Director of Pro Bono Initiatives
The City Bar Justice Center (CBJC) seeks an attorney passionately committed to equal access to justice to join our team as Director of Pro Bono Initiatives. CBJC annually provides more than 25,000 low-income New Yorkers with high-quality civil legal services through brief advice and information, and both limited scope and extended representation. CBJC partners with law firms, corporate legal departments, the City Bar and other stakeholders to recruit and train over 1,000 attorney volunteers annually to staff pro bono clinics and work on client matters drawn from our dozen civil legal services projects. The Pro Bono Director’s core responsibility is to strategically oversee our pro bono partner and volunteer recruitment, training, deployment, and retention, and to adapt existing programming and develop new initiatives to ensure ongoing consistency with our mission and responsiveness to evolving legal services and access to justice needs.
Areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to:
- Meet regularly with CBJC Project Directors to understand how pro bono volunteers can best serve clients, and co-supervise a CBJC Project Coordinator who assists in managing our pro bono initiatives;
- Assist in developing and maintaining relationships with law firms, corporate legal departments, and other organizations to develop referral opportunities for client matters and generate support for CBJC’s work;
- Strategically market volunteer opportunities and match pro bono volunteers to specific matters;
- Identify pro bono-related organizational goals and assist in meeting and measuring outcomes;
- Develop and execute relevant trainings, clinics, days of service and other pro bono opportunities;
- Ensure that CBJC pro bono programming is consistent with pro bono sector best practices and a commitment to advancing racial equity and social justice in a systemic way; and
- Balance pro bono partner organization needs and goals with CBJC client needs so as to equitably and effectively narrow the justice gap
CBJC has a staff of about thirty, with each project directed by an attorney with deep expertise in their field. The Pro Bono Director reports to CBJC’s Executive Director, and belongs to our executive team. The Pro Bono Director regularly interfaces with pro bono counsel/management at partnering law firms and corporate legal departments, individual City Bar members and other stakeholders, and interns, pro bono scholars, and other volunteers who support CBJC’s work. The Pro Bono Director also will: oversee volunteer recognition activities; assist with the organization’s grant and other reporting obligations; develop, execute, and oversee short-term or disaster-response service initiatives; contribute pro bono- and legal services-related articles or other thought content to CBJC media channels; and represent CBJC on pro bono legal services community committees or other forums as needed. The selected candidate also may maintain a modest docket of CBJC client matters.
The CBJC is currently working remotely but anticipates returning to the City Bar building in midtown Manhattan when public health permits during 2021.
EXPERIENCE, SKILLS & REQUIREMENTS
- Candidates must be New York bar members in good standing with at least five years of experience.
- Prior experience in a large law firm or corporate legal department setting is highly preferred.
- A demonstrable commitment to pro bono, serving low-income communities, and advancing equity and racial justice is required. Self-starter who is creative, thoughtful, media and tech savvy.
- Excellent writing and editing, oral communication, organizational, and project management skills.
- Ability to develop and sustain professional networks and support CBJC’s communications and fundraising needs.
- Has a capacity for self-awareness, transparency, and consensus-building in a team setting.
- Must be flexible for some work outside standard business hours.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, and the ability to learn effectively and use LegalServer and other platforms.
- Spanish or other language skills are a plus
To apply: Please send a cover letter explaining your interest, a resume with three professional business references, and salary expectations to humanresources@nycbar.org with Pro Bono Director in the subject line.
Position starts March 1 or sooner.
Salary and benefits are competitive for public interest law.
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. We are not able to sponsor visas for this position.
The City Bar Justice Center is a proud equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We encourage diverse candidates to apply. It is the policy of the organization to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, creed, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, gender (including gender identity and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, disability, arrest or conviction record, pregnancy, credit history, salary history, caregiver status, marital status, partnership status, or status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking and sex offenses, religion, sex, genetic information, military status, unemployment status or any other characteristic as protected by law. With regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act and other related laws, the organization will endeavor to make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities.