Housing Disrepair Paralegal

VennGroup; West Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 34,000 - 41,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Predominantly remote working

Flexible working culture

Supportive legal team

Valuable local government experience

Job summary

Venn Group is seeking an experienced Housing Disrepair Paralegal / Caseworker to join a Midlands local authority's Legal Services team on an initial six-month contract. The role involves managing housing disrepair caseloads from instruction to resolution within a collaborative team and with external stakeholders.

Key duties include drafting correspondence and statements, ensuring compliance with Pre-Action Protocols, and supporting negotiations to achieve favorable outcomes for the Council, with

Qualifications

• Experience handling housing disrepair matters within local government, private practice or housing provider.
• Strong drafting, organisational and case management skills.
• Ability to build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Assisting in the management of a caseload of housing disrepair claims from pre-action stage through to conclusion.
• Assist solicitors with the progression of more complex housing litigation matters.
• Ensure compliance with the Housing Disrepair Pre-Action Protocol and relevant legislation.
• Review liability, quantum and evidential issues relating to housing disrepair claims.
• Draft legal correspondence, witness statements, schedules and settlement documentation.
• Liaise with housing officers, surveyors, contractors and external legal representatives.
• Assess evidence relating to housing condition claims and identify legal and commercial risks.
• Support negotiations and settlement discussions to achieve effective outcomes for the Council.
• Maintain accurate case management records and provide regular updates to stakeholders.
• Assist with the development of best practice and processes within the housing litigation function.

Skills

Housing Disrepair

Case Management

Legal Drafting

Stakeholder Liaison

Education

Law degree / LPC / SQE

Job description

Housing Disrepair Paralegal / Caseworker - 6 months + - Predominantly Remote Working - £25-£30 per hour Umbrella - Midlands

Venn Group is working with a highly regarded Midlands local authority seeking an experienced Housing Disrepair Paralegal / Caseworker to join its Legal Services team on an initial six-month contract.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated legal professional to undertake a varied and rewarding caseload of housing disrepair matters, working within a collaborative legal team that is well respected across the organisation.

The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting the Council's response to housing disrepair claims, managing files from initial instruction through to resolution, whilst working closely with legal colleagues, housing officers, surveyors and external stakeholders. You will join a supportive team environment with strong internal relationships and flexible working arrangements.

Key Responsibilities

• Assisting in the management of a caseload of housing disrepair claims from pre-action stage through to conclusion
• Assist solicitors with the progression of more complex housing litigation matters
• Ensure compliance with the Housing Disrepair Pre-Action Protocol and relevant legislation
• Review liability, quantum and evidential issues relating to housing disrepair claims
• Draft legal correspondence, witness statements, schedules and settlement documentation
• Liaise with housing officers, surveyors, contractors and external legal representatives
• Assess evidence relating to housing condition claims and identify legal and commercial risks
• Support negotiations and settlement discussions to achieve effective outcomes for the Council
• Maintain accurate case management records and provide regular updates to stakeholders
• Assist with the development of best practice and processes within the housing litigation function

Candidate Requirements

• Previous experience handling housing disrepair matters, either within local government, private practice or a housing provider
• Experience managing a legal caseload or supporting solicitors on housing litigation files
• Sound understanding of the Housing Disrepair Pre-Action Protocol
• Strong drafting, organisational and case management skills
• Ability to build effective relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders
• Experience working in a local authority legal team would be advantageous but is not essential
• Law degree, LPC, SQE, CILEx qualification or equivalent legal experience desirable

What's on Offer

• Predominantly remote working arrangement
• Flexible working culture
• Supportive and experienced legal team
• Interesting and varied housing litigation workload
• Opportunity to gain valuable local government legal experience
• Competitive hourly rate of £25-£30 per hour Umbrella
• Initial six-month contract with potential for extension