Shelter (Plymouth) – Legal Advisor
Legal Advisor
£29,012 pa plus excellent benefits including 30 days holiday and flexible working
Plymouth
Closing date: Wednesday 3 rd May 2023 at 11.30pm
Job link can be accessed here.
Do you have a good understanding of housing law, a proven ability to manage your own caseload and, ideally, some experience of court advocacy? Then join Shelter as a Legal Adviser and you could soon be playing a vital role at the heart of our Plymouth hub’s advice team.
About Shelter
A home is a fundamental human need, as essential as education or healthcare. Yet millions of people across Britain struggle on a daily basis with homelessness, bad housing conditions, soaring rents, discrimination and the threat of eviction. So, we are striving for change, with individuals, in communities, across society, and leading the way to a safe home. We need ambitious, best-in-class individuals who are passionate about our cause to join us at this exciting time. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.
At Shelter we are united by our purpose to defend the right to a safe home. Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. We believe that to win that fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement for change. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, fair, equitable and transparent.
We have committed to combat racism both within and outside Shelter and welcome you on our journey to becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.
About the team
The advice team at our Plymouth Hub delivers legal aid funded and non-legal aid funded work throughout Devon and Cornwall, as well as tackling systemic issues in the wider community. As a hub we’re going through an exciting period of transition and growth. People are at the heart of the services we offer and, in order to keep growing and evolving to suit the communities we work with and bring about real change, we need to understand what really matters for people. You’ll help us do just that.
About the role
As a Legal Adviser, you’ll play a key role in tackling housing injustice and unfair housing practices by using the law to assist people in our communities with housing need and providing representation at court hearings when required. Each day you’ll get to use your legal skills to challenge and fight cases that defend housing rights, challenge discriminatory practices relating to housing and create systems change by defining or changing the law. You’ll also work with colleagues to ensure people in our communities are aware of their rights and how to enforce them and represent people who need specialist legal advice.
As well as conducting casework on a range of specialist housing issues and generalist advice on related social welfare and debt issues under Legal Aid funding, you may also be required to undertake work under Shelter Voluntary Income or other funding sources from time to time.
We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.
About you
You’re willing to work in a range of different locations throughout the community and engage on behalf of Shelter with external stakeholders (e.g., Local Authority, community partners). You also have what it takes to utilise evidence and insight and identify trends to actively contribute to local plans and priorities. Ideally, you’re adept at accurately time recording and maintaining good case management and willing to carry out legal research too, while effective verbal and written communication skills are essential.
Benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.
Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help. We’re here so no one has to fight bad housing or homelessness on their own.
To find out more about the role and the benefits of working for Shelter please visit our website.
Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.
Safeguarding is everyone’s business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and
human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All
our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in
line with our Safeguarding Policies.
Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.