedback. In our team we pride ourselves on being readily accessible to our clients and in mediums which suit them best, whether that be email, telephone, whatsapp, Zoom or face-to-face.
Ideally, we are looking for candidates who have some experience in catastrophic injury claims and are familiar with the demands and scope of what this work entails. They must also show a desire to help vulnerable clients who have gone through traumatic accidents, and therefore must be able to demonstrate an aptitude to communicate and empathise with them effectively.
A good working knowledge of Microsoft Office and a familiarity with case management systems and processes is essential.
Candidates must be a team player, good communicator and be organised.
If you would like to be considered for this position please apply below.
Our Commercial Property department have an opening for general office administrator to assist the team.
The team are based in Knaresborough and Bradford so ideally we are looking for someone who is looking to be based at one of those offices.
The position is office based (not hybrid) and will involve general administration duties such as Deed arrangement and storage control, organisation of files, scanning, photocopying, preparation of bundles, new client file openings on our case management system SOS, other general office duties and the occasional meet and greet reception cover.
We are looking for approximately 25 + hours per week (negotiable) and the role would therefore suit someone who only wishes to work during school hours. The salary for the role will be the real living wage.
If you would like to apply for the position, please follow through the application process herein.
At Switalskis, we’re dedicated to expanding our team by welcoming seasoned professionals who are eager to contribute their expertise in a collaborative setting.
Join our Qualifying Solicitors Programme to embark on a rewarding legal career at one of the UK’s top firms.
Work experience at Switalskis will provide you with a glimpse into the legal world if you’re looking for a career in law.
Further information about our solicitor and graduate apprenticeships will be available in the spring.
The dedicated talent management team at Switalskis is directly responsible for attracting top-tier talent to the business. We have established a preferred supplier list of recruiters and agencies to ensure a seamless recruitment process. For this reason, unsolicited CVs are discouraged. If you are interested in being considered for our preferred supplier list, please contact our talent management team today.
We provide a pathway to a fulfilling career in the legal sector. As a law firm with a rich legacy of legal practice, working with us means being part of a firm known for its integrity, excellence and commitment to its clients. Our efforts have been recognised as we were named in the top 50 fastest growing companies in Yorkshire in TheBusinessDesk.com’s Yorkshire Growth Index 2023 and we won ‘Large Firm of the Year’ at the Yorkshire Legal Awards 2023.
Through a range of training programmes, workships and seminars, we invest in the continuous growth and development of our team. To find out more about career opportunities at Switalskis, take a look at our Career Development guide.
Our firm encompasses a variety of legal practice areas, providing an environment to explore, learn and specialise in your field of interest. Our open-door policy promotes a collaborative and supportive work environment that encourages interaction and learning throughout the firm.
The culture at Switalskis encourages creativity and continuous improvement in delivering exceptional legal services. We embrace innovation and inclusivity, and value the diverse perspective and experience that our team brings to the table. We also encourage our team to engage in various community outreach initiatives, aligning our professional practice with positive societal impact.
Your decision to join Switalskis is a step towards a career filled with opportunities for growth, learning and making a meaningful impact in the legal profession. Our firm is not just a place to work; it’s a community where your legal career can thrive amidst a culture of excellence and mutual respect.
Find out what our employees have to say about their experience at Switalskis:
I enjoy hybrid working. When I am in the office, I use this as time to speak with colleagues about their thoughts on cases and anything relevant within the news for example, a judgment. When I am at home, I use this time to complete detailed pieces of work without the distraction of the office. I’m also able to get out on a lunch time to walk my Sproodle!
In the summer of 2019, I was a summer intern and assisted the in house counsel at Pearsons Education in Beijing. I found this opportunity on Instagram. It was a challenge for me as I don't fluently understand Mandarin. While I was out in Beijing, I hiked the Great Wall of China and camped there. I'm very proud of this achievement as I normally find this type of activity very challenging.
In 2012 I joined the Costs Team and in 2014 started studying the ACL Costs Lawyer course. I qualified as a Costs Lawyer in August 2017 and in 2023 I was promoted to Associate Costs Lawyer. I've not worked anywhere prior to Atherton Godfrey who integrated with Switalskis in December 2022, my entire career since the 90s has been at the same firm.
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I left school. I thought I wanted to be a hairdresser, and this is what I ended up doing, but if I’m honest I never really felt like it was for me. I worked hard and achieved my qualifications but never felt content. However, I always had an interest in the legal profession due to personal circumstances and I enrolled on an access course when I was 26 and here, I am!
I start my day by responding to any emails. I then check my task list and I complete any urgent tasks first. I complete records reviews, draft letters of instruction to experts and review expert reports. I also have cases that are in litigation where deadlines need to be adhered to and documents must be served. I also liaise with clients on a daily basis providing updates and taking instructions.
There’s not a typical day in the Court of Protection, and that’s what I love most about it. Each client is so different and so we need to be able to take each client as they come to try and work out what will be best for them and how best to achieve it. I love travelling and meeting the clients but there is also lot of time in the office - preparing advice, drafting documents, and attending court, as many of our hearings are still being heard remotely.
If you have any questions about our vacancies, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Call us on 0800 138 0458 or send us a message and we’ll be happy to help.