Senior Housing Litigation Lawyer

A local authority based in London is seeking an experienced Senior Housing Litigation Lawyer to join its Legal Services team on an initial 6-month contract, starting as soon as possible.

Reporting to the Deputy Principal Lawyer, this is a senior-level role requiring a confident and technically strong housing litigation specialist who can manage a varied and complex caseload while providing high-quality legal advice to housing and homelessness services.

Key Areas of Responsibility

The successful candidate will undertake a broad range of housing and local authority litigation matters, with a significant focus on:

\n
• Homelessness appeals (Section 204 County Court appeals)
\n
• Pre-Action Protocol correspondence and Judicial Review claims relating to housing and homelessness duties, including challenges concerning the suitability of temporary accommodation
\n
• Defending unlawful/illegal eviction claims arising from temporary accommodation placements through private sector leasing arrangements
\n
• Providing legal advice and support to Housing and Homelessness Services
\n

In addition, the caseload may include:

\n
• Squatter possession proceedings, including Interim Possession Orders (IPOs) and standard possession claims
\n
• Housing disrepair litigation, including claims arising under Awaab's Law
\n
• Possession proceedings and enforcement matters
\n
• Injunctive relief applications
\n
• Anti-social behaviour matters
\n

The successful candidate will be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive with substantial experience handling housing litigation matters within a local authority or similarly complex public sector environment.

You should have demonstrable expertise in:

\n
• Homelessness law and litigation
\n
• Judicial Review and public law challenges
\n
• County Court housing litigation
\n
• Providing pragmatic legal advice to client departments
\n
• Managing a busy and complex caseload with minimal supervision
\n

Experience in the following areas would be advantageous but is not essential:

\n
• ASB claims in the County Court and Youth Court
\n
• Injunction proceedings
\n
• Statutory nuisance claims against local authorities
\n
• Closure Orders
\n
• Breach of lease, tenancy and licence matters
\n

Contract Details

\n
• Initial 6-month contract
\n
• Senior-level appointment
\n
• Reporting directly to the Deputy Principal Lawyer
\n
• ASAP start
\n
• Local authority experience highly desirable
\n
• £60-65 per hour umbrella
\n
• Must be able to attend the office one day per week
\n
• Full time
\n

Please note our advertisements use PQE/salary levels purely as a guide. However we are happy to consider applications from all candidates who are able to demonstrate the skills necessary to fulfil the role.

At LAW Absolute we endeavour to respond to all applications within 48 hours. However due to the volume of applications we receive we may not be able to respond to every candidate individually.

If you have not heard from us within a 48 hour timeframe your application has not been successful and your details have not been retained. LAW Absolute acts as an employment business for temporary recruitment and as an employment agency for fixed term contract and permanent recruitment.