Housing Lawyer - Legal Services Team

We're looking for an experienced, pro-active and skilled Housing Lawyer to join our long standing and highly regarded Housing & Debt/Civil Litigation Team within the Council's Legal Services. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to play a key role in undertaking high-quality legal work on behalf of the council.

If you have strong legal expertise, particularly in social housing litigation, and a thorough understanding of key housing legislation, we'd love to hear from you. Join us as we work towards becoming the best place to practice local government law-where talent is valued, innovation is embraced, and professional excellence is at the heart of everything we do.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

We are open to flexible working patterns and can provide a hybrid working environment which utilises the best of both worlds with a mix of office working in central Reading and homeworking according to the needs of the Service.

About the role:

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting the Council's Housing Service by providing expert advice and assistance across all areas of Housing and Homelessness law. You'll represent the Council in County and Magistrates' Court proceedings, with the potential to be involved in complex cases in the High Court and appeals.

Principal accountabilities and responsibilities include:

Be responsible for a varied caseload of Housing Litigation matters, to include drafting Letters Before Action, Notices, pleadings, witness statements, settlement agreements, briefs to counsel and corresponding with both Litigants in Person and legally represented opponents

Preparing for court hearings

Advocacy in the County Court and the Magistrates Court

Issuing court proceedings on behalf of the Council and ensuring that instructions are lodged within timescales

Complying with relevant Protocols and timescales, complying with the Civil Procedure Rules and ensuring that all court direction deadlines are met

Ensuring that clients are kept up to date with the progress of cases and legal action

Advising on all aspects of Housing law including in the areas of Homelessness, Allocations and Judicial Review and on relevant points arising from the Housing Act 1985, Housing Act 1996, Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994, Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Local Government Act 1972 and Equality Act 2010.

Undertaking Housing Disrepair work and conducting a caseload including Housing disrepair cases

Assisting the Principal Lawyer and Senior Lawyer in the team where required in the more complex cases held by the team.

Providing advice to officers and members on legal matters, policies and corporate issues, ensuring the Council's best interests are achieved within the law.

We're looking for a qualified legal professional - an admitted Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives with a current practising certificate and the right to practise in England.

You'll bring a strong interest in housing law, alongside in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience of Housing Litigation and court procedures and conducting your own advocacy. Highly organised, conscientious, and collaborative, you take pride in delivering high-quality work and working in a team-focused environment alongside team colleagues and officers of the council.

Our ideal candidate will have:

Experience of holding a large and varied caseload of housing cases, including Housing Disrepair, possession, homelessness, allocations and trespass matters

An in depth and practical working knowledge of all housing related legal matters

Experience of dealing with cases allocated to all tracks, including Small Claims, Fast and Multi track

Excellent diary management skills and the ability to organise and prioritise workload to meet service needs

Recent advocacy experience

An excellent working knowledge of key Housing legislation

Good interpersonal skills and be a good team player