Responsible for the management of over 40 lawyers (Solcitors, Legal Executives and Paralegals) with 4 direct reports. Leading both a Claimant and Defendant function, managing a range of commercial disputes across both insured and non insured lines. In this role I am accountable to the MD of Global Financial Services and in the UK to General Counsel and the company CFO.Since 2014 I have sucessfully insourced and restructured 10 legal work types to deliver a lean legal support function managing all aspects of litigation and risk avoidance across several work types including:Fibre Optic Network Damage Recovery;Commercial (B2B) Debt Recovery;Liability Claims Defence;Trespass / Rights of Access Land DisputesCommercial and Consumer Contract Disputes;The above has enabled the Claims Department to provide a cost effective and comprehensive legal Shared Service support function that delivers value to Virgin Media through the recovery of damages and mitigation of loss. Additionally I have established several niche legal work types which supports Virgin Media's core operation, including:Statutory Criminal Defence - New Roads and Street Works Act 1991;Motor Risk Management - recommending and implementing technology and process improvement;Contract review - Insurance Clause and compliance with various statutory obligatons. I am proud to have implemented a comprehensive training programme by implementing and utilising the Legal Apprenticeship Scheme to provide a fully funded and professionally delivered route to legal qualification. Key Achievements:- Increased value of Claims function from circa £1M to £10.5M (2018);- Implementing a Claims Management system - Insourcing and stabilisation of multiple disciplines of legal work; - Sustainable growth / recruitment strategy; - Successful Motor risk strategy delivering a 25% reduction in accident frequency / cost - Developed successful niche legal support including shipping litigation.

My current position involves implementation and coordination of strategy in legal claims across both Claimant and Defendant work. The Claimant work is predominantly civil actions in respect of damage recovery relating to NRSWA. I manage a large in house team which provides an end to end litigation support to the wider business. The Defence team offer a stable platform to support the defence and management of EL/PL, Trespass and Contract claims. This work is executed in house and overseeing the relationship of two external partners. I have a supportive role with our wider legal department and work to defend a range of civil and criminal matters including Strict Liability street works offences. I am responsible for all claims within the company from small track through to multi track matters from commencement to litigation. I am grateful to have built a highly skilled and technically excellent set of teams who constantly deliver their challenging objectives.My role includes:Internal and external stakeholder management Budget control and forecastingThe implementation and management of value creation opportunities Direct and indirect performance managementCost reduction through system enhancement, process improvement and specific legal training Driving change in attitude and approach to claims handling including tactical negotiation, claim duration and litigated mattersManagement of external legal support which includes rate negotiation, performance meetings, quarterly claims review and escalationsStrategy planning for insurance policy years to ensure claims liabilities are marketed appropriatelyDuring 2015 I have had the opportunity to lead the legal training programme for the claims teams for which I chose CILEx as a development partner. This has been combined with tailored legal support from Barristers chambers with an interest in Street Works and Utilities.

During my time at Minster Law I had the opportunity to manage several teams of fee earners with RTA PI caseloads. My primary responsibility was as a direct team manager for between 8 and 16 Fee Earners. I was required to manage performance in a fast paced and target driven team within the fast track, focussing on the development and compliance of the team. My role included:Ensuring legal compliance through monthly audits, management controls and analysis of management information. I later went on to work as the Quality Control Manager across the Fast Track for the Company. This is testament to the focus I place on a compliant and disciplined team who understand their obligations to their clients, the court and others within their role. The performance management element of the role consisted of regular reviews of targets and metrics against daily and monthly results. This often required open, constructive feedback, support and from time to time, development plans. I use a positive and encouraging approach tailored to my employees learning style to ensure a collaborative approach to development. To facilitate outstanding performance I worked to develop motivation techniques to effectively encourage positive team output, often by encouraging competition.A key element of the role related to project management to support the operation towards continuous development of its objectives. My technical ability often lent itself to problem solving through referrals and case clinics.I place a value on individual development and I coordinated training and encouraging commercial and legal awareness from my employees to ensure that the time spent in the office was a rich learning environment. I believe that this investment places value on the team which is returned through an increased drive in performance.

I managed a caseload of circa 550 non litigated and litigated RTA Personal Injury claims in the Fast Track of the civil claims process. During my time as a Fee Earner I handled with a wide range of RTA claims from inception to settlement and also with part 8 litigation. I worked with a Legal Assistant who I supported and developed to a level where he was able to join a trainee fee earner programme. I'm proud to say that we stay in touch and he is currently working as a complex fraud fee earner.