Are you a seasoned legal professional with a passion for public service? Southwark Council invites you to bring your expertise to our dynamic and ambitious Legal Services (Communities) - Litigation Team. With one of the largest council housing stocks in the country and a commitment to building more, this is your chance to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our community.

As a Senior Lawyer in our Litigation Team, you will be at the heart of our housing management and homelessness functions, providing expert legal advice on complex public sector housing law. You will tackle a diverse housing litigation and advisory caseload, from housing management and handling possession and succession cases to addressing unauthorised occupancy to rehousing on regeneration schemes and responding to judicial reviews. Your strategic insight will be crucial in advising on housing policy, building safety, and more.

But this role is more than just litigation - it’s about leadership. You will manage and mentor a dedicated group of housing lawyers, guiding them through day-to-day casework and fostering their professional growth. Your experience in public sector housing law, combined with your ability to navigate political sensitivities and manage risk, will be invaluable as you deliver high-quality, solutions-based advice to senior officers and departments across the council.

If you are ready to make a meaningful impact while advancing your career in a supportive, Lexcel-accredited legal team, we want to hear from you. Join us in delivering the highest quality legal services and help us make a difference to the communities of Southwark.

Key responsibilities:

Provide high-quality legal advice on complex housing law issues, including social housing, homelessness, and housing allocations.
Advise on legal risks and develop strategies to manage and mitigate these risks effectively.
Contribute to the creation and implementation of council policies and procedures, ensuring they meet legal standards and best practices.
Work closely with senior managers, council officers, and other legal teams to deliver consistent and comprehensive legal services.
Ensure that all legal services align with statutory obligations and promote good governance across council operations.
Stay ahead of legal developments, driving ongoing enhancements in service delivery and adapting to changing legal landscapes.

How will you make an impact as our Senior Housing Lawyer?

You will be a qualified experienced solicitor, barrister or legal executive.
Extensive knowledge of social housing law, homelessness, housing allocations, public sector housing law and litigation, policy and procedure.
Proven track record in managing complex housing law cases, including litigation and advisory work.
Experience in supervising or mentoring/supporting legal staff and developing legal teams, and driving performance.
You will excel in assessing and managing legal risks, offering sound, solutions-focused advice.
Effective communicator who can convey complex legal concepts clearly and persuasively to a wide range of officers at all levels including senior stakeholders.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, maintaining high standards of attention to detail while meeting deadlines.
An adaptable innovator who can stay ahead of legal developments, ensuring the council’s legal strategies are forward-thinking and compliant.
Embrace the opportunity to work with a diverse team, both within the legal service and across the council.
A knowledge of local government law will provide a strong foundation for your work, allowing you to contribute effectively to the council’s goals.

Salary range £51,099 - £58,197 per annum.

This post attracts an additional Market Factor payment at 7.5% of the basic annual salary, and an additional Benefits Package of £2,327 per annum, pro-rata paid monthly, which can be used towards gym membership, health insurance, season ticket purchase, bicycle purchase, additional voluntary contribution to pension, subscriptions and professional fees.

Full time, 36 hours per week. The role is based in our offices at London Bridge with the ability for some remote working.

About Southwark Council:

Southwark Council is the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues such as The Shard, The Tate Modern and Borough Market along with many social enterprises and we have a young, diverse, and growing population.

At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities. Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals, and attend our universities.

Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark’s communities and the council’s staff to tackle racism, injustice, and inequality) underpins all that we do.

Benefits and more information:

In return for all your hard work, skills and experience, you will receive:

A competitive base salary (pro rata for part time staff).
Strong supportive senior management team.
Regular one to one supervision.
Professional development & training opportunities.
Agile and flexible working arrangements.
Season ticket and cycle loans.
Annual Leave starting at 29 days per year, increasing to 37 (with length of service) (pro rata for part time staff).
HSF Health plan and eye care scheme.
EAP employee assistance programme, confidential counselling and support.
Social clubs and staff groups.

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

Members of the Armed Forces and veterans.
Are currently in care, or have previously been in care.
If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition.

Recruitment timetable

Interviews and Assessments: From 21 October 2024.

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together programme. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

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Senior Lawyer - Housing