I joined the Housing team at BLC in January 2023, and I instantly felt like a valued member of the team. I was able to jump straight in to defending possession proceedings through the Duty Desk at Bristol County Court, and built up a caseload of my own in no time. As a newly qualified solicitor, I must admit that I generally felt terrified of each and every task from day one! There are always upcoming casework deadlines and new referrals coming in. That said, with the support of a dedicated team, I have started to find my feet and get stuck into the day-to-day life of the Law Centre.

I first became interested in a career in social welfare law when I was 18 and homeless. I really struggled with having so little control over my life and having to ask other people for handouts, information, or support. Once I found more stable accommodation, I started volunteering at a drop-in centre, offering peer support and signposting to other people with housing related needs. From there, I started working in advice centres, took the mature student route to obtain an LLB and later an LPC/LLM.

My background in advice, may well be part of the reason why I have felt so at home at BLC. I like how accessible the centre is, and how friendly the staff team are. I knew it would be a good fit for me right from the start. We spent a good slice of my initial interview talking about cake, and a further talking about ways we can increase our reach and provide more services to people in housing need across Bristol.

Working in the housing team is fast paced, with prospective clients calling for advice on everything from cladding issues to unlawful evictions. I have been able to learn so much since I started. Whenever I have looked to my colleagues for support or advice, they have taken time to talk through cases with me and share their experience or expertise. If you are looking for an opportunity to be a part of a hardworking and friendly team, check out our vacancies page for more info.