BAR ASSOCIATION OF SAN FRANCISCO
Volunteer Legal Service Program
Job Description
Project Assistant, Community Organization Representation Project
Job Summary: Performs a range of duties in coordinating the Community Organization Representation Project (CORP), under the supervision of the project’s Supervising Attorney and Project Coordinator. These duties include placing cases with attorneys, recruiting volunteer attorneys and clients, doing intake with client organizations, assisting in the screening of possible client organizations, scheduling trainings with volunteers, scheduling and coordinating workshops for nonprofit organizations, writing articles for VLSP and outside publications, building and maintaining appropriate databases and tracking all relevant information regarding project, maintaining files regarding project, maintaining and updating all CORP-related pages on the probono.net website, answering questions and finding appropriate resources and referrals for volunteer attorneys and clients, assisting in recognition activities for volunteer attorneys, attending meetings with law firms, client organizations, regional collaboratives, etc., and mailing appropriate files and documents to attorneys, client organizations, collaborators, etc.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
· Conducts intakes with potential client organizations, gathers appropriate documentation
· Helps screen clients and make placement decisions
· Places matters with volunteer attorneys
· Schedules trainings with volunteers
· Builds and maintains appropriate databases
· Tracks all relevant information regarding project
· Maintains files regarding project
· Maintains and updates all CORP-related pages on the probono.net website
· Answers questions and finds appropriate resources and referrals for volunteer attorneys and clients
· Assists in recognition activities for volunteer attorneys
· Attends meetings with law firms, client organizations, regional collaboratives, etc.
· Mails appropriate files and documents to attorneys, client organizations, collaborators, etc.
· Assists with development of newsletter for nonprofit clients
· Generates documents and records related to trainings and workshops for volunteer attorneys and nonprofit organizations
· Conducts registration of attorneys, attendees and presenters for workshops and trainings
SECONDARY RESPONSIBILITIES
· Completes photocopying, faxing, routing, and mailing assignments within a reasonable time
· Aids other program assistants in the completion of tasks during periods of high volume or special assignments
· Routes inter-office materials and delivers them to proper destination
· Exhibits professional demeanor and appearance when representing VLSP at on- and off-site clinics, receptions, or trainings
SPECIFIC SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED
· Flexibility in using various databases and ability to easily change procedures of data entry and record keeping
· Working knowledge of Word, Excel, Access, and Microsoft Office Suite
· Multi-tasking on a daily basis
· Ability to interact with VLSP staff members in a collegial and team-oriented manner
· Attention to detail
· Ability to complete projects accurately and quickly
· Ability to demonstrate time-management skills and ability to prioritize 5-8 projects on a daily basis as the office activities change quickly in this job position
WORKING CONDITIONS
Offices located in downtown San Francisco. An essential aspect of this position is to do outreach with law firms and organizations throughout the Bay Area; therefore, it may be necessary to be out of the office on site visits. There is significant computer and telephone use.
BACKGROUND
VLSP provides free legal services to low-income and indigent people in San Francisco by encouraging private attorneys to handle individual pro bono cases, frequently through specially organized clinics and projects. VLSP trains attorneys in the areas of greatest legal need, creates and operates structures through which they can serve, and then supervises these attorneys as they represent clients. VLSP serves clients in all areas of civil law, with an emphasis on family, landlord/tenant, consumer, children’s and other poverty law issues.
Volunteer Legal Services Program
Bar Association of San Francisco
Updated January 16, 2001