Job Description

Devonshires was founded in 1841 and has been based at Finsbury Circus in London since 1953. Over the
past decade, we have expanded outside of London having committed to developing the firm's presence
across the Midlands and the North, by opening offices in Birmingham and Leeds.
We are recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers UK as a medium-sized specialist firm with expertise in
construction, projects, real estate, litigation, housing management, corporate, governance, banking and
employment.
We are a growing firm and have seen our turnover more than double over the past decade. We have a large
and diverse range of corporate clients who come to us for our decisive and practical advice and our passion
in obtaining successful outcomes.
The firm is additionally ranked Tier 1 for our work in social housing for Registered Providers including the
majority of the G15 (a group made up of London's leading housing associations).
Job Role
We have an exciting opportunity for an individual with ambition and a passion for housing law and litigation
to join our busy Housing Management & Property Litigation team to develop, lead and manage a sub-team.
Successful applicants do not need to be a Partner at their current firm but will have a minimum of 10 years'
PQE (England and Wales and gained as a housing/property litigation solicitor), be self-motivated and have a
demonstrable enthusiasm for building and running their own sub-practice.
Housing Management & Property Litigation Team
With over 85 team members, our Housing Management & Property Litigation team has grown from strength-
to-strength over the past decade and is one of, if not the largest such team, in England.
Recognised in Legal 500 as being "one of the strongest firms", our team is recognised for our expertise in
relation to the full range of housing management and real estate disputes dealing with issues that range from
the typical to those that are novel and uncharted.
Our team acts for social housing providers (including local authorities), private landlords, care and support
providers, private developers and investment funds. We act in relation to all forms of housing management
and property litigation, dealing with both contentious and non-contentious matters.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
This is not an exhaustive list and from time to time it may be necessary to vary these to meet the department
and business needs.

• Developing, leading and managing a sub-team, specialising in housing law, based at Leeds office;
• Advising on all aspects of housing management and property litigation;
• Being actively involved in the business development and management of the wider Housing

Management & Property Litigation team including undertaking business development activities to help
secure and grow the firm's brand and presence in the housing management and property litigation
sector, including speaking at conferences, writing articles, presenting training and promoting the firm
via social media;

• Drafting and delivering practical advice which is decisive, pragmatic and commercially aware;
• Interacting directly with clients, managing their expectations, meeting deadlines and delivering on

agreed outcomes;

• Being responsible for the day-to-day running of files, including large and complex matters;
• Supervising junior staff including paralegals and solicitors and providing support to other fee-earners

in the team, by sharing knowledge and experise;

• Meeting financial targets by ensuring accurate time recording and timely billing/fee collection;
• Fol owing department procedures, the Solicitors' accounts rules and the firm's policies and

procedures as detailed in the Staff Manual, including Lexcel; and

• Undertaking such duties and tasks that are appropriate for the role of Partner, such as changes in

information systems and new technology as may reasonably be required.
Attributes and Skills Required

• A minimum of 10 years' PQE (England and Wales) gained as a housing management and/or

property litigation solicitor;

• CILEx Lawyers must have Civil Litigation Practice Rights;
• Proactive and used to working independently and developing, supervising and leading a team;
• Demonstrable achievements in business development, showing both development of own practice

area and different practice areas as well as and cascading down as appropriate to solicitors within
the team;

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal;
• Able to identify key issues in complex cases, understand the business parameters within a case and

reflect that in advice to clients;

• Commercially aware, proactive and able to convey clear and concise information to clients and

external organisations, which will not compromise the practice or the firm;

• Excellent attention to detail to produce work / documentation which is consistently of a high standard;
• Demonstrate a flexible approach to work to ensure client deadlines are always met and clients are

communicated with on a consistent and regular basis;

• Comfortable taking a collaborative and collegiate approach to matters, recognising that one can

always learn new skills as well as imparting knowledge to others;

• Experienced in using Word, Excel, Outlook and Internet applications.

If you would like further details or wish to apply for this position please email your CV and covering letter direct
to and complete the diversity monitoring questionnaire which can be accessed
by
All recruiters must submit their candidates' CV via our HR team or using the recruitment inbox listed above.
Only HR can agree terms of business with third parties, provide the appropriate privacy notice to be shared
with candidates and ensure that the firm maintains its commitments to LEXCEL, ISO27001 and Equality
Diversity & Inclusion.
Devonshires Solicitors LLP is committed to providing equal opportunities in employment and to providing a workplace
free from discrimination and harassment. As such all job applicants, employees, partners and third parties who come
into contact with us, will receive equal treatment, regardless of age, disability, gender re-assignment, marriage and
civil partnership, trade union activities, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We
welcome applications from groups where we are currently under-represented. For this reason, we ask that all
candidates complete the in complete confidence for statistical purposes in order that
we can effectively monitor how well our Diversity procedures are working. To review our policies on Diversity &

Skills Required