Solicitor - Housing Legal (Fixed-term Contract)

We’ve a unique opportunity for a qualified Legal Professional to join our inhouse Housing Legal team for a period of 12-13 months. You’ll be part of a highly respected and dedicated Housing Legal team providing expert advice and conducting litigation across the business, supporting effective tenancy management, reducing legal spend and any risk to the organisation.

Reporting to the Head of Housing Litigation, you’ll:

• Provide a quality in-house service which provides sound legal advice, to the organisation, primarily on housing management and tenancy enforcement matters particularly those involving anti-social behaviour and disrepair as well as carry out all necessary work to issue or defend and progress claims and applications, in respect of the same, to their conclusion.
• End to end case management of complex anti-social behaviour and tenancy management matters.
• Promote, develop and maintain the reputation of Midland Heart with external agencies, including but not limited to the Courts, panel solicitors, Counsel, Defendants’ representatives and support agencies as well as its stakeholders.

As a Smart Working organisation, you can expect to work from a Midland Heart site 3 days per week with 2 days per week working from home. In line with the nature of the responsibilities of the role, some of your time will be spent meeting with Midland Heart witnesses, counsel and other external agencies and attending court hearings at locations sometimes inaccessible via public transport – we welcome applications from candidates who are willing and able to attend sites across the Midland Heart geography.

Our ideal candidate? To successfully deliver this role, the following qualifications, skills and experience are required:

• You’re a qualified Solicitor or Legal Executive, registered as practising with the SRA or CILEX, with up to 3 years post qualification experience or practical experience commensurate to 3 years post qualification.
• You’ve demonstrable experience of managing a complex caseload, accompanied by in-depth knowledge and understanding of housing law, particularly anti-social behaviour and tenancy breaches. Experience of managing cases where lack of capacity is raised would be beneficial.
• You’ve knowledge and applied experience of possession proceedings and civil procedure rules.
• You’ve demonstrable experience of drafting pleadings, notices and legal correspondence to a high standard.
• You’ve experience of attending, and presenting at, Court hearings, including those in open court.

Who are Midland Heart? We’re one team working together for our tenants; a large and ambitious housing organisation providing more people an affordable place to call home. We welcome people from every walk of life, at every stage of their career. We expect a lot from our people but in return you can be assured of a great place to work, where you will be well rewarded and where great people are able to succeed. Whether you want to build your career with us, or use your experience to move on, we’re here to develop your potential.

We are proud to say we have recently been named in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work list, within the Big Organisations category (The Times).

Interested? Please click 'Information for Candidates' to review a full Role Profile. To apply, please register on our candidate portal and submit a Cover Letter and CV detailing your suitability for this role. 

Applications close at 12noon on Tuesday 3rd December 2024. Suitable candidates will be contacted promptly and invited to attend an assessment onsite week commencing 9th December 2024.

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. Please feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss any adjustments you might need in order to be successful in this role.