Claims and Inquests Manager

Job summary

Are you a qualified lawyer or experienced paralegal looking for an opportunity to use your legal expertise on challenging, complex and highly sensitive cases?

This is an opportunity to join our Legal Services team in a senior role where you will have significant responsibility for managing a varied caseload and providing specialist legal advice across a range of matters. You will work on complex clinical negligence and liability claims, inquests and other legal and regulatory proceedings, often involving multiple and competing legal, clinical and reputational considerations.

You will work with senior clinicians and managers, external solicitors and counsel, NHS Resolution and HM Coroner, providing trusted legal advice and ensuring the Trust's interests are appropriately represented.

This role offers the opportunity to develop your legal career within a specialist NHS environment, gaining substantial experience of complex litigation, coronial processes and legal risk within one of the UK's leading mental health providers.

Main duties of the job

You will take a senior role in the management of complex legal cases, exercising professional judgment and working with a high degree of autonomy.

Your responsibilities will include:

Managing a varied caseload of clinical negligence, employer's and public liability claims and other legal matters.

Leading the Trust's response to complex, sensitive and high-profile inquests.

Preparing and reviewing legal and witness documentation and supporting witnesses through the coronial process.

Attending pre-inquest reviews and inquest hearings, representing the Trust where required.

Advising senior staff on liability, causation, quantum, disclosure, legal process and risk.

Working closely with external solicitors, counsel, NHS Resolution and HM Coroner.

Managing matters where multiple legal and regulatory processes intersect.

Identifying legal and reputational risk and advising on appropriate mitigation.

Contributing to legal learning, governance and risk management across the Trust.

Supporting colleagues with complex Court of Protection, Mental Health Act, safeguarding, data protection, Family and Criminal Court matters.

Providing supervision and guidance to colleagues and deputising for the Legal Services Manager when required.

Job responsibilities

This is a role for a legally minded professional who enjoys getting to grips with complex cases, analysing evidence and providing clear, pragmatic legal advice.

You will manage cases from initial notification through to resolution, working with NHS Resolution, external solicitors and counsel as appropriate. You will analyse complex information from multiple sources, identify legal and reputational risks and ensure the Trusts position is properly considered and represented.

You will have a particularly important role in complex inquests, including liaising with HM Coroner, preparing evidence and witnesses, attending hearings and advising the Trust on emerging issues and risks.

The role also provides exposure to a broad range of legal work, including Court of Protection, Mental Health Act, safeguarding, data protection, Family and Criminal Court matters and complex complaints.

You will contribute to the Trusts legal risk management and learning from claims and inquests, as well as developing guidance and delivering training to colleagues.

We are looking for someone with significant relevant legal experience and strong analytical, drafting and case-management skills. A legal qualification and current practising certificate as a solicitor or other regulated legal professional would be desirable. Experience of complex claims, inquests or working within a mental health or NHS environment would be an advantage.

About the employer

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's leading mental health providers, with an international reputation for the quality of its services, research and training.

Our Legal Services team operates in a uniquely complex legal environment. The breadth of the Trust's services means that our lawyers and legal professionals encounter challenging issues spanning clinical negligence, coronial law, mental health and capacity law, safeguarding, information governance, regulatory matters and litigation.

This role provides the opportunity to work closely with senior clinical and corporate colleagues and external legal professionals, while developing an in-depth understanding of the legal and regulatory issues facing a major mental health provider.

You will be supported to develop your professional expertise and will have access to learning and development opportunities. Our links with King's Health Partners, King's College London and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience provide an additional opportunity to work within a leading academic and research environment.