Legal Assistant - North London

Morgan Hunt UK Limited; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment business is seeking a Legal Assistant in North London to support a legal team with housing management issues. This role involves case management, attending court hearings, and providing legal advice. The ideal candidate has a Law Degree and experience in housing law is preferred. This is a temporary 6-month contract with a pay rate of £26.96 per hour, offering a hybrid working arrangement.

Qualifications

• Law Degree preferred.
• Legal background in housing is preferred but not necessary.
• Ability to attend court hearings as required.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal support on housing management issues.
• Manage escalated arrears cases to drive resolutions.
• Prepare and respond to legal documentation as needed.

Skills

Legal knowledge

Communication

Case management

Education

Law Degree

Job description

Overview

Morgan Hunt currently require a Legal Assistant for Housing Trust based in North London on a Temporary basis.

Pay Rate: £26.96ph Ltd

Hours: 35 hours per week, Mon to Fri 9:00–17:00. Hybrid role: minimum 3 days in the office or on site / at court (Tuesdays MUST be in the office), 2 days from home.

Location: North London

Duration: 6 month ongoing contract

Ideal Candidate

• Law Degree (preferred)
• Legal background in Housing is also preferred but not necessary in a legal team; could be in the income team, for example. Majority of work comes under income possession at courts.
• Required to go to court to attend hearings, as and when they come up.

Job Role

• Form an integral part of the legal team by providing legal support to the operational teams on a range of housing management related issues including tenancy and lease breaches with particular focus on escalated arrears and pursuing effective recovery via legal action.
• Work closely with local officers and tenancy sustainment and safeguarding teams to ensure debt is escalated appropriately after all reasonable support options have been put in place.
• Manage your own caseload, predominantly escalated arrears cases referred to you, to drive an effective resolution.
• Play a crucial role in rent and service charge collection; decisions in collaboration with operational teams, with the resident at the centre of every decision.
• Provide training, support and advice to operational teams on tenancy and lease breaches including rent and service charge recovery.
• Lead on rent and service charge recovery cases referred by operational teams, with the goal of maximising income for the organisation.
• Manage other legal cases assigned to you. Provide support to Paralegals, team managers and team leaders, particularly where there is a crossover with arrears to ensure joined‑up case management.
• Handle housing and lease management issues including disrepair as needed.
• Work with paralegals and other departments on cases requiring input to successfully recover service charge debt.
• Represent the trust externally in court, multi‑agency meetings, local authority engagement meetings, mediation and casework panels on tenancy and lease breaches.
• Prepare, draft and respond to all necessary legal documentation and bundles, evidence and witness statements as required.
• Work effectively with panel solicitors where cases require external involvement.
• Take ownership and accountability for caseload in line with performance indicators. Seek advice, flag risk and offer mitigations as needed.
• Collaborate with operational teams and tenancy sustainment and safeguarding teams to ensure legal escalation occurs after all reasonable proactive engagement with residents has been exhausted, focusing on tenancy sustainment objectives.
• Support and advise operational teams to identify and mitigate legal risks; contribute to policy and practice improvements.
• Demonstrate adequate legal knowledge, stay inquisitive and up to date with developments in the law.
• Work alongside legal colleagues to deliver meaningful training, guidance and advice to operational teams.

Morgan Hunt is a multi-award-winning recruitment business for interim, contract and temporary recruitment and acts as an Employment Agency in relation to temporary vacancies. Morgan Hunt is an equal opportunities employer; job suitability is assessed on merit in accordance with skills, qualifications and abilities to perform the relevant duties required in a particular role.