Atlanta Legal Aid Society (“Legal Aid”) seeks to hire an experienced attorney to serve as Director of Pro Bono. Our non-profit law firm represents low-income individuals in a variety of civil legal matters including family, housing, consumer, public benefits, education and health law in a five-county service area (Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett). The Director of Pro Bono is a management position which reports to the Executive Director and develops, manages and oversees the many ways that the firm works with private attorneys, law students, and other volunteers.
Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of the Director of Pro Bono include:
○ Work with the Executive Director and senior leadership of Legal Aid to develop a short-term and long-term strategic plan for Legal Aid pro bono that aligns with the broader strategic goals and mission of Legal Aid;
○ Create a departmental budget and staffing plan;
○ Write policies and create procedures for Legal Aid pro bono efforts that are consistent with the goals and policies of Legal Aid;
○ In partnership with other senior leadership of Legal Aid, write grant proposals related to pro bono projects;
○ Design and implement various pro bono projects from idea formation through implementation that incorporate private attorneys and volunteers into the execution of Legal Aid’s mission;
○ Measure effectiveness of pro bono programs and efforts;
○ Report on outcomes related to pro bono projects across the law firm;
○ Ensure compliance with grant requirements related to pro bono projects;
○ Supervise a team including attorneys and non-attorneys across multiple offices to accomplish the goals of the Pro Bono Department;
○ Conduct outreach to law firms, other legal services providers, bar associations, law schools, and non-profits in the community for the purpose of promoting pro bono involvement;
○ Serve as Legal Aid’s primary contact for private attorneys and volunteers;
○ Consult with internal Legal Aid stakeholders on the training and supervision of volunteers across multiple pro bono projects;
○ Oversee volunteer recruitment, retention and appreciation efforts;
○ Coordinate pro bono activities across all of the Legal Aid offices;
○ Attend and participate in national conferences and local roundtables related to pro bono management.
Qualifications
Qualified applicants must be a member in good standing of the Georgia Bar, have 7+ years of law firm or legal services pro bono management experience and 3+ years of legal experience, preferably with courtroom experience. Applicants must also have a demonstrated commitment to social justice and legal services to low-income individuals and/or communities, whether through pro bono work or otherwise; and should possess these qualities:
● Excellent interpersonal skills (including a sense of humor!);
● Be a team player with the ability to both lead and follow and a willingness to offer and to accept constructive feedback;
● Experience managing and supervising staff and volunteers, as well as experience with volunteer recruitment;
● Experience representing low-income individuals in court or other forums;
● Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including experience and/or comfort with public speaking;
● Strategic planning and program development experience;
● Experience with budget management;
● Grant-writing experience is a plus;
● Strong attention to detail and organizational skills, and equally strong analytical legal skills;
● Ability to handle multiple tasks and problem solve in a demanding and changing environment;
● A high level of self-motivation, self-initiated, able to prioritize and complete tasks efficiently;
● Applicants should be comfortable learning and working with new technology and be proficient in Google Office Suite;
● Experience with database management and reporting is a distinct plus.
Salary and Benefits
The salary for 7 years of law firm or legal services pro bono management experience and 3 years of legal experience is $85,000. (The salary offered may increase or decrease depending on the actual, relevant experience of the selected candidate.) Salaries increase annually based on a salary scale. The program provides generous fringe benefits including 18 paid holidays (in 2024), 6 weeks paid time off, 6 weeks parental leave; health, life, and long and short-term disability insurance; partial payment for dependent health insurance; a salary reduction option for a flexible spending account; educational loan reimbursement up to $600 per month (after a set off of other loan reimbursement amounts); voluntary tax-sheltered annuity with 3% match; Georgia Bar dues and CLE expenses. Legal Aid offers a hybrid work schedule that allows staff to work 2 days remotely each week subject to the approval of management and a probationary employment period. This position may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.
Application Requirements
Submit a letter of interest; resume; writing sample (memorandum, brief, or report); official law school transcript (a copy is acceptable pending your order of an official transcript); and the names, phone numbers and email addresses of three professional references (preferably individuals who have supervised or managed your work) as one (1) PDF using our online application system at atlantalegalaid.org/jobs.
For technical difficulties in submitting your application, please email [email protected].
Your application will be acknowledged. No phone calls please.
ALAS considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Qualified applicants must be a member in good standing of the Georgia Bar, have 7+ years of law firm or legal services pro bono management experience and 3+ years of legal experience, preferably with courtroom experience. Applicants must also have a demonstrated commitment to social justice and legal services to low-income individuals and/or communities, whether through pro bono work or otherwise; and should possess these qualities:
● Excellent interpersonal skills (including a sense of humor!);
● Be a team player with the ability to both lead and follow and a willingness to offer and to accept constructive feedback;
● Experience managing and supervising staff and volunteers, as well as experience with volunteer recruitment;
● Experience representing low-income individuals in court or other forums;
● Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including experience and/or comfort with public speaking;
● Strategic planning and program development experience;
● Experience with budget management;
● Grant-writing experience is a plus;
● Strong attention to detail and organizational skills, and equally strong analytical legal skills;
● Ability to handle multiple tasks and problem solve in a demanding and changing environment;
● A high level of self-motivation, self-initiated, able to prioritize and complete tasks efficiently;
● Applicants should be comfortable learning and working with new technology and be proficient in Google Office Suite;
● Experience with database management and reporting is a distinct plus.
Submit a letter of interest; resume; writing sample (memorandum, brief, or report); official law school transcript (a copy is acceptable pending your order of an official transcript); and the names, phone numbers and email addresses of three professional references (preferably individuals who have supervised or managed your work) as one (1) PDF using our online application system at atlantalegalaid.org/jobs.