Do you have an interest in, and possibly some experience of, providing housing advice and/or litigation? Then join Shelter as a Paralegal and you could soon be playing a vital role within our Strategic Litigation Team.

A home is a fundamental human need, as essential as education or healthcare. Yet millions of people across Britain struggle on a daily basis with homelessness, bad housing conditions, soaring rents, discrimination and the threat of eviction. So, we are striving for change – with individuals, in communities, across society – and leading the way to a safe home. We need ambitious, best-in-class individuals who are passionate about our cause to join us at this exciting time. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

The Strategic Litigation Team is part of Shelter Legal Services – an expanding national team of solicitors and support staff that delivers the highest quality housing advice and litigation services from our network of offices around the country. As well as working to promote strategic litigation within our Legal team and hubs, you’ll provide vital support to the solicitors working within your team, and, as required, our policy and research teams too. This will involve activities like sending out and collating Freedom of Information Requests and carrying out other research work. We’ll also rely on you to proactively seek out housing and welfare test cases that will influence change as part of our campaigning strategy and help explore different ways of funding our work, including legal aid, crowdfunding, grant applications and pro bono.

To succeed, you’ll need an intellectual aptitude and a proven ability to reason critically. Relevant experience that includes working under legal aid contracts would be useful too, but is not essential. You must, however, be proactive, client-focused and committed to achieving results for your team. Commercial awareness is important too, as is a collaborative approach, enthusiasm and a flair for building a network of good working relationships and developing a thorough understanding of Shelter and the wider sector.

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

Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help. We’re here so no one has to fight bad housing or homelessness on their own.

Safeguarding is everyone’s business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

At Shelter, we welcome and encourage applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, gender, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation. We are facing diverse problems, so need diverse people to tackle them.