Solicitor, Legal Counsel

Salary:
Grade 5 - £37,739 per annum

Contract:
Permanent

Full time – 35 hours per week

Closing date:
Wednesday 18th March 2026 m

About the role

Carrying an active caseload, you will use your legal skills to challenge and fight cases that defend housing rights, challenge discriminatory practices and create systemic change. You will work closely with colleagues in the hub to ensure people in our communities are aware of their rights, how to enforce them and represent people who need specialist legal advice.

About you

Qualified as a Solicitor, you will have housing law knowledge and the ability to manage your own caseload and conduct litigation. Strong communication and writing skills are essential, as is a commitment to developing your skills and knowledge to improve performance. You will have the ability and willingness to undertake your own advocacy either as part of the court duty scheme or for your own clients and be able to work with third party organisations to further the hub's strategic goals.

We are less interested in your degree classification and where you studied and more interested in your passion and ability to make a difference to our clients and our fight for a fairer housing system.

Newly qualified candidates with a demonstrable interest in social justice are welcome to apply.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

About the team

Our Legal Service provides specialist legal knowledge across Shelter through four teams covering Community Legal advice, Strategic Litigation, the National Legal Team and Legal Support Team. You will be part of our Community Legal Team, who are based across our 11 hub locations and work alongside hub colleagues every day to fight housing injustice and deliver systemic change relating to housing practice in our local communities.

Shelter Bristol provides vital housing advice and support services, specialising in emergency homelessness work, intensive support to children and families, people experiencing domestic abuse and those experiencing multiple disadvantages. We provide front line support to over 5,000 people a year in the city and work to improve the underlying systems which perpetuate the housing emergency.

About Shelter

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday millions of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.

We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.

We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

How to apply

Please click ‘Apply for Job’ below. xekaoyc You are required to submit a CV and responses to the points in the ‘About You’ section of the job description of no more than 350 words each. Please provide specific examples following the STAR format and ensure you demonstrate how you address the behaviour below throughout your responses:

• We prioritise diversity and have an inclusive and open mindset