Legal Billers Team Leader

Key responsibilities of the role are to lead the Legal Billing team in the production of timely and accurate bills in line with the Firm’s billing processes, client guidelines and local regulations. Manage the generation of on-line paperless proformas, and assist the business in achieving monthly billing and other financial targets.

About CMS

CMS is a Future Facing firm.  With 79 offices in 45 countries and 5,000+ lawyers worldwide, we combine deep sector understanding with a global overview, giving us the ability not only to see what's coming, but to shape it.

CMS is well equipped to help our clients face the future with confidence. We are driven by technology and readily embrace the possibilities it opens up for developing new and better ways of delivering legal services. Our bold approach to a changing future ensures that we nurture our employees and recruit top talent.

About the Role

    Triage and manage workloads, review the team’s work queues daily.
    Monitor quality for accuracy and training and development opportunities in liaison with Billing Services Manager.
    Ensure all items with the team not in query, have been cleared by each team member prior to system close.
    Ensure each team member adheres to all firm policies.
    Manage resources regarding absence, overtime and peak periods.
    Service Level Agreement monitoring and reporting.
    Resolving escalated queries.
    Recruitment and performance reviews (Modus and KPI’s).
    Other management information reporting on request.
    Liaise with stakeholders to resolve queries effectively and manage expectations.
    Dealing with Ad-hoc staffing issues.
o    Timely processing of bills based on proforma instructions within agreed SLAs
o    Ensure compliance with client guidelines, terms and conditions / ensuring compliance with the firms agreed billing              processes and procedures throughout
o    Check VAT and numerical calculations on bills, and compliance to VAT and Solicitors Accounts Rules
o    Generate draft bills when required based on proforma instructions from stakeholders 
o    Forward draft bills to reviewers and editors as required and deal with all necessary amendments/corrections.
o    Edit narratives, transfer costs and fees, write offs and other changes required to create a draft or final bill. 
o    Review time narratives for accuracy of recording, identify and correct typos etc.
o    Prepare narratives and breakdowns as required.
o    Work closely with the Working Capital teams to ensure billing guidelines are followed and all queries are dealt with promptly
o    Work with the Matter Administration team where appropriate to clear billing blocks.
o    Liaise with the eBilling team to share billing guidelines and portal requirements if required
o    Deal with volume/bulk proforma edits via 3e workflow
o    Generate Credit Notes based on re-issue instructions via workflow adhering to our strict guidelines
o    Scheduled proforma generation as required
o    Process ad-hoc proforma requests within the agreed service level

About You

Key Skills
    Works to given timeframes and anticipates likely workflows
    Consistently produces accurate work, exceptional attention to detail
    Good written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate at all levels, confident, professional telephone manner
    Willing to do routine tasks 
    Self-motivated, proactive and ability to prioritise and manage own workload
    Able to use initiative, but also work well within a team 
    Proficient in MS Excel and Word
    Responsible for managing own development and willing to learn
    Analytical skills to resolve queries
    Shows flexibility in approach 

Experience required
    Billing Experience preferable
    Knowledge of a legal billing system preferred - Elite 3e/Enterprise desirable
    Experience in a partnership or professional services environment with a finance background.

Professional/Educational Qualification
    Strong numeracy and literacy skills 
    Strong grounding in Word and Excel
    GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths, strong academic credentials

Equal Opportunities

At CMS, a next-generation mindset is woven into all we do. We're diverse, supportive and inclusive, embracing our corporate social responsibility and creating a culture of sustainability in which every one of our people, whatever their background, can maximise their potential and thrive. For further information about CMS' diversity initiatives and programmes, please view the Diversity & Inclusion pages on our website.

Please apply online or contact a member of the Talent Acquisition team if you have any questions. For information regarding our competitive range of benefits please visit our Rewards & Benefits page on our website.

Please note that CMS have a preferred agency panel in place. Only applications submitted via the portal at the point of instruction will be accepted.

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