Vacancies in the Legal Aid Sector

Dowse & Co are expanding their Housing Law department by recruiting an enthusiastic solicitor/caseworker. They represent clients on a range of housing matters including possession actions, disrepair, homelessness, injunctions, unlawful eviction, leaseholder disputes and succession matters. They act almost exclusively for tenants and leaseholders.

Dowse & Co has been a partnership for 125 years. They have a longstanding commitment to their community and a reputation for excellence and professionalism. They believe in access to justice and do their best to provide first class legal representation and advice irrespective of their client’s means and circumstances. They recruit to retain and many of their lawyers and partners have been trainees at the firm.

Release is seeking to appoint a Supervising Solicitor for Community Care — with genuine flexibility for part‑time or full‑time working — to help shape and expand their legal services at the intersection of social justice and community care law, and harm reduction. The Supervising Solicitor (Community Care) – Legal Aid is a key role in shaping and strengthening Release’s legal services. Working closely with the Head of Community Legal Services and Executive Director, and in collaboration with other colleagues, you will supervise the delivery of high-quality legal advice and representation, supporting the growth of legal aid practice whilst ensuring Release continues to train and develop social justice lawyers for the future. 

Release was founded in 1967 as the world’s first 24-hour legal helpline for people arrested for drug-related offences. What began as a grassroots response to injustice has grown into the UK’s leading independent drugs charity, dedicated to advancing social justice and harm reduction. For nearly six decades, they have provided free, expert legal advice and representation to thousands of people, while campaigning for evidence-based drug policy and systemic reform.

Centre for Women’s Justice is seeking a feminist criminal lawyer with experience in criminal appeals and CCRC reviews. This is a new position within CWJ, and will involve working with our CEO, Harriet Wistrich, on potential miscarriages of justice relating to women who have offended in response to male violence. Cases will range from convictions arising from coerced offending, counter allegations, victims of trafficking and grooming gangs, to advising on appeals by those convicted of murder or manslaughter at the CACD and CCRC.

This is a hybrid role, based between home and their Bethnal Green office. They would consider the role at 30 hours per week. 

The Centre for Women’s Justice aims to help women and girls who are subject to male violence get better access to legal remedies to defend and enhance their rights. 

*Women-only: They deal directly with victims of sexual violence, therefore it is a genuine requirement that this is role is carried out by women only – Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR), Schedule 9 (Work; Exceptions), Part 1 (Occupational Requirements), of the Equality Act (2010) applies.

Osbornes Law is recruiting for a full-time solicitor with experience in housing law to join their expanding and award-winning Housing and Social Care team. Experience in community care and public law would also be desirable, but not essential. The role will provide an exciting opportunity for the successful solicitor to handle a diverse caseload.

Osbornes Law is a leading firm ranked in the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners based in Camden Town. The team is currently ranked in Band 1 in the Legal 500 for Social Housing, and Band 3 for Public Law. The team is known for its diverse legal aid practice and commitment to clients. Two solicitors in the department were named Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year in 2019 in the Social & Welfare and Children’s Rights categories respectively. The team seek to take on complex and difficult legal challenges to help their clients and would welcome a dedicated solicitor who is interested in a varied and rewarding role to join the team.

Coram is recruiting up to two solicitors/ senior solicitors specialising in education law to work within their Education Law team. They are looking for committed, passionate and experienced education solicitors who are able to provide high quality and empathetic legal advice, assistance and representation to families and young people. The successful candidate will be able to manage a diverse education and discrimination law caseload, with a focus on special educational needs and disability Tribunal appeals. Applicants for the role need to be a qualified solicitor with experience of education law casework and ideally meet the Legal Aid supervisor standards or working towards becoming a Legal Aid supervisor.

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

Coram is recruiting an office administrator to assist their busy teams in London. The administrator will provide a range of essential office-based administrative support for the Legal Practice Unit and Policy & Practice Change Team, the majority of whom are currently working in a hybrid pattern. The priorities will be general administrative support: processing incoming and outgoing post, opening and closing files for clients; assistance with preparing court bundles; assistance with CCLC’s reception telephone line; communicating with internal and external departments; and assisting with any other legal or administrative tasks which may arise in order to fully support the team may also be required.

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

Shelter is recruiting an Outreach Solicitor or Paralegal. Based with their partner organisation, Doncaster Housing for Young People, you will ensure you deliver high quality legal services through casework, the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Scheme and ensuring Legal Aid contract requirements and performance targets are met.

Shelter exists to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything. Their enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, they must be representative of the people they are here to help and those who support their movement. In all their people decisions, they take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. They are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter. They welcome you on their journey to becoming truly anti-racist.

Shelter is recruiting a Housing managing solicitor. You will ensure you and your team will deliver high quality legal services and manage their Legal Aid Contract, with your main focus being on your own caseload and to manage and supervise the legal teams who are advocating for clients with housing issues, as well as bringing about systemic change. You will be dealing with personnel issues, providing professional support and supervision to your team, including but not limited to, independent file reviews (IFRs), time recording and good case management, as well as carrying your own caseload of housing litigation.

Shelter exists to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything. Their enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, they must be representative of the people they are here to help and those who support their movement. In all their people decisions, they take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. They are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter. They welcome you on their journey to becoming truly anti-racist.

Sufra NW London is recruiting an experienced Welfare Advice Manager to lead and strengthen their vital service — ensuring people in crisis receive high-quality, timely support that helps them move towards stability and independence. This is a unique opportunity to combine leadership, frontline impact, and service development within a well-established, community-driven charity.

Sufra NW London is a frontline charity tackling poverty and food insecurity in one of Brent’s most disadvantaged communities. Through their food banks, community kitchens, wellbeing hub and advice services, we support people to move from crisis to long-term stability.