Microenterprise Law Project Director

About the Role

Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) seeks an experienced and motivated attorney to lead our Microenterprise Project. This role will serve on the VOLS Leadership Team and report to the Executive Director.

Organizational Mission

For 40 years, VOLS has partnered with New York City’s leading law firms and companies as well as community-based organizations to help close the access to justice gap for low-income New Yorkers. VOLS provides free, civil legal services to New Yorkers with limited resources, including seniors, veterans, individuals entitled to public benefits, immigrant youth, children and their families, mothers in prison or jail, and small business owners. Last year, VOLS assisted clients on more than 4,000 legal matters, and our services benefited over 6,400 individual New Yorkers. VOLS’ staff of 22, including 15 attorneys and law graduates, works with volunteers from over 80 law firms/companies to exponentially increase our impact. We partner with 150 community groups to ensure that our services are accessible and address local needs.

VOLS strives to build and retain a diverse and inclusive team, and we actively seek a diverse candidate pool. We strongly encourage candidates who have had lived experience in the communities we serve.

VOLS Microenterprise Project

The VOLS Microenterprise Project helps existing and aspiring small business owners and microentrepreneurs access high-quality free legal services from our dedicated staff and our network of pro bono lawyers. For many New Yorkers, owning a small business is an effective path out of poverty and into financial stability and independence. VOLS provides assistance with drafting contracts, reviewing corporate governance documents, entity selection and formation, protecting intellectual property, and advising on commercial leases. We partner with community and economic development organizations to connect with clients who would benefit from our legal assistance, focusing on BIPOC, women, immigrant, and veteran-owned businesses. We then help them identify their legal needs and create an action plan to address them. By providing our clients access to high caliber pro bono attorneys at our partner law firms/companies, we strive to level the playing field for small business owners who are otherwise unable to pay the high cost of hiring a lawyer.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Oversee the Microenterprise Project’s daily activities
• Supervise staff attorneys, which includes managing duties, schedules, and work output.
• Evaluate staff performance both formally and informally and regularly provide appropriate feedback.
• Monitor intakes, screen matters for pro bono placement and in-house advice and representation.
• Carry a small caseload of advice and full representation matters.
• Oversee the Microenterprise Project’s pro bono practice
• Develop, manage, and sustain the pro bono initiatives of the Microenterprise Project in collaboration with the Pro Bono Director, Pro Bono Specialist, and VOLS’ pro bono partners.
• Provide supervision and training for small business matters handled by volunteers in the VOLS Children’s Project
• Recruit, train, and mentor volunteer attorneys on VOLS Microenterprise Project matters.
• Design and conduct CLEs and workshops for the pro bono bar
• Identify, establish, and maintain relationships with community partners, including small business development centers, business improvement districts, and local chambers of commerce.
• Conduct trainings for community partners and speak on legal panels.
• Run and review data reports and manage case-management system protocols for data collection and grant reporting.
• Manage project budget in coordination with VOLS Operations team.
• Support the Development & Communications team in Project-related fundraising and communications activities
• Represent VOLS on local, regional, and national coalitions and collaborate with legal service providers on policies affecting clients.
• Represent VOLS on bar association committees and promote pro bono best practices.
• Engage in advocacy and policy efforts to support older adults with limited resources.
• Use LegalServer, our web-based case management system, to maintain data on clients, services, and impact.
• Serve as an active thought partner and strategic leader on VOLS’ Leadership Team to advance VOLS’ mission, promote strong and supportive organizational culture, and ensure effective operations.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor and admission in good standing to the New York Bar.
• A minimum of 7+ years of working on transactional matters and other business-related matters.
• A minimum of 1+ years of supervisory or management experience and a commitment to provide support and coaching to team members to enhance their skills, knowledge and their professional development.
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice and supporting pro bono.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Team/department/unit leadership experience.
• Experience working with pro bono attorneys.
• Experience collaborating with community-based organizations.
• Public speaking experience including leading educational workshops, trainings and CLE programs.
• Bilingual fluency in one of the top five languages spoken in NYC.