Project Coordinator

POSITION: Project Coordinator DEPARTMENT: City Bar Justice Center POSITION REPORTS TO: Attorney Project Director LOCATION: Hybrid (New York, NY) FLSA STATUS: Non-exempt (Local 153, Office and Professional Employees International Union) The City Bar Justice Center furthers access to justice by addressing unmet civil legal needs of New Yorkers struggling with poverty and other systemic socioeconomic barriers. The Justice Center mobilizes law firms, corporate legal departments, and other legal institutions to provide pro bono legal services, educates the public on pertinent legal issues, fosters strategic community relationships, and impacts public policy.

JOB FUNCTION

The City Bar Justice Center (CBJC) seeks an organized individual who is committed to equal access to justice and brings a proactive, collaborative approach to join our team as a Project Coordinator – a role that is similar to a legal assistant or paralegal. CBJC annually provides high-quality, free civil legal services benefiting over 23,000 New Yorkers who lack the resources to hire private counsel. CBJC also relies on partnerships with our affiliate, the New York City Bar Association, as well as with law firms, corporate legal departments, solo practitioners, law schools, the courts, and other stakeholders. Last year, over 3,300 pro bono attorneys donated services to support clinics and client work drawn from CBJC’s dozen civil legal services projects. CBJC Project Coordinators work closely with and under the supervision of attorney Project Directors to handle the following areas of responsibility, among others, for a specific project (practice area) among CBJC’s dozen projects: Serve as the first point of contact for clients seeking legal assistance, conducting eligibility screening and client interviews, and providing case assessment support. Carefully maintain client and volunteer databases, diligently track case statistics, and assist with grant and other reporting responsibilities. Provide administrative help by answering phones and setting up client appointments, while providing caring follow-up to clients, who typically seek our assistance at very vulnerable moments in their lives. Provide organizational and logistical support for both virtual and in-person training programs, legal clinics, and community outreach events. Conduct legal research and draft initial papers or applications under the supervision of CBJC attorneys. Liaise with attorney volunteers from large law firms and corporate legal departments. As needed, provide general administrative support, including new programming within and across CBJC projects.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor’s degree or substantially equivalent work experience in a professional setting. Minimum 6 months of work experience (relevant internships acceptable). Strong data-entry, organizational and project management skills; high attention to detail; excellent verbal and written communication skills; comfort communicating both by telephone and in direct contact with the public; self-starter with a record showing (or a demonstrable capacity for) consistent professional timeliness and reliability. Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, and the ability to quickly learn and effectively use case management, CRM and court databases, and other technology. Ability to connect with people from different backgrounds, capacity to support our team in providing trauma-informed services, and demonstrated enthusiasm for public interest legal work, serving communities that are under-resourced, and advancing racial equity and social and economic justice. A team player with an ability to interact respectfully with clients, volunteer attorneys, government employees, and fellow staff members. Spoken and written fluency in a second language in addition to English is preferred but not required. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. We are not able to sponsor visas for this position. We are looking for candidates who can join our organization this summer and are willing to make a minimum commitment of two years to the Project Coordinator role. Candidates for this position must be available for in-person work in Manhattan on a hybrid schedule requiring 2-3 days of scheduled in-office work per week, with the balance of time being work-from-home. Occasional local travel for legal clinics or other program support may be required. This is a Local 153, Office and Professional Employees International Union position, with a starting annualized salary of at least $52,531 based on a 35-hour workweek (with higher salaries in the range of $53,581-$62,512 dependent on having 2-8+ years of directly relevant prior experience), and other benefits and employment terms and conditions in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement. 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, 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! To apply: Qualified applicants should submit a resume. A cover letter detailing your interest in and qualifications for this specific role is optional but highly encouraged. Finalists will be asked to provide three professional references. Applications will be considered when received until a qualified candidate is hired. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and unique experiences to apply. We welcome diversity of all kinds. It is the policy of the City Bar to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, creed, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, disability, arrest or conviction record, pregnancy, credit history, salary history, caregiver status, marital status, partnership status, or status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking and sex offenses, religion, sex, genetic information, military status, unemployment status or any other characteristic as protected by law. With regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act and other related laws, the organization will endeavor to make reasonable accommodations for persons due to their religious beliefs, disability, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition or because the individual was a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking. #LI-Hybrid