Legal Resources Volunteer

Responsibilities

Volunteers are a vital part of the daily operations for the ACLU of Massachusetts, and perform the following responsibilities under the supervision of ACLUM attorneys: answer and return phone calls from persons seeking legal assistance about civil liberties violations; record summaries of calls in a database to be reviewed by our Legal Assessment Attorney and other staff attorneys; provide initial suggestions for other organizations where callers might obtain help when ACLUM cannot provide direct assistance; and redirect calls intended for other ACLUM staff members. Volunteers generally work in four-hour shifts on weekdays (9:00am - 1:00pm or 1:00 - 5:00pm), one shift per week. This work can be done remotely.

We are currently looking for availability to volunteer on Monday mornings from 9-1pm, but you may still contact us if you have different availability as future slots may become available.

Attributes

We seek volunteers who are patient, kind, non-judgmental and even-tempered. They must be able to listen, ask pertinent questions, protect confidentiality and maintain an objective attitude in speaking with people who are experiencing problems. Volunteers must become familiar with ACLUM’s legal priorities, as well as alternative resources to suggest to callers. The ability to speak and understand Spanish and/or Portuguese is a plus.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit a resume and statement of interest to legalvolunteer@aclum.org.

About the ACLU of Massachusetts

The ACLU of Massachusetts (ACLUM) was founded in 1920 and is an affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a nationwide, non-profit, non-partisan membership organization that works to preserve and expand the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. Through strategies of litigation, advocacy, public education, and grassroots activism, we strengthen and expand public understanding of equal opportunity, free speech and assembly, privacy rights, religious liberty, reproductive freedom, racial justice, juvenile justice, immigrant rights, LGBTQ rights (including equal marriage), students’ rights, voting rights, criminal justice issues, and due process.