Lawyer - Leasehold

Tower Hamlets Council Pension Fund; London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government legal department in London is seeking an experienced Leasehold Lawyer to handle Leasehold matters, focusing on service charge debt recovery. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in advocacy and strong case management skills, with the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment. Join a dynamic legal team dedicated to serving the community and upholding our values of respect and excellence.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leasehold matters and debt recovery cases.
• Ability to conduct caseload with minimum supervision.
• Familiarity with Civil Procedure Rules and relevant practice directions.

Responsibilities

• Deal with all Leasehold related matters and debt recovery work.
• Prepare and advise on service charge debt recovery cases.
• Manage case files and represent the Council at hearings.
• Provide legal advice on leasehold-related matters.

Skills

Service charge debt recovery

Case management

Legal advising

Advocacy

Stakeholder management

Job description

Town Hall
160 Whitechapel Road
LONDON
E1 1BJ

Are you the Leasehold Lawyer we’re looking for?

We pride ourselves in offering the best of London in one borough.

Tower Hamlets is one of the most diverse and fastest growing boroughs in London.Our population is expected to increase by 80,000 people over the next two decades.We have the highest targets for housing delivery in the London Plan and a Mayoral pledge to deliver 4,000 affordable homes by 2026.

Tower Hamlets is home to places as diverse as Canary Wharf, Brick Lane, Whitechapel and the Olympic Legacy alongside a rich history reflected in more than 50 conservation areas, award winning parks, hundreds of listed buildings and the Tower of London World Heritage Site. All of this is in a borough of just 8 square miles!

We have one of the youngest, most multicultural, and fastest-growing populations in the country. Our residents are our greatest asset, and our part of the East End has been enriched by many generations of migrants who have made their home here. The Council manages just over 10,000 leasehold properties, representing one of the highest leaseholder-to-tenant ratios, alongside approximately 11,000 rental tenancies.

This is an exciting time to join the council as we bring the old Royal London Hospital in the heart of Whitechapel back to life as our new town hall. Our well-resourced legal team has a crucial role in providing the full range and variety of expert services across all areas of the council’s work.

We have also recently restructured our legal service which is now in the best position to meet the needs and aspirations that we share with our residents, and the wider community.

If you’re an experienced and highly motivated legal professional looking for a fantastic opportunity to join our team, then we’d love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities:

You will be one of a team of lawyers dealing with all Leasehold related matters with an emphasis on service charge debt recovery work, reporting to the Leasehold Senior Lawyer.

You will be able to demonstrate experience of dealing with all aspects of Leasehold work including, but not limited to;

·Preparing and advising on service charge debt recovery cases in the County Court and First-tier Tribunal, ensuring compliance with the Civil Procedure Rules and relevant practice directions.

·Managing case files in line with court timetables and directions and representing the Council at hearings where required.

·Handling enforcement proceedings and employing a range of enforcement methods to maximise recovery of outstanding debts owed to the Council.

·Investigating and compiling relevant evidence to support effective case management and legal proceedings.

·Providing regulatory and legal advice to colleagues on leasehold-related matters, demonstrating familiarity with general lease provisions and key statutory requirements.

·Building and maintaining positive working relationships with external stakeholders while upholding the professional reputation of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets at the County Court and First-tier Tribunal.

·Attending internal Council meetings as required or in place of the Leasehold Senior Lawyer.

·Supporting team members in developing their knowledge of leasehold law and practice, particularly in areas such as dispute resolution, statutory consultation, cost reasonableness, and income recovery.

·Contributing to the development and implementation of new procedures and working practices.

·Undertaking other reasonable ad hoc duties to support the Directorate, as directed by the line manager or Head of Service, commensurate with the level of the post.

·Attending evening and out-of-hours meetings as required, including committee meetings and pre-meetings, and contributing to the review of draft reports and follow-up actions arising from such meetings.

· Proven experience in conducting advocacy, particularly in relation to leasehold matters.

You will be able to conduct your caseload with minimum supervision and will be accustomed to working at pace in a busy team.

Tower Hamlets vision for our borough is that: people are aspirational, independent and have equal access to opportunities; we are a borough that our residents are proud of and love to live in; and we are a dynamic, outcomes-based council using digital innovation and partnership working to respond to the changing needs of our borough. We want people who aspire to our TOWER values: Together; Open; Willing; Excellent; Respect.

Tower Hamlets has a zero-tolerance approach to, and works to eradicate, all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, status as a civil partner, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy and maternity and looks to employ a diverse workforce representative of those groups. We recognise that people can also be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class.We are a Disability Confident Employer, which means applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the post are guaranteed an interview. Care experience has also been adopted by the Council as an additional protected characteristic.

We welcome applicants interested in flexible working arrangements and also applicants who live in the borough.