Lawstop (London/Brighton/Cambridge/Bristol) – Housing Solicitors

Location: London / Brighton / Cambridge / Bristol

Hours: Full-time – 37.5 hours per week; 9.30am-5.30pm Monday–Friday (alternative working arrangements including part-time hours will be considered)

Start date: as soon as possible

Lawstop is a specialist firm of solicitors with offices in London, Brighton, Nottingham, Cornwall, Somerset, Cambridge and Leicestershire. We are recruiting experienced Housing Solicitors to join our dynamic legal aid practice. With a modern approach, the firm are legal experts within their areas of law and pride ourselves on high levels of client care, providing an outstanding service at all times.

We require self‑motivated individuals with excellent communication and written skills. You will be highly organised, able to manage a varied workload and work well under pressure. Patience and tact are necessary as you will be assisting vulnerable people whose welfare is our priority. Sound knowledge of legal aid funding is required.

As a solicitor joining our friendly and expanding team, we will provide support and on‑going training; however, you must have enough experience to hit the ground running. We are a versatile and adaptive practice with a unique approach to the delivery of legal services, and we work hard to achieve the best results for our clients. We offer excellent support and training opportunities to our staff. We reward performance, provide flexible working practices and positively encourage every individual’s contribution as to how we deliver services.

We are looking for:

• A qualified solicitor who should have significant experience of advising in housing law matters.
• Must understand the needs of the vulnerable client group that we work with and can balance their needs with assisting paralegals working on their cases.
• The Solicitor will work with the Housing team, including paralegals and administrative staff.
• Consistent with the business core objectives, you must demonstrate a commitment to access to social justice for all.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide advice, casework, representation, and advocacy services to clients directly on housing law matters, including Homelessness; Disrepair; Eviction; Possession; as well as undertaking your own advocacy.
• Assist with running the legal aid contract as appropriate, bill files, complete legal aid applications and comply with other Legal Aid Agency and SQM requirements.
• Provide support and guidance to paralegals in the development of their professional skills (interviewing, advising, client care, legal research, drafting and advocacy) through one‑to‑one sessions and case oversight.
• Carry out such other duties as may reasonably be requested.

Enabling:

• Assist in building and maintaining links with local community groups and advice networks and with legal professionals.

Person Specification:

• Must have a clean, valid Practising Certificate at the time of applying.
• Is passionate and enthusiastic about legal aid work and has a proven track record in delivering legal aid work and a wide range of experience.
• Committed team player with ability to approach team concerns fairly, foster culture of positive change.
• 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 compassionate manner and resolve complicated practicalities involved in Housing issues.
• Excellent analytical and organisational skills.
• Ability to use own initiative and sound judgment.
• 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.

Apply: Please provide CV and cover letter to Mary Benne.