Associate / Senior Associate – Clinical Negligence - Derby

Smith Partnership is a leading law firm in the Midlands. A forward thinking and progressive firm employing around 200 staff across 5 offices.

An opportunity has arisen at our Derby office, for an Associate / Senior Associate to join our Clinical Negligence team. 

About Us: 

We are a progressive and growing law firm based in the heart of the Midlands, renowned for our comprehensive legal services and exceptional client care. 

The team at Smith Partnership are personal injury and medial negligence solicitors specialising in serious injury and negligence claims.  Excellent client care is central to the services we provide to support people who have been harmed so we can guide them through the claims process in a professional yet approachable way. Our close knit team is now looking develop in order to support the continued success of the department.

Role overview: 

We are seeking a motivated Associate / Senior Associate to join our clinical negligence team. The successful candidate will join our well-established team. 

You will handle your own caseload of complex clinical negligence claims. You will work on allocated cases, responsible for liaising with clients and experts to ensure cases are conducted to a high standard. You will be required to negotiate settlements and work without supervision.

This is an excellent opportunity for a qualified solicitor with strong personal injury expertise to join a progressive firm.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drafting pleadings, witness statements, and settlement agreements
• Negotiating settlements and representing clients in court if required
• Liaising with insurers, medical experts, and other stakeholders
• Manage a case load of litigated and pre-litigated clinical negligence cases
• Conduct relevant investigations to repudiate and/or conclude the claim
• Liaise with various parties such as clients, opponents, defendant solicitors, counsel, experts etc.
• Demonstrate strong advocacy skills and have the necessary flexibility to offer support in the handling of civil claims.

What we are looking for:

• Qualified Solicitor or Legal Executive (CILEX) with a current practising certificate
• Ideally 3-5 years PQE 
• Experience of high value and complex litigated and pre action clinical negligence claims, 
• Excellent communication, negotiation and case management skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Benefits and perks:

• A competitive salary and benefits package.
• Hybrid working.
• A supportive and collaborative working environment.
• Opportunities for career progression and professional development.
• Access to ongoing training and development programs.
• A chance to work with a diverse and prestigious client base.

Next steps:

If you are a driven and dedicated individual looking to advance your career within a progressive and growing law firm, we would love to hear from you. 

Please send your CV and a covering letter detailing your suitability for the role to: Recruitment@smithpartnership.co.uk by Thursday 31st July 2025.

Please note that the closing date may be brought forward depending upon interest. For further details please contact the HR team on: 01332 225225. 

To find out more about the department, click here.

To find out more about the branch office, click here.

Privacy:

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Agencies:

Smith Partnership request that recruitment agencies do not speculatively submit CVs to us unless explicitly asked to do so by our HR team.

Any CVs sent to us on a speculative basis will not be recognised and we will not accept liability for any fee or commission should we subsequently employ a candidate who applied to us directly or was introduced by another agency, that may also have been submitted speculatively by an uninstructed agency.

In the event that an agency's correspondence includes a disclaimer indicating otherwise, our policy above will prevail.