Solicitor

Fixed-term contract until 31 March 2027, full-time (35 hours per week). Location: Sheffield, with potential for limited flexible/hybrid working.

About the role

Join Shelter as a Housing Solicitor in our mission to drive systemic change and fight for justice. At a time when the housing emergency continues to deepen, your experience could help transform lives and challenge the systems that perpetuate injustice. You will play a central role in defending the right to a safe and secure home, using your legal expertise to tackle housing injustice and unfair housing practices.

Working under our Legal Aid contract, you will deliver legal advice and represent tenants at court where needed. You will also contribute to systemic change through legal challenges to prevent homelessness, raise housing rights awareness in the community, and support Trainee Solicitors and Legal Advisers to ensure good practice and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality legal advice and representation under the Housing Loss Prevention Service, providing free legal advice and court representation to anyone at risk of losing their home.
• Challenge unfair housing practices and systemic causes of homelessness through strategic casework and litigation.
• Work closely with the Sheffield team to strengthen housing rights awareness across the area.
• Support Trainee Solicitors and Legal Advisers, ensuring high professional standards and compliance.

Requirements

• Qualified Solicitor — open to newly qualified candidates with a demonstrable interest in social justice, as well as those with 3+ years PQE and a strong track record in housing law and Legal Aid work.

Benefits

• 30 days of annual leave.
• Enhanced family-friendly policies.
• Pension scheme.
• Interest-free travel loans.
• Tenancy deposit loan.
• Payroll giving scheme.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Employee assistance programme.

Pay

Grade 5 - £38,724 or Grade 6 - £44,323 per annum, depending on experience.

About Shelter

Shelter believes home is a human right. We exist to defend this right and fight the housing emergency devastating millions. Our Legal Service provides specialist legal knowledge across Shelter through four teams covering Community Legal advice, Strategic Litigation, and Legal Support.

You will be part of the Community Legal Team, based in one of our 11 hub locations, working alongside colleagues to fight housing injustice and deliver systemic change in local communities. The Sheffield hub holds a housing legal contract and delivers the County Court Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service at Sheffield and Doncaster.

The Sheffield team focuses on preventing homelessness and improving services for people in South Yorkshire, with a holistic approach addressing emergency homelessness, support for children, families, people experiencing domestic abuse, and those with multiple and complex needs.