Social Housing Solicitor Director

A Legal 500, leading law firm is looking to recruit a dedicated and experienced Solicitor Director for a highly sought permanent position. Our client serves corporate entities and private individuals in over 25 practice areas from offices throughout London and across England and Wales. Their accomplishments are acknowledged and recommended in The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners as a top tier firm.

Housing Department Background: Our client’s Housing team, ranked by The Legal 500 directory for its services across England and Wales, provides assistance to both landlords and tenants on all housing issues. Their practitioners are highly experienced in finding solutions to housing disputes and aim to address the issues quickly and effectively. They offer lawyer-supported dispute resolution or alternative dispute resolution (ADR) as a means to resolve housing disrepair matters. The department also regularly represents clients in the courts for unlawful eviction, possession proceedings and prepares applications for judicial review in cases of homelessness.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Report directly to and collaborate with the Board to ensure performance targets are met.
• Responsible for all aspects of Housing work including providing technical expertise and guidance to other team members.
• Significant experience in representing clients as Housing Court Duty Scheme over the last 2 years.
• Ability to manage and supervise Solicitors, Trainee Solicitors and Caseworkers to manage appropriate caseload types and complexities.
• Assisting with delivery of appropriate training and development in the department.
• Variety of duties including dealing with a range of Housing cases including Homelessness; Disrepair; Eviction; Possession; Property Ownership Disputes; Succession for Tenants; Housing adaptations; Social Housing; Neighbourhood Problems matters as well as undertaking your own advocacy.
• Dealing with emergency cases and identifying and carrying out strategic litigation.
• Preparing and managing funding applications to the Legal Aid Agency.
• Preparing draft documents including witness statements and processing evidence.

You will have a professional pro-active approach, strong client care skills and be interested in Business Development and Marketing to supplement the substantial work volumes brought in by the company.

Key Skills Required:

• 3 Years+ PQE with proven experience of Housing and Litigation, including court representation essential.
• Must have experience as Duty Advisor under Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme over the last 2 years.
• Must meet the 2013 SQM Supervisor standard in Housing, or willing to work towards this.
• Experience in welfare rights and community care issues.
• Must have a clean, valid Practicing Certificate at the time of applying.
• Strong management skills.
• Committed team player with ability to approach team concerns fairly, foster a culture of positive change and encourage cross referrals.
• Previous proven supervisory experience and working to key performance indicators.
• Professional with a pro-active approach; excellent client care skills and ability to deal with vulnerable client matters in a sensitive manner and resolve complicated practicalities involved in Housing issues.
• Excellent networking and communication skills with the ability to successfully market the Company and generate new business.
• Working knowledge of the publicly funded Housing work including legal representation and legal help and have the ability to service privately funded cases.
• Have extensive experience in dealing with all Housing related work.
• Experience in own advocacy is an advantage.
• Excellent IT Skills - familiar with Microsoft Office applications and document management skills.
• Experience within the legal sector is preferable.
• Ability to manage social media activity to promote the Company.

This list is not exhaustive and there may be other duties as reasonably required.

On offer is an attractive salary package, a supportive team environment and real prospects for promotion. The Company will allow hybrid-working in accordance with the company policy.

About Gemini Recruitment and Equal opportunities: Gemini Recruitment is a leading recruitment agency specialising in legal recruitment. We provide a highly focused service specialising in placements for Solicitors, Legal Executives, Trainee Solicitors, Paralegals and Legal Support Staff. We have intimate knowledge of specific opportunities in the legal market across the UK. The company is committed to Equal Opportunities and embraces diversity and inclusivity of its staff and strives to ensure that their workforce reflects the diversity of the communities they serve.