Program Assistant, Lawyers for Reporters

Program Assistant

The Vance Center advances global justice by engaging lawyers across borders to support civil society and an ethically active legal profession. The Vance Center is a unique collaboration of international lawyers catalyzing public interest innovation. A non-profit program of the New York City Bar Association, we bring together leading law firms and other partners worldwide to pioneer international justice initiatives and provide pro bono legal representation to social justice NGOs.

The Vance Center launched Lawyers for Reporters in March 2020 to provide pro bono legal representation to early-stage local journalism and other reporting organizations in the United States. Since our establishment in 2020, we have assisted 433 clients in 46 states and D.C. Lawyers for Reporters' clients include creators and publishers of local and public interest reporting in many media formats, investigative, advocacy, and academic publishers of public interest content, and journalism support organizations.

The Program Assistant, reporting to the Managing Attorney, will collaborate with a team of five professionals and help manage their workflow through:

• Communicating with potential clients and assisting with client intake meetings and communications;
• Helping schedule meetings, drafting/circulating agendas and supporting materials;
• Compiling, organizing, and creating electronic client files; compiling and organizing detailed KPIs and other data about program activities
• Preparing and sending engagement letters to clients and project descriptions to potential co-counsel
• Assisting in planning and executing programs and events
• Assisting with updating website content and other communications
• Other general administrative assistant work
• Handling additional responsibilities/special projects as needed

Qualifications, Skills and Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• Minimum 2 years relevant experience, preferably in a professional setting/office environment
• The ability to work independently with minimal supervision, as well as collaboratively with a team
• Strong organizational and project management skills, attention to detail, time-management skills and demonstrated ability to anticipate needs and efficiently multi-task and prioritize workload
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to maintain a courteous and professional demeanor with a diverse range of clients, co-workers, volunteers, and other stakeholders
• Strong computer skills, including intermediate knowledge of the Microsoft 360 suite, (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Salesforce, and website management software

Additional Experience Preferred

• Experience and/or general knowledge of journalism or nonprofit/public interest legal work.
• Experience with the U.S. legal market, including pro bono legal services.
• Ability to develop and/or work with legal professionals

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. We are not able to sponsor visas for this position. This position will have a hybrid work schedule, with three (3) in-person days required per week. This role's schedule is Monday-Friday, 9:30AM-5:30PM. The annualized salary for this role is in the $55,000-$60,000 range based on a 35-hour work week, plus additional pay for hours worked over 35 each week. We provide a competitive benefits package including generous paid time off (vacation, personal, sick time, holidays including office closure during the last week of the calendar year through New Year's Day, day off for volunteer work, extra time off in summer), choice of medical plans (some offered at almost no cost), dental, vision, eligible for 401K when employment begins (with discretionary employer match up to 3% after 1 year), life insurance, commuter benefits program, Employee Assistance Program, short-term/long-term disability insurance, free New York City Bar Association membership and CLE programs, employee discounts, and more!

New York City Bar Association