Associate

About The Role

Our rapidly expanding Insurance, Risk and Regulatory team is looking for an Associate/ Senior Associate. It is a very exciting time to be joining HCR as the firm goes from strength to strength. We are one of the fastest growing law firms in the UK, driven by increased client demand. This has been recognised in the 2026 Legal 500 rankings, with leading results across multiple practice areas throughout England and Wales.

Our insurance and risk team is based in the Willis Building, London EC3. The team has grown significantly and now comprises 16 lawyers. We were a finalist in the British Insurance Awards for Best Newcomer to the Insurance Industry, the partners are listed in the Legal 500, and we have attracted significant press interest particularly around our thought leadership. We act for some of the major insurance companies and we are nominated by policyholders.

The team handle the defence of pre-action and litigated civil claims for personal injury and property damage, regulatory (HSE, police and CQC) investigations and prosecutions, attending at coroner’s inquests and dealing with policy coverage issues and disputes. Our client offering extends to the provision of a range of crisis and risk management consultancy services for policyholders. The work is primarily Employer’s and Public Liability and the value of claims range from fast track through to multi-million-pound, multi-party disputes.

You will play an important role assisting partners on complex litigation, often involving criminal and health and safety related enforcement action, civil claims for compensation, coroner’s inquests and coverage interpretation/disputes. You will also have an autonomous case load of defendant Employer’s Liability and Public Liability claims. The team is primarily instructed by insurers to act on behalf of policyholders but also receives non-insurance related instructions.

About You

You will need:

• 5+ years or more PQE
• We are seeking candidates with a solid defendant personal injury background, ideally working on behalf of insurers, with experience in EL and PL claims
• Excellent technical ability and drafting skills
• To demonstrate teamwork and relationship building skills
• To have strong commercial acumen
• To be proactive, ambitious and organised with a keen eye for detail

About Us

Benefits of working with us:

• Private Medical Insurance

• Sight tests / Glasses discounts

• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme

• 28 days annual leave (plus public holidays)
• Happy People / Perks at Work benefits portal
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Life Assurance
• 1/3 gym membership contribution
• Flu vaccinations

Is HCR the smart move for you?

HCR suits people who love a challenge and want to work in an environment where careers thrive on the back of hard work and personal merit. Our people enjoy feeling part of something bigger than themselves, and whilst our clients drive our development, it is our people who bring their energy, enthusiasm, and entrepreneurial mindsets together to solve problems and help our clients succeed.

Why HCR people love their jobs

Our people tell us they enjoy working on good quality, interesting matters from a wide variety of our clients, because they get the experience they want to develop their careers. We will give you responsibility early, the mandate to make things happen and we’ll back your good ideas. Our “Passion for People” lives and breathes every day throughout the firm as our peoples’ energy and sense of fun create a warm environment in which to thrive.

What career progression will HCR offer you?

HCR’s growth constantly creates opportunities for people who want to go places and make a difference, your career plan can become part of our growth plan. At HCR you can expect to work with friendly, energetic, ambitious people, who love getting stuck into a client problem, and enjoy celebrating a good outcome. Our people value the sense of community provided by the individual personality of each office and the collegiate approach across all our service and sector teams.

What does HCR believe, achieve and stand for?

As a Times Best Law firm, among the UK Top 60, we provide the full range of services that you would expect to organisations, business leaders and individuals. However, in our mission to give everyone the opportunity to experience a different kind of legal service we take an entrepreneurial approach. We’re flexible and responsive to the needs of our clients, delivering the best outcomes for them. We have more than 800 lawyers and support staff, including more than 150 partners, and have been awarded the Law Society’s Lexcel quality mark in recognition of our compliance and client care standards.

With ten offices in England and Wales our well-established presence stretches from west to east, ensuring clients can access a full-service legal offering no matter where they’re located. We’ve expanded significantly in Birmingham, Cardiff and the Thames Valley, and our merger with Hewitsons resulted in a full service regional hub being established in the heart of the Waterside innovation area centre of Northampton. Our London and Cambridge continue to grow apace.

With solid connections in the communities we work in, and a track record of delivering legal advice to businesses and individuals throughout the areas we base ourselves in, our clients continue to value our approach to providing legal advice, in the way they need, when they need it.

As HCR is an equal opportunities employer, we don’t just accept differences, we celebrate them. We want to attract a diverse and ambitious workforce that reflects all backgrounds and skills to create a workplace that is supportive and inclusive, recognises and nurtures talent, and which works together to achieve the best outcome for our clients.

A note for recruitment agencies – The HCR Resourcing Team is responsible for recruitment across the firm, and where possible will use direct hiring methods. We do work with a Preferred Supplier List, and where appropriate, we will release vacancies to those agencies who we deem most appropriate to support us. Only those agencies will be invited to submit candidates via our recruitment portal. Any speculative or unsolicited CVs sent to any employee or Partner of HCR will not be considered an introduction, and no fees will be applicable. Furthermore, we retain the right to pursue these candidates without query of ownership