An electrosurgical instrument, comprising: a housing; a shaft extending distally from the housing having an end effector assembly attached at a distal end thereof; a handle assembly coupled to the housing, the handle assembly including a movable handle operable to manipulate the end effector assembly; an outer sleeve disposed about the shaft and selectively translatable relative thereto; an energizable member operably coupled to the outer sleeve; and a deployment mechanism operably coupled to the housing, the deployment mechanism including: a lever rotatably coupled to the housing and positioned proximally of the movable handle; and at least one link member coupled between the lever and the outer sleeve, the at least one link member coupled to the outer sleeve distally of the movable handle, wherein rotation of the lever relative to the housing moves the at least one link member, which, in turn, translates the outer sleeve distally to move the outer sleeve over the end effector assembly and simultaneously deploy the energizable member distally past the end effector assembly, further comprising a collar operably disposed on a proximal end of the outer sleeve, the collar pivotably coupled to the at least one link member, wherein the at least one link member includes first and second link members (46a, 46b) and wherein a first pivot pin pivotably couples a distal end of the second link member to the collar of the outer sleeve, and characterised in that a proximal end of the first link member is pivotably coupled to the lever and a distal end of the first link is pivotably coupled to a proximal end of the second link member via a second pivot pin. a housing; a shaft extending distally from the housing having an end effector assembly attached at a distal end thereof; a handle assembly coupled to the housing, the handle assembly including a movable handle operable to manipulate the end effector assembly; an outer sleeve disposed about the shaft and selectively translatable relative thereto; an energizable member operably coupled to the outer sleeve; and a deployment mechanism operably coupled to the housing, the deployment mechanism including: a lever rotatably coupled to the housing and positioned proximally of the movable handle; and at least one link member coupled between the lever and the outer sleeve, the at least one link member coupled to the outer sleeve distally of the movable handle, wherein rotation of the lever relative to the housing moves the at least one link member, which, in turn, translates the outer sleeve distally to move the outer sleeve over the end effector assembly and simultaneously deploy the energizable member distally past the end effector assembly, further comprising a collar operably disposed on a proximal end of the outer sleeve, the collar pivotably coupled to the at least one link member, wherein the at least one link member includes first and second link members (46a, 46b) and wherein a first pivot pin pivotably couples a distal end of the second link member to the collar of the outer sleeve, and characterised in that a proximal end of the first link member is pivotably coupled to the lever and a distal end of the first link is pivotably coupled to a proximal end of the second link member via a second pivot pin. a lever rotatably coupled to the housing and positioned proximally of the movable handle; and at least one link member coupled between the lever and the outer sleeve, the at least one link member coupled to the outer sleeve distally of the movable handle, wherein rotation of the lever relative to the housing moves the at least one link member, which, in turn, translates the outer sleeve distally to move the outer sleeve over the end effector assembly and simultaneously deploy the energizable member distally past the end effector assembly, further comprising a collar operably disposed on a proximal end of the outer sleeve, the collar pivotably coupled to the at least one link member, wherein the at least one link member includes first and second link members (46a, 46b) and wherein a first pivot pin pivotably couples a distal end of the second link member to the collar of the outer sleeve, and characterised in that a proximal end of the first link member is pivotably coupled to the lever and a distal end of the first link is pivotably coupled to a proximal end of the second link member via a second pivot pin.