Ohio State Legal Services Association (OSLSA) is a three-part legal aid program headquartered in Columbus. OSLSA’s mission is to provide civil legal aid and advocacy to overcome unfairness and injustice, reduce poverty, and increase opportunity.
OSLSA is actively seeking a professional, dedicated and results-oriented person to join the OSLSA Pro Bono & Community Engagement Team and coordinate the organization’s Pro Bono programs. A successful candidate will not only coordinate existing relationships and projects, but also contribute to the growth and development of the Team.
Working in close collaboration with the OSLSA Pro Bono Manager, who will be primarily responsible for managing the Pro Bono staff on the Team and allocating Team resources to existing and future projects, the Pro Bono Coordinator will be responsible for leading certain pro bono clinics and referral programs for both LASC and SEOLS.
Are You Someone Who:
- Comfortably relates and communicates with people whose backgrounds and lived experiences are different than your own?
- Is looking for an opportunity to grow and develop in an expanding organization?
- Brings creative ideas forward to drive the program forward?
- Takes pride in completing tasks accurately, timely and precisely?
- Has an aptitude to learn new things?
- Works well within a collaborative, team-driven, and goal-based environment?
- Can communicate verbally and in writing with a wide range of people?
- Is agile and able to respond effectively to the changing needs of a growing organization?
- Creates processes to increase work efficiencies and systems to work smarter not harder?
- Engages in continuous learning to evolve personal skillset?
- Is attentive, persistent and able to creatively adapt to dynamic situations?
- Advocates in a constructive manner to reach resolution?
- Promotes a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and quality?
- Is dedicated to improving the lives of low-income individuals in our communities?
You Will:
- Develop and implement new strategies for recruiting volunteer attorneys to participate in pro bono programs;
- Create and assist in the creation of new pro bono projects;
- Develop training materials and organize training sessions for volunteer attorneys and other advocates, in partnership with - Training Manager;
- Participate on committees and develop relationships with members of the private bar to help recruit volunteer attorneys;
- Work with the organized bar to generate support for legal services and pro bono;
- Work with Pro Bono Manager to recruit for, coordinate and implement existing pro bono referral projects;
- Work with Pro Bono Manager to recruit for, monitor and assist with LASC and SEOLS-sponsored legal clinics;
- In partnership with other teams and offices within OSLSA, coordinate and staff specialized pro bono events and clinics.
- Develop relationships with local schools across our service area to help recruit law student volunteers;
- Assist Summer Clerk Committee with interviewing, selecting, training, and onboarding summer in-house volunteers.
You Have:
- Demonstrated ability to practice within several poverty law areas, including consumer, housing, domestic relations, public benefits, unemployment, and re-entry
- Familiarity with a broad range of substantive areas of law and knowledge of available resources
- Excellent legal and communications skills with a proven record of performance and achievement
- Ability to anticipate needs and navigate problems with a creative, practical approach toward reaching successful resolution
- High ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment
- High ability to exercise sound judgement and discretion
- Ability to facilitate collaboration as well as build and sustain productive relationships with diverse individuals, groups and organizations
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with diverse audiences
- A commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion both internally and externally
- Patience, understanding and cultural competency in working with low-income communities
- Strong work ethic with an ability to connect big picture ideas to day-to-day work
- Ability to prioritize workload to manage time and tasks and delegate responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner
- Proficiency in Microsoft applications, knowledge of current technologies and commitment to remain up to date with industry best practices
- English language proficiency is essential and Spanish/English bilingual skills are a plus. Additional languages – even better
- Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and admitted to the Bar of the State of Ohio (or if not currently admitted, eligible to waive in) required
- Prior Legal Aid or related work experience a plus, but not required
Other Details:
- It is the policy of OSLSA not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, disability, age, ancestry, and military status or any other characteristic protected by law.
- This full-time position is based in Columbus, Ohio and reports to the Pro Bono Manager. Some travel to other office locations and offsite locations may be required at times.
- Salary begins at $58,000 DOE (Senior Attorney begins at $65,000 DOE). OSLSA offers an excellent comprehensive benefits package, LRAP of up to $6,000 and ongoing training and development opportunities.
Submit resume, writing sample, references and letter of interest here: https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/1780644/Ohio-St...
In your letter of interest, please address the following in order for your application to be considered: OSLSA’s clientele is diverse and all of our clients are low-income. To ensure that our agency is best serving our communities, OSLSA strives to promote an evolving set of behaviors and attitudes amongst our staff, as well as policies that enable us to work effectively in all cross-cultural situations, with clients, with our coworkers, and with the community. We see this as a commitment to enhance the provision of our services to all clients; to raise the level of positive client outcomes; and to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.
How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to contribute to our commitment to cultural humility and diversity amongst our staff? Feel free to think broadly about your response to this question, applying various aspects of your life and personal experiences.
To promote social justice and best serve our clients, OSLSA is committed to maintaining a diverse staff and providing culturally competent services. We strongly encourage candidates from traditionally underrepresented communities and historically oppressed groups including BIPOC, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals to apply. Bilingual/bicultural candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.