Volunteer Attorney / Legal Counsel (Pro Bono)

Mentor A Promise is a New York City–based nonprofit serving children and youth (ages 5–18) experiencing housing instability, grounded in the belief that every child is a promise—full of potential, dignity, and possibility. We deliver consistent, high‑quality programming across mentorship, literacy, social‑emotional learning, and creative expression in shelters, schools, and community spaces, creating structured environments where students can grow, be seen, and build lasting skills. Through signature experiences like The Imagination Studio, The Kitchen Table, The Sound Lab, and The Story Space, we nurture academic development, emotional well‑being, and creative voice, all within a trauma‑informed, culturally responsive, and accessibility‑centered framework. Our work prioritizes dignity‑protective storytelling, consent‑driven engagement, and deep community partnership, ensuring that how we serve is as intentional as whom we serve. We are not only addressing immediate needs – we are building pathways to confidence, belonging, and long‑term opportunity, so every child has the support and foundation to carry their promise forward.

Volunteer Attorney / Legal Counsel (Pro Bono)

Organization : Mentor A Promise
Division : PromiseTrust
Location : Remote or Hybrid (NYC Preferred)
Commitment : 5–10 Hours Per Week
Type : Volunteer Leadership Opportunity

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based nonprofit organization supporting children and youth experiencing housing instability through mentorship, education, literacy, social‑emotional learning, and creative programming. We are building trauma‑informed, community‑centered systems designed to protect, empower, and uplift vulnerable communities through ethical leadership, safeguarding, and long‑term institutional impact.

Role Overview

Mentor A Promise is seeking a mission‑aligned Volunteer Attorney / Legal Counsel to join the Division of PromiseTrust. This role will help strengthen organizational governance, compliance, safeguarding, ethics, legal operations, and institutional protections across the organization. The attorney will work closely with executive leadership and cross‑functional teams to support the legal and structural foundation of a growing nonprofit organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Review, draft, and advise on contracts, agreements, waivers, and organizational policies
• Support nonprofit governance, compliance, and risk management initiatives
• Assist with safeguarding, privacy, and organizational protection frameworks
• Advise leadership on legal and operational matters across departments
• Support intellectual property, media, publishing, and brand protection efforts
• Help strengthen internal legal systems, documentation, and procedures
• Identify organizational risks and provide practical recommendations
• Collaborate with leadership on long‑term legal and institutional infrastructure

Preferred Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent legal education
• Licensed attorney preferred, but not required
• Experience in nonprofit law, governance, contracts, compliance, labor/employment, education, or public interest law preferred
• Strong writing, research, and analytical skills
• Ability to operate with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment
• Alignment with MAP’s mission, ethics, and safeguarding values

What You’ll Gain

• Meaningful public interest and nonprofit legal experience
• Opportunity to help shape institutional systems and protections
• Executive‑level collaboration and leadership exposure
• Portfolio‑building and mission‑driven impact
• Direct contribution to supporting youth and families across NYC

Additional Information

This is a volunteer opportunity requiring approximately 5–10 hours per week, including one weekly leadership meeting. Mentor A Promise is a volunteer‑powered organization committed to ethical leadership, accessibility, trauma‑informed practice, and community trust.