Housing Lawyer
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
About this job
Responsible to the Principal – Housing, Civil and Prosecutions (Advocate) for delivery of legal advice and casework in the area of Housing & Litigation Law within Barking and Dagenham Legal Services.
Support the service in the delivery and development of Legal Services.
Special requirements for this post
Qualified Solicitor or barrister or equivalent e.g. FILEX or Other post Graduate qualification in any relevant legal area or discipline.
Experience of working unsupervised, preferably in a legal services environment and to be able to plan and manage workloads in a methodical manner whilst maintaining accuracy, attention to detail and achieving deadlines.
About you
You will have experience of working in a busy legal environment within a housing context, and have sufficient experience of preparing claims for possession and attending court.
Experience in housing disrepair, injunctions, possession proceedings and homelessness matters, as well as provision of general housing advice would also be beneficial. You will have experience of attending Court unsupervised. You will be a strong communicator with experience of working unsupervised.
You will be able to plan and manage workloads in a methodical manner whilst maintaining accuracy, attention to detail and achieving deadlines.
You will be able to comply with chargeable hours requirements and undertake your own file maintenance in line with the Legal Practice Standards.
You will have the confidence and ability to ensure work is completed in appropriate timescales in the most efficient way possible ensuring the security of data at all times.
Experience of using the Iken time recording system would be an advantage.
About us
As an LBBD employee you’ll have access to high street savings, supermarkets, cashback incentives travel and holiday discounts; discounts at restaurants and cinemas; local, national, and seasonal offers; and a wide range of better-than-public deals through our Wider Wallet scheme. You’ll also have access to an Employee Assistance Programme; this offers a little extra support to manage life’s everyday challenges; both work and personal. The EAP is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and provides free, impartial, confidential information and support to help you gain a better work-life balance.
Flexible working
The role is open to flexible working unless there is a practical or operational reason that you must work set hours and times, you would need to discuss this with your manager before anything is agreed.
Other key benefits include:
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) As a member of the LGPS you will get a pension paid to you when you retire as well as being entitled to other benefits such as life insurance cover, a pension for your family if you die whilst employed by the council, payments if you have to retire due to ill-health.
Diversity and Inclusivity
To deliver our commitment to equality of opportunity in the provision of services, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services we deliver. As such we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds including from the LGBTQ+ community, genders, ages, disabilities, faiths/beliefs and candidates from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds.