Career Center

The Managing Attorney plans and oversees legal clinics and other projects for the Pro Bono Center to deliver pro bono legal information, advice and representation to low-income individuals in the District of Columbia. The Managing Attorney has substantive expertise in consumer and/or bankruptcy law.  

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

•    Provides day-to-day leadership, management, coaching, and mentoring to direct reports.

•    Recruits and retains a diverse workforce and works to create an inclusive environment for direct reports within one’s department. 

•    Supervises the work of volunteers, paralegals, law students, and temporary part-time Advice & Referral Clinic staff.

•    Plans, administers, and oversees several D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center projects that deliver pro bono and pro se legal services, including the Consumer Law Resource Center, the Bankruptcy Clinic, and the Advice & Referral Clinic, to include:

o    Providing on-site (and remote) supervision and support to volunteers and recruiting and screening volunteers and mentors.

o    Overseeing all aspects of administration and operation of clinic programs and quality control systems.

o    Formulating scope of legal problems to be covered.

o    Designing and implementing service delivery models to address unmet legal needs.

o    Planning and directing volunteer trainings, including preparation of training materials and recruitment of trainers.

o    Overseeing intake, screening, and selection of cases for placement.

o    Monitoring volunteer caseloads and development of periodic progress reports.

o    Managing volunteer and client database.

o    Evaluating effectiveness and continued relevance of each delivery model.

o    Developing and administering budgets.

•    Coordinates with other Managing Attorneys to occasionally support the Landlord Tenant Resource Center.

•    Collaborates with the Advocacy & Justice Clinic and other clinics and projects, including mentoring pro bono attorneys on consumer and personal injury matters.

•    Identifies Court practices and procedures impacting unrepresented litigants in Small Claims Court and the Civil Actions Branch and assists in developing and presenting recommendations for improvements and new services.

•    Plans, administers and oversees pro se assistance activities, including developing pro se material, using technology to deliver services and serving as a resource on issues related to other delivery models.

•    Staffs and provides legal support to committees to identify emerging issues, develops recommendations and designs and implements new programs and projects to address those needs.

•    Serves as convener and resource for pro bono and public interest advocates.

•    As part of a team, assists in recruiting volunteer attorneys and law firms to participate in clinics and to provide pro bono legal services through the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center and other legal services providers.

•    Represents the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center in interactions with the court, administrative agencies, the private bar, and other legal services providers and community-based organizations.

•    Drafts reports, articles, memoranda, publications, and resource materials.

•    Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

•    J.D. degree from an ABA accredited law school. 

•    An active member of the D.C. Bar.

•    Prior active practice in D.C., including experience handling consumer law and/or bankruptcy matters, in positions of increasing responsibility.

•    Direct managerial experience. 

•    Experience developing and administering programs.

•    Ability to work evenings and weekends for a variety of Pro Bono Center clinics and events. 

•    Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 and Adobe Acrobat and ability to adapt quickly to new technology and applications. 

•    Excellent oral and written communication skills. 

•    Must be detail oriented and deadline driven. Able to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment.

•    Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills. Must work well in a team environment and be able to interact with Bar members, volunteers, vendors, the public, and Bar and Pro Bono Center employees.

•    Must work well under pressure, possess excellent organizational abilities, and able to manage several priorities in a day.

•    Must be adaptable, creative, and self-motivated.

•    Ability to handle and maintain the confidentiality of highly sensitive information.

PREFFERED QUALIFICATIONS

•    Experience with a legal services organization that provides legal services to indigent individuals.

•    Housing, probate, torts, and/or employment law experience.  

•    Experience working with volunteers.

•    Proficiency in Spanish or Amharic.

Interested individuals must submit a resume, cover letter and two writing samples.  All documents must be in PDF format.

****Applications without required resume, cover letter and two writing samples will not be considered****

This is not an attempt to list all essential functions of this position.  Job duties may change over time based on organizational needs. 

The D.C. Bar is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law.

EEO

About DC Bar

Enhance access to justice. Improve the legal system. Empower lawyers to achieve. These three pillars have remained the foundation of the D.C. Bar’s mission since its creation by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals in 1972. Today the Bar stands as the largest unified bar in the United States, providing the oversight structure needed to maintain the profession’s ethical standards and Rules of Professional Conduct. Our membership is diverse with about 100,000 members in all 50 states and more than 80 countries. The organization is governed by a Board of Governors, led by Chad T. Sarchio, the Bar’s 50th president. The leaders work together to achieve goals set out in the D.C. Bar’s strategic plan. At the core of the Bar’s mission is the charge to not only assist members but to protect the public; it shapes the way the organization conducts its business and activities.

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