Saima Zaffar

Senior Lawyer and Senior Team ManagerFull Time

• Job Details:DBS Law LLP | England, UK 2005 – 2016 Senior Lawyer | Senior Team Manager (2011 – 2016) Oversaw multi-million-pound cases from inception to settlement/completion, including legal documents/complaints, discovery, negotiations, and witness preparations. Managed junior staff members within the company, reviewing internal/external complaints of team members while developing innovative solutions for improved working environment. Identified legal issues to offer optimum remediation plans for clients. Coordinated company’s response to legislative changes, continuously maintaining compliance with legal regulations/policies, whilst understanding the company’s pressure points and manage accordingly. • Drove internal continuous improvement by providing training and upskilling junior lawyers/team members to become high-performing and cost-efficient legal staff. • Acknowledged by senior counsel, external law firms, barristers, and judges for effective management of legal cases, court cases, and trial preparation. • Anticipated legal and stakeholder needs, developed potential solutions and managed internal/external complaints. • Created and negotiated incentives, activities, rewards, and bonus structures with senior management to reward loyal and hardworking employees. • Drastically exceeded monthly and annual targets set by management each year, receiving financial bonuses. Lawyer | Team Manager (2009– 2011) Delivered effective legal advisory services to clients, government bodies, third party representatives, insurers, external parties, and other lawyers on laws, agreements, and clauses. Attended civil court while leading disclosure applications, court case management conferences, adjudication, costs and settlement hearings, and negotiation meetings. Conducted cross-examinations on clients to prepare for court hearings. Performed staff appraisals, team reviews, as well as workshops/training sessions. • Singlehandedly managed 25 staff members in completing civil litigation work as team manager, recruiting staff whilst ensuring gender balance, institutional values, and geographical equality. Trainee Lawyer | Assistant Team Manager (2007– 2009) Provided legal advice and counsel on complex legal matters (pre/post-trial) while assisting with the supervision/management of a 25-member team. Drafted legal briefs, agreements, trial indexes, submissions, clauses, contracts, court bundles, as well as legal opinions/advice to clients and senior management on all types of legal areas and functions. Researched, analysed, and applied legal principles and case precedents. Planned and coordinated formal, social, and networking internal/external events. • Independently managed a caseload of no less than 250 cases whilst continuously exceeding monthly/annual company and financial targets/goals.