Housing Caseworker/Solicitor

Salary range NJC scale

SP19 – 32 £36,888- £45,399 (pro rata if part time, starting salary dependent on experience)

 35 hours per week – Part time considered

The housing team at Southwark Law Centre delivers specialist legal advice and assistance including outreach, telephone and email advice to frontline advice agencies as well as the full range of housing casework.  The need for our services has never been greater.

We are seeking an experienced housing caseworker or solicitor to work on a project supporting those in the private rental sector and in temporary accommodation and to take on legal aid cases across the spectrum of housing cases.

The successful applicant will have:

• At least 2 years’ recent experience of providing LAA Contract housing advice and representation under the legal help and legal aid schemes in particular in the areas of disrepair, possession and homelessness
• Experience of working to legal deadlines/time limits and managing a sizable and complex caseload
• Ability to meet the Legal Aid Agency supervisor requirements for housing law or to attain this standard within 6 months of starting in the post.

Southwark Law Centre is committed to promoting Equality Diversity and Inclusion. We welcome applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex (gender) and sexual orientation.

SLC has adopted an agile working policy and all staff are set up to be able to work partly from home.

If you would like an informal discussion about the role please contact: Stacey.edgar@southwarklawcentre.org.uk

Terms and conditions include:

• Excellent Pension Scheme
• Flexible working policy
• 30 days’ holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time staff)

 Our policy re starting salary in the range- NJC scale SP19 – 32

• 1 extra scale point for a solicitor qualification
• Relevant casework experience 0-2 years SP19 (SP20 if qualified)
• Relevant casework experience 2-3 years SP20 (SP21 if qualified)
• Relevant casework experience 3-4 years SP21 (SP22 if qualified)
• Relevant casework experience 4-5 years SP22 (SP23 if qualified)
• Relevant casework of 5 years + SP23 (SP24 if qualified)

Please note that we review applications on a rolling basis and may invite strong candidates to interview before the closing date. We therefore encourage you to apply early, as the recruitment process may close once sufficient suitable applications are received.

Please read Guidance to Applicants before completing application form.

For more details, please download an application pack here

 Closing date for applications: 5pm on Friday 6 June 2025 

 Interviews will take place on:  Thursday 12 June 2025

 Senior Housing Solicitor

Salary range NJC scale SP 37-41  £50,646 – £54,684

35 hours per week

The housing team at Southwark Law Centre delivers specialist legal advice and assistance including outreach, telephone and email advice to frontline advice agencies as well as the full range of housing casework.  The need for our services has never been greater.

We are seeking an experienced housing solicitor to lead our housing team in Lewisham and to work closely with our housing team in Southwark.

The successful applicant will have:

• At least 3 years’ recent experience of providing LAA Contract housing advice and representation under the legal help and legal aid schemes in particular in the areas of disrepair, possession and homelessness
• Ability to meet the Legal Aid Agency supervisor requirements for Housing law
• Experience of working to legal deadlines/time limits and managing a sizable and complex caseload

Southwark Law Centre is committed to promoting Equality Diversity and Inclusion. We welcome applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex (gender) and sexual orientation.

SLC has adopted an agile working policy and all staff are set up to be able to work partly from home or from our offices in Southwark and Lewisham.

If you would like an informal discussion about the role please contact: Stacey.edgar@southwarklawcentre.org.uk

Terms and conditions include:

• Excellent Pension Scheme
• Flexible working policy
• 30 days’ holiday plus bank holidays

Our policy re starting salary in the range- NJC scale SP 37-41 £50,646 – £54,684

• Relevant casework experience 3-4 years SP37 -38
• Relevant casework experience 4-5 years SP39-40
• Relevant casework of 5 years + SP41

Please read Guidance to Applicants before completing application form.

For further details and to download the application pack click here: Application Pack – Senior Housing Solicitor 28.5.2025

Closing date for applications: 5:00pm, 27 June 2025

Interviews will take place week commencing: 7 July 2025

Notice: We are currently not accepting any new volunteers for the Admin Support Volunteer position. Please continue to check our website for updates on future opportunities. 

Our busy admin team, consisting of two full-time administrators, is seeking some proactive and enthusiastic volunteers, with great organisational and customer service skills to assist with the smooth running of our busy Peckham and Lewisham offices. You will primarily be handling messages and calls for assistance that we receive from vulnerable and disadvantaged clients and supporting the admin team and caseworkers with ad hoc administrative tasks.  Volunteers will also assist with preparatory tasks related to the relocation of our Peckham Office to Camberwell (scheduled for December 2024/January 2025).

The role is varied and will give you the opportunity to hone interview skills as well as offering a diverse workload.  If you are beginning your journey towards an admin or legal career, this role could be a great first step for you.

You will receive in-house training and have access to further applicable training and events where available within the Law Centre during the time that you are volunteering.

Commitment:  Dedicate at least one or two full days per week for a minimum of three or six months.

Location: This is an office-based volunteering role. You will be required to attend either the Peckham or Lewisham Office

Remuneration:  While this is a voluntary, unpaid position, we will reimburse your reasonable travel expenses when travelling to and from the office.  Additionally, we will cover your lunch expenses up to £5.00 per working day.  Receipts must be presented for re-imbursement.

Start date: As soon as possible

Application Process:

Please read Guidance to Applicants before completing application form.

For more details, please download our Volunteer Application Pack

Please return your volunteer application pack and (Equality & Diversity Monitoring Form which is optional) to: volunteer@southwarklawcentre.org.uk

Successful applicants will be contacted shortly after.

Please note that this is an administrative position, and you will not be advising clients or run your own caseload.