Real Estate Social Housing Paralegal

Acuity Law; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK law firm in Cardiff seeks a detail-oriented Paralegal for its Real Estate Social Housing team. This role is ideal for recent law graduates looking to begin their legal careers. The position offers hands-on experience, working alongside solicitors on various social housing matters, with a clear pathway to a training contract. Strong organizational skills and a genuine interest in social housing are essential.

Benefits

Ongoing training and development opportunities

Supportive team environment

Clear progression pathways

Qualifications

• A law degree or equivalent legal qualification (or currently studying toward one).
• Strong interest in social housing sector and its legal frameworks.
• Clear and professional written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Land Registry mailbox and monitor key deadlines.
• Assist with client onboarding, including conflict checks.
• Support fee earners in residential property transactions.

Skills

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

Microsoft Office proficiency

Education

Law degree or equivalent legal qualification

Job description

About Acuity Law

We are a leading UK law firm renowned for our commitment to excellence, client service, and delivering innovative legal solutions. Our firm is recognised for its collaborative and dynamic working environment, offering high-quality legal advice to a diverse range of clients, from multinational corporations and financial institutions to SMEs, start-ups and high-net-worth individuals. We pride ourselves on fostering professional growth, encouraging innovation, and maintaining an inclusive and supportive culture.

About the role

We are seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Paralegal to join our Real Estate Social Housing team based at our Cardiff head office. This is an excellent opportunity for a recent law graduate or an individual looking to secure their first legal role within a dynamic and purpose-driven legal practice.

You will gain hands-on experience in a fast-paced, supportive environment, working closely with experienced solicitors, trainees, and partners on a wide range of matters within the social housing sector. This includes work with housing associations across the UK on property transactions and development matters.

This role offers a strong foundation for those pursuing a career in law, particularly in sectors with a strong social impact, and provides a clear pathway toward a training contract.

About the team

At Acuity Law, our Social Housing team delivers tailored, end-to-end legal support to housing providers across real estate, development, construction, planning, financing, housing management, litigation, and employment law. We understand the sector’s unique challenges and work as an extension of our clients’ teams, providing practical, strategic advice that drives positive outcomes in a complex and evolving landscape.

Key responsibilities

Document management & regulatory support

• Manage the Land Registry mailbox, log requisitions, and monitor key deadlines, particularly for affordable housing and residential transactions.

• Support with scanning, electronic filing, and archiving of signed and completed documents related to housing and leasehold portfolios.

• Analyse and input data accurately into the document management system.

Client onboarding & file opening

• Assist with client onboarding, including conflict checks and completion of pre-opening compliance checklists.

• Support matter opening by ensuring all risk, AML, and KYC documentation is collected and recorded.

• Issue standard Key Terms or Instruction Acknowledgment Letters for new matters and track file opening progress.

• Conduct legal research as required to support onboarding and compliance procedures.

Social housing, residential & development transactions support

• Deal with residential property transactions, supporting fee earners with drafting, administrative and compliance tasks.

• Assist with development transactions, including reviewing, amending and coordinating sectional agreements and supporting documentation.

• Draft and pre-populate Commercial Property Standard Enquiries (CPSE) and other due diligence forms specific to social housing, residential sales, and acquisitions.

• Obtain and manage indemnity insurance quotes, liaising with insurers and clients as needed.

• Assist in the preparation and drafting of legal documents, including engrossments for contracts and transfers, development agreements and s.106 agreements for final review and execution.

Post-completion & compliance tasks

• Manage and monitor original deeds and documents, including titles, leases, and transfers.

• Track and help resolve Land Registry requisitions, ensuring timely responses and updates to the legal team.

• Assist with the preparation and submission of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) and Land Transaction Tax (LTT) returns under supervision.

• Record and help manage legal undertakings, including those related to mortgage redemptions and discharge processes.

• Support Priority Searches, maintaining accurate logs of submission dates and expiration windows.

General administrative & legal support

• Maintain the team’s precedent and template library, ensuring documents reflect current housing regulations and legislation.

• Property search requests and log responses, including local authority, environmental, and utilities searches.

• Help prepare files for closure and archiving, ensuring compliance with internal and client file management policies.

• Log payment receipts, support billing queries, and help set up payment instructions for completions and disbursements.

About you

Essential skills & attributes

• A law degree or equivalent legal qualification (or currently studying toward one).

• A genuine interest in the social housing sector and its legal, regulatory, and social frameworks.

• Strong attention to detail and excellent organisational skills, particularly when managing high volumes of documentation.

• Clear and professional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor tone and language for different audiences.

• Proven ability to manage multiple deadlines and prioritise effectively in a busy, team-oriented environment.

• Confident using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and able to adapt to new legal tech platforms.

Desirable

• Previous experience in a legal or administrative role, particularly in housing, property, or public sector law (e.g., internship, placement, legal assistant or paralegal role).

• Familiarity with Land Registry applications, Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) / Land Transaction Tax (LTT) processes, and/or legal document management systems.

• An aspiration to pursue a long-term legal career, including potential progression toward a training contract within the social housing team.

Why join us?

• A supportive and collaborative team environment.

• Exposure to a wide range of Social Housing transactions.

• Ongoing training and development opportunities.

• Clear progression pathways within the firm, including the opportunity to apply for a training contract.

Next steps

If you’re interested in the Real Estate Social Housing Paralegal role and looking to take the next step in your career, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your application detailing your experience and suitability for the role.

For a confidential discussion, please contact our recruitment team. We look forward to welcoming a talented professional to our growing team.