Release (London / hybrid) – Legal Adviser

Please note: The minimum requirements for this post is completion of LLB, GDL, or SQE1 and minimum six months’ experience in social welfare legal advice and casework in areas such as crime, housing, benefits, or debt.

Since Release’s inception in 1967, the organisation has continuously and actively advocated for open access to justice for all individuals with a specific emphasis on substance misuse and dependency. By addressing the legal needs of people who use drugs and those in recovery the consequences can have a profound and positive affect not only for the individual but also for those who live, support and work with them. Reducing health and income inequalities’ significantly improves a person’s life chances and integration back into their community. Whilst legal services are available to the public via other sources, our client group will often be unable to access such services because of fear of stigma or discrimination.

We also operate a national drugs and legal helpline, and produce a number of free informative publications for the public, and specialist guidance material aimed at professionals in the substance misuse and dependency field.

Post: We invite applicants for the Legal Adviser post to join our social justice legal team who share our commitment to supporting the legal and human rights of people whose lives are affected by drug use and drug policy.

Details:
Salary: £27,000 – £31,000 + 5% pension
Contract: Permanent, 35 hours/week
Holidays: 29 days + public holidays
Location: Hybrid – Aldgate, London / Remote
Closing Date: 9:00 pm, Sunday 13 July 2025
Interviews: Week commencing 21 July 2025
Start Date: Ideally early September 2025 or sooner

**(Please note: We are unable to provide feedback to those who are not shortlisted)

OVERVIEW

This is a full-time position (35 hours per week) working a minimum of 3 days a week from our office in Aldgate, London with the remaining 2 days working from home, if desired. The working hours are 10am – 6pm Monday to Friday with a one-hour lunch break. 

The post holder will join our social justice legal team and will be required to deliver a minimum of 2 services through our in-person and ‘virtual’ legal services to clients attending alcohol/drug treatment centres, homeless day centres, and sexual health clinics. The legal advice, assistance and representation we provide has a particular focus on debt, housing including homelessness, and welfare benefits. The post holder will also be required (after a period of induction and/or training) to provide advice on Release’s national legal helpline pertaining to the criminal law and the criminal justice system related to drugs offences, and broader legal advice through our new Harm Reduction Hub drop-in service. In addition to the delivery of legal services, the postholder will also be required to assist with the policy work undertaken by the organisation.

We are also developing an immigration service which will be available from early 2025 and will be available to a limited number of host services initially. We have been successful in tendering for legal aid contracts for Community Care and Public Law from September 2024, and there may be opportunities for the post holder to work within these in the future.

As a member of our dynamic social justice legal team, based in London, your responsibilities will include:

  • Delivering a minimum 2 legal outreach services at alcohol/drug treatment centres, homeless day centres and sexual health clinics in the London area, and with training deliver our expanding ‘virtual’ legal outreach services to clients elsewhere in the country.
  • Completing casework resulting from our legal outreach services on issues including welfare benefits, housing, and debt;
  • Providing advice to the public and professionals about legal issues connected with drug use (training will be provided);
  • Updating our specialist publications;
  • Contributing to our local and National policy commentary/response on drugs, and all associated legislation;
  • Assisting with the development of our website and other IT-related service initiatives and their legal compliance.

Minimum requirements for the post include:

  • Completion of LLB, GDL, or SQE1 and minimum six months’ experience in social welfare legal advice and casework in areas such as crime, housing, benefits, or debt.

If you think you can make a difference as a Legal Adviser for Release then please download and read the job description and person specification together with the application guidelines for details.

The successful candidate will have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check upon appointment.

For an informal discussion, contact:

Applications should be sent quoting reference LA0625 to recruitment@release.org.uk (attachments should be clearly denoted with the applicant’s name, and should not collectively exceed 5MB). 

Applicants will receive a confirmation email of receipt.

Applicants will receive auto-confirmation email of receipt delivery.

Application Check List

*Please Note: Total documents NOT to exceed six A4 sides

  1. Current Curriculum Vitae
  2. Covering Letter (Supporting Statement) – This your the opportunity to explain why based upon your current skills and qualifications as to why you want this opportunity.

All information can be found here.

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