Pro Bono Director

PRO BONO DIRECTOR

For 57 years Legal Aid of Arkansas has advanced the rights of under-represented individuals and families in our diverse community through legal services, strategic advocacy, and educational outreach. With over 50 employees, Legal Aid is the largest provider of free legal services in Arkansas and one of the ten largest law firms in the state. Located throughout North Arkansas with offices in Harrison, Jonesboro, Little Rock (2), Newport, Springdale, and West Memphis, Legal Aid is a dynamic and invigorating place to work. We foster a work environment that is motivating, collaborative, and fun, with plenty of opportunities for professional growth.

The Pro Bono Director is responsible for managing all aspects of Legal Aid’s Pro Bono Program which increases access to justice by utilizing the skills and expertise of pro bono volunteers. The Pro Bono Director will lead a team within Legal Aid to design and manage numerous projects that utilize pro bono attorneys, law students, and other volunteers. The Director is responsible for developing and maintaining pro bono relationships, including the recruitment, coordination, and training of volunteers. The Pro Bono Director will report to the Executive Director, serve on Legal Aid’s management team, and directly supervise the Pro Bono Coordinators.

Job Duties

• Coordinate placement of pro bono matters with attorney and professional volunteers.
• Lead development, management, and administration of overall Pro Bono Program and individual pro bono projects, including limited scope clinics and on-going representation by pro bono attorneys.
• In conjunction with other Legal Aid leadership, develop strategic vision for the Pro Bono Program, set priorities, and implement goals accordingly.
• Lead, coordinate, and support Legal Aid staff with pro bono responsibilities such as attorney training, mentoring, client intake, and clinic scheduling. Cultivate and foster new and existing pro bono relationships with individual practitioners, law firms, bar associations and corporate partners.
• Recruit, train and provide mentoring to volunteer attorneys as well as place and manage pro bono cases.
• Work with program staff to develop and update training and support materials for volunteer attorneys to insure the delivery of high-quality legal services.
• Maintain and improve pro bono policies and procedures for volunteer training, case placement, mentoring, on-going support, co-counsel arrangements, data collection, and reporting.
• Actively collaborate with the Legal Aid development team to support development and communications activities, including volunteer tracking, appreciation, recognition, and report generation on pro bono statistics and outcomes.
• Serve as resource to all staff on pro bono-related issues.

Qualifications

• Significant experience as a practicing attorney (a minimum of three years preferred) and ability to practice law in the State of Arkansas.
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest law and legal services work.
• Personal and/or professional experience working with individuals from diverse communities.
• Demonstrated ability to envision, implement, and evaluate new projects.
• Strong project management, organization, prioritization, and multi-tasking skills.
• Experience supervising staff; and mentoring and training attorneys, volunteers, and/or law clerks in limited and full-scope legal representation a plus.
• Ability to lead, collaborate, and identify and develop opportunities to partner with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Ability to cultivate, develop, and maintain strong pro bono relationships.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to make effective presentations to a broad range of audiences.
• Demonstrated understanding of private law firm and in house legal department pro bono culture.
• Demonstrated understanding of the intersection between pro bono work and development.
• Bilingual ability a plus.

Compensation and Benefits: Compensation is based on a competitive public interest salary scale, currently $74,794-$89,377, DOE. Benefits package includes medical, dental, and life insurance; paid holiday, vacation, and sick leave; law school loan repayment; and retirement plan.

If interested, please send a resume, three professional references, and a cover letter that explains your interest to Lee Richardson, Executive Director, at lrichardson@arlegalaid.org. The position is open until fill and candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Legal Aid of Arkansas is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative of those we serve. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.