Director, Pro Bono & Volunteer Unit

Company: Leisure Recruiter Ltd
Location: New York
Posted on: January 15, 2021

Job Description:

About NYLAGFounded in 1990, the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) is a leading not-for-profit civil legal services organization advocating for adults, children, and families who are experiencing poverty or have low income. We tackle the legal challenges and systematic barriers that threaten our clients economic stability, well-being, and safety. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and constantly improving how we respond to systemic issues of racism that affect our clients in their pursuit of justice. We address emerging and urgent needs with comprehensive, free civil legal services, direct representation, impact litigation, policy advocacy, financial counseling, medical-legal partnerships, and community education and partnerships. Last year, we affected the lives of 90,800 people.MissionThe New York Legal Assistance Group uses the power of the law to help New Yorkers in need combat social and economic injustice. We address emerging and urgent legal needs with comprehensive, free civil legal services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community education.Values that guide us We reduce the effects of poverty by providing high quality, effective civil legal services. We partner with our clients to help them transform their lives and strengthen their communities. We address our clients multiple legal needs by collaborating across our practice areas. We are at the forefront of identifying and understanding New Yorkers most pressing legal needs, rapidly adapting to meet these needs with innovative programs and partnerships. We assess need broadly, recognizing that need is not a function of income alone. We collaborate with community organizations and engage pro bono attorneys and volunteers to serve a greater number of people with unmet civil legal needs. We achieve systemic change through class actions, impact litigation and by advocating for just laws and policies. We work to create a welcoming and inclusive work environment that reflects the communities we serve. We teach and train the next generation of legal service professionals.Job Description:NYLAG is seeking to hire a Director of Pro Bono & Volunteers to provide strategic vision and leadership in maintaining and cultivating pro bono partnerships and engagement with law firms and corporate stakeholders to support our mission to provide legal services to individuals experiencing poverty.The Director will shape and lead our recruitment efforts to enable NYLAG to provide both individual and large-scale responses to emergent legal needs in the communities we serve through individual cases, special projects or initiatives, as well as recruit volunteers for NYLAGs in-house and community-based volunteer programs. This position will also work closely with the President & Attorney in Charge and other executive staff to support larger organizational goals, including program development, fundraising and DEI initiatives.Duties and Responsibilities:Pro Bono Law Firm & Corporate Partnerships Work closely with NYLAGs senior management team by providing strategic vision and leadership for the Pro Bono & Volunteer Unit and its programs. Strengthen and build relationships with pro bono law firms and corporate legal departments and develop a framework and vision for cultivating new partnerships that includes maintaining best practices for effective pro bono case management and project design for opportunities to volunteer. Recruit law firms to co-counsel with NYLAG on class action and impact litigation cases and recruit pro bono attorneys to represent individual clients. Provide continuing oversight, supervision, and support for matters referred for pro bono representation and supervise tracking of pro bono matters and preparation of reports for funders and auditors. Develop and implement pro bono initiatives that enable NYLAG to provide large-scale responses to emergent legal needs in New York City, and other special pro bono projects to support NYLAGs work. Design and lead substantive legal trainings for pro bono partners as well as, partner with NYLAGs legal units to create new programming and training opportunities.Leadership Represent NYLAG on NYC and statewide committees and task forces regarding pro bono legal services and access to justice. Mentor, support and supervise a talented and passionate team of staff, including a Pro Bono Manager and a Volunteer Coordinator. Lead conversations and develop best practices for pro bono case placement, training on substantive issues and skills for effective client relationships using a race equity lens. Oversee NYLAGs CLE certification process. Partner with philanthropy to develop and implement fundraising and pro bono initiatives.Volunteer & Intern Programming Responsible for advancing organizational DEI objectives and recruitment efforts for volunteer and law students, including developing a pipeline for recruitment at law schools and student run/affiliated organizations. Develop and manage outreach plans to recruit new volunteers and interns, including identifying stakeholders and building strategic relationships. Represent NYLAG at recruitment fairs. Partner with other NYLAG units to develop opportunities and connections for programmatic internships.Qualifications: JD required. Strong preference for an attorney admitted in New York State with at least eight years experience. Demonstrated commitment to public interest law, through pro bono work at a private law firm, coordination of a pro bono program or project at a firm or public interest organization, and/or other related experience. Prior supervisory experience required. Deep knowledge of New York Citys legal community, bar associations, and law firm and corporate legal departments and their capacity to provide pro bono legal services preferred. Ability to interact effectively with people at all organizational levels of the firm. Experience building and working with a diverse, equitable, inclusive, multi-cultural, and anti-racist environment.NYLAGs Commitment to Diversity and InclusionNYLAG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and those with lived experiences in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.Employment type: Full-timeProfessional Level: ManagerialSalary:Salary is commensurate with experience. Benefits: Excellent benefits. If you have any questions about Leisure Recruiter, or would like to know more, please contact us .

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