Housing Lawyer - Hackney (Local Authority role)

Contract role

Hourly rate negotiiable

Seeking a highly experienced and dedicated Locum Senior Housing Lawyer to join the London Borough of Hackney's Legal & Governance Services on an interim basis for up to 12 months. This is a critical role to provide immediate resilience and specialised legal supervision within the Housing Legal team.

The Council's Housing Legal team is facing an unprecedented operational demand, requiring immediate, senior-level legal supervision for approximately 188 existing housing matters.
As an interim Senior Housing Lawyer, you will play a vital role in ensuring effective risk management and compliance by supervising this significant caseload, which includes:

• Disrepair claims
• Homelessness Judicial Reviews
• Possession proceedings

Your expertise will be essential in reducing pressure on our five existing qualified solicitors, each of whom already manages a demanding volume of complex cases, and in upholding the Council's statutory duties and professional conduct requirements.

 Your primary duties will include:

• Case Management & Supervision: Managing a caseload of routine and non-routine legal matters, with a focus on supervising the 188 affected housing matters to ensure compliance and timely progression.
• Expert Advice: Providing clear, consistent, and accurate legal advice to clients across the Council, particularly within Housing Services.
• Advocacy: Undertaking advocacy on behalf of the Council in courts and tribunals, where required.
• Documentation: Drafting complex reports and legal documentation.
• Compliance: Managing cases within the Service's practice management standards and ensuring all work is carried out to the standards required by formal client arrangements.
• Teamwork & Development: Working collaboratively with colleagues and keeping up to date with developments in relevant areas of law, legal practice, and local authority services.

Essential Experience and Qualifications:

• Qualified solicitor or barrister (Supreme Court of England and Wales/English Bar) or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives.
• Significant experience in Housing law relevant to local authority services.
• Experience of undertaking a caseload of complex legal matters, specifically including the matters listed above (disrepair, homelessness JRs, possession).
• Experience of providing clear, consistent, and accurate legal advice on the interpretation of the law.
• Experience of advocacy.
• Ability to manage a demanding caseload of legal matters and to work
  independently.

If you have any questions about this role or wish to apply, please contact isobel@deekay.co.uk who will respond at the earliest convenience.