Executive Director
Legal Aid Service of Broward County (LAS) is seeking an executive director to lead this nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide high quality free civil legal advice, representation and education to the disadvantaged of Broward County and Collier County so as to improve the lifestyle and living conditions of the low income community and encourage self-sufficiency. Its offices are located in Plantation, Naples and Immokalee, Florida. LAS is funded by federal, state and county grants, as well as generous donations from charitable foundations, organizations and private individuals. LAS is not funded by the Legal Services Corporation.
High priority roles and responsibilities for the next executive director will include, but are not limited to:
• Serving as the public face of LAS, and strengthening its collaborations with local and state legal advocacy, community and governmental organizations
• Providing policy and advocacy leadership to LAS staff
• Leading efforts to develop new and expanded financial support for the program’s mission
• Managing LAS with transparency, open communication and team work
• Supporting LAS staff members in delivering high quality client-centered legal services for clients through professional development opportunities and up-to-date equipment
• Leading strategic planning and priority setting initiatives
• Assessing the impact of COVID-19 and developing plans to meet client needs and staff needs
• Enhancing the capacity to address current and emerging client needs, including adopting technology tools to expand client services and increase staff efficiency
• Improving salaries, retirement benefits, and other benefits of staff
• Upgrading office space, equipment and technology
• Cultivating a productive and effective working relationship with the board of directors
• Leading a program and staff that is recognized for providing effective client-centered advocacy utilizing both service and impact strategies
About Legal Aid Service of Broward County
Legal Aid Service of Broward County’s mission is to provide high quality free civil legal advice, representation and education to the disadvantaged of Broward and Collier Counties to improve the lifestyle and living conditions of the low-income community and encourage self-sufficiency. Founded in 1974, LAS has been providing services for 46 years. It is a 501(c) (3) non-governmental, nonprofit organization.
LAS has a budget of $11 million and an experienced staff of 140, including 76 attorneys. The program provides services to nearly 10,000 clients each year. The program’s Executive Director has successfully led the organization for over 45 years. LAS is guided by a 21 member board of directors.
LAS provides civil legal services to financially eligible clients in Broward and Collier Counties in the following areas:
• Children’s Dependency, Delinquency Prevention, Kinship and Education Legal Rights
• Consumer
• Homeless
• Housing, including Housing Opportunity for People with AIDS (HOPWA)
• Immigration
• Low Income Tax Clinic
• HIV/AIDS – Ryan White
• Veterans Programs
• Special Projects (Impact Litigation)
• Education, Training and Support Services
• Family Law
• Victims of Crime (VOCA)
• Community Economic Development/Affordable Housing
In January of 2004, a partnering agency, Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida (CCLA), was formed to address the needs of clients who could be served under federal Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funding, freeing LAS to direct its resources to segments of the under-served population not able to be represented under LSC restrictions. At the same time, LAS opened offices in Naples and Immokalee in Collier County, extending its reach from the east to the west coasts of Florida.
For more information about LAS, visit www.browardlegalaid.org, and www.collierlegalaid.org.
About Broward and Collier Counties
Broward County, located in southeastern Florida, has a population of 2 million. It is the second most populous county in Florida, and 17th in the United States. The county seat is Fort Lauderdale. It is one of the three counties in South Florida that make up the Miami metropolitan area. It has Florida’s most racially and ethnically diverse population. Median age is 40.4, median household income is $57,278, median gross rent is $1,372, and 14% of persons live in poverty. Residents are 51.3% female, 35.3% White, Non-Hispanic, 30.4% Hispanic, and 28.8% Black/African American. 22.6% live with disabilities (well above national average); 40.8% speak a language other than English; 31.8% are foreign-born; 22.5% of residents are ages 60+. There are an estimated 127,000 veterans.
Broward County has a variety of educational opportunities for students at all levels, from pre-K to post-college graduate and professional schools.
Broward County boasts 23-mile span of golden beaches, an average year-round temperature of 77˚F and has 3,000+ hours of annual sunshine. Explore 4,000+ eateries, 300+ miles of navigable waterways, eight distinct beaches, a thriving arts and culture scene, craft breweries, rooftop bars, outdoor adventure, and world-class shopping. Broward is famous for its arts, culture and events. The Everglades house the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States and provide important habitat for numerous rare and endangered species like the manatee, American crocodile, and the elusive Florida panther.
Collier County, located on Southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, is one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation. Collier County’s population is about 400,000. Its median age is 49.57. Residents are 50.7% female. 64% of county residents identify as white, 27% identify as Hispanic, and 7% identify as Black/African American. Collier County has 28,515 veterans. 65+ year olds are 32.3% of the population. 33.3% speak in a different language at home. Foreign born residents represent about 25% of the populace.
Naples, perched on the Gulf of Mexico, is famous for its high-end shopping, world-class culture and sophisticated dining. Naples is also an affordable family destination that appeals to nature lovers and beach aficionados. Naples and Collier County have a vibrant artistic community and much to do including performing arts, art galleries, museums, and antique shops.
In sharp contrast, 40 miles to the east of Naples is the city of Immokalee. It is home to a produce packing industry and a large migrant population. There are a total of 25,686 residents in Immokalee with a median income of only $25,725. 76% of the population is Hispanic, 21.4% are African American and 5% are white. 54.8% are male and 40% of the population live below the poverty line. LAS has offices in both Naples and Immokalee.
Like its neighbor Broward County, Collier County has a variety of educational opportunities for students at all levels, including college and professional schools.
Preferred qualifications of the next executive director include, but are not limited to:
• Demonstrated passion for the mission of LAS and offering a vision for LAS’ future
• Attorney in good standing, licensed in Florida or willing to become licensed in Florida
• Successful leadership in a multi-million dollar organization, preferably a legal aid organization
• Ten years of legal practice
• Seven years of management experience involving staff supervision, financial oversight and reporting, budget development and compliance with grant and contract requirements
• Demonstrated success in resource development, including private fundraising and grant writing
• Demonstrated experience working successfully with organizations and individuals with diverse perspectives
• Personal qualities will include professionalism, open-mindedness, flexibility; the ability to make tough decisions; a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion; a non-hierarchical management style
In order to receive full consideration, candidates are urged to submit their materials by March 31, 2021. Applications may be accepted until the position is filled. Please include a letter expressing in detail your interest in the position; your qualifications and what you hope to contribute to the organization’s future; a current resume; and the names and contact information for three professional references.
Materials should be submitted electronically to ppap@mielegalaid.org in Microsoft Word or pdf format. LAS is assisted in the search by Patricia Pap, Executive Director, Management Information Exchange, 105 Chauncy St., Fl 6, Ste 3, Boston, MA 02111, 508-737-4010, ppap@mielegalaid.org. Candidates with questions about the position or process are encouraged to contact her. LAS intends to complete the hiring process in May 2021.
Salary is commensurate with experience based on a competitive public interest salary scale. Benefits include major medical, dental, short and long term disability, and the ability to contribute to a 403(b) retirement plan.
LAS is an equal opportunity employer and provider of services. In accordance with local, state and federal law and U.S. Department of Justice policy, this organization is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation or disability.