Express Solicitors

What it involves:

Taking responsibility for a portfolio of claimant personal injury cases and progressing matters through different stages of the claim.

Example trainee tasks:

Managing case files, reviewing liability, monitoring deadlines, progressing claims, reviewing evidence, corresponding with other parties and managing the procedural requirements of live cases.

Who trainees work with:

Clients, supervisors, other fee earners, defendants and their representatives, medical experts and counsel.

Early responsibility:

Trainees report managing their own caseloads very early, with some respondents describing responsibility for substantial numbers of live files.

Support and supervision:

Trainees generally have an assigned supervisor, although survey responses suggest the amount of day-to-day support can vary between departments and supervisors.

A first month might involve:

Reviewing live files, identifying next steps and deadlines, communicating with clients, reviewing liability and evidence and progressing individual claims.

What it involves:

Building the factual and evidential basis of personal injury claims while maintaining regular contact with clients.

Example trainee tasks:

Taking client instructions, interviewing clients and witnesses, drafting witness statements, reviewing medical reports and other evidence, preparing schedules of loss and assessing the value of claims.

Who trainees work with:

Injured clients, witnesses, medical experts, supervisors and other members of the litigation team.

Early responsibility:

Direct client contact can begin very early, with trainees reporting frequent or daily communication with clients on their own matters.

Support and supervision:

Supervisors can review substantive work and provide guidance on evidence, valuation and case strategy as trainees develop.

A first month might involve:

Taking instructions from a client, reviewing medical evidence, preparing a draft witness statement, updating the client on their claim and helping assess the evidence needed to progress the case.

What it involves:

Progressing personal injury matters through litigation, including drafting court documents, complying with directions and preparing cases for hearings and settlement.

Example trainee tasks:

Drafting letters of claim and Particulars of Claim, preparing Part 18 questions and responses, issuing and serving proceedings, dealing with court directions, making applications and preparing cases for hearings.

Who trainees work with:

Supervisors, clients, counsel, experts, courts and defendant representatives.

Early responsibility:

Trainees can become involved in substantive litigation tasks relatively early. One respondent reports attending court and an application hearing within their first six months.

Support and supervision:

Trainees work with qualified lawyers and can instruct or work alongside counsel as matters progress through litigation.

A first month might involve:

Drafting a letter of claim or pleading, reviewing court directions, carrying out legal research, preparing documents for counsel and helping progress proceedings towards the next procedural deadline.

What it involves:

Assessing the value and strength of claims and helping progress matters towards negotiated settlement or final resolution.

Example trainee tasks:

Valuing claims, preparing schedules of loss, reviewing medical and liability evidence, negotiating settlements, corresponding with opposing parties and preparing matters for conferences or hearings.

Who trainees work with:

Clients, supervisors, defendant representatives, insurers, medical experts and counsel.

Early responsibility:

Trainees can become directly involved in advising clients and progressing their own cases towards settlement as their experience develops.

Support and supervision:

More complex valuation, negotiation and strategic decisions can be discussed with supervisors and other experienced fee earners.

A first month might involve:

Reviewing medical evidence and losses, updating a schedule of loss, considering the value of a claim, preparing correspondence and assisting with settlement discussions.