Paralegal

Job Title: Pro Bono Coordinator

Contract: 12 Month Fixed Term Contract

Salary: £33,000 per annum

Main Requirements: 5 years’ experience in a professional firm, two of which should be within the legal field.

The Pro Bono Assistant acts as the main contact and resource for pro bono matters in the London office and must display a practical, proactive approach, demonstrate initiative, and possess strong team skills, sound written and communication ability with attention to detail and excellent proof reading skills, be highly organized and be able to multi-task and prioritise.

You will liaise regularly with the Pro Bono Team as well as with all levels of staff in the London office and occasionally with staff in other offices of the client. You will develop relationships with clients, client organisations, referral agencies and other organisations.

Main Responsibilities

• Respond to pro bono related queries, requiring knowledge of the firm’s pro bono policies and polices specific to the London office.  Use acquired experience of the pro bono programme, London office operations and previous pro bono projects and clients. 
• Assist and support the Pro Bono Team with their provision of pro bono services firm-wide.
• Respond to queries from external clients, agencies, alumni, etc., relating to new matters and projects, procedures, pro bono and firm policies, and general queries from members of the public.
• Write and deliver talks and presentations to new staff, vacation students, new practice groups, as well as individual meetings with new partners and other staff.
• Represent and promote the client’s Pro Bono Programme externally at meetings, clinics and events, developing and building relationships, and being alert to new opportunities. 
• Coordinate the London Pro Bono Committee, including recruiting and briefing new members, scheduling meetings, preparing the agenda, providing updates in advance to members and reporting at meetings.  Supervising trainee members, editing and approving trainee notes of the meeting.  Preparing the London pro bono update for the firm-wide committee meetings.
• Being alert to new opportunities to promote or create new collaborations and partnerships, utilising information and observations to explore new possibilities beyond previous projects
• Liaising with London and US Marketing to promote events and in London for opportunities to promote and coordinate ideas and events generally.  Liaise with the Communications Manager regarding award submissions, participating in interviews and attending award events.
• Coordinating and Staffing New Cases
• Coordinate with external referral agencies, circulate new cases to London lawyers, identify opportunities for lawyers, manage staffing requirements, conflict checks, liaise with the agencies, clients, lawyers and secretaries to ensure new matter protocol is followed and assist generally with matter opening, CDD and queries.
• Manage pro bono clinics, including liaising with external agencies, law centres and clients, liaise internally to coordinate clients and matters with suitable lawyers and ensure adequate staffing and supervision, ensure protocols are followed internally and externally, including conflict checks, ensuring work is delivered within deadlines, managing client and lawyer expectations and monitoring work progress to ensure the clinic format is adhered to. 
• Act as a resource to provide pro bono statistics and lawyer pro bono hours.
• Organise and oversee daytime and evening events and training sessions to include coordinating with external clients and agencies, all preparation and set up arrangements, hosting trainers and guests, finalising room set up, welcoming guests, assisting with registration, dealing with general queries and using the opportunity to promote the client’s pro bono programme.
• Identify opportunities for occasional new events, liaise and coordinate internally and with external participants, arrange security clearance, IT, promotion and publicity, catering, room set-up, briefing talk, photographs and authority forms. Post-event follow up to maximise publicity.
• Monthly review of US office costs. Liaise with lawyers who have incurred costs, follow up as necessary or refer lawyers to Research Services.
• Monthly review of firm-wide pro bono costs incurred by lawyers.  Collating information from the database, Elite and Roomtracker to verify or query costs.  Enquiries to London staff and request transfers as necessary.  Report to the Pro Bono Manager with a schedule of queried costs.