Pro Bono Case Manager
At a glance
Philadelphia VIP
Full Time
Pennsylvania, US
16 November 2023
The position is full-time and non-exempt, with a salary range of $42,000 to $47,000, and an outstanding team atmosphere. VIP’s generous benefits include medical and dental insurance (with employee medical premium fully paid by VIP); a 403(b) plan with employer contributions; short- and long-term disability and life insurance; flexible spending accounts for health and dependent care; industry-leading paid time off, including substantial vacation and sick time, 12+ paid holidays, and paid parental leave; an individual budget for professional development; and alternative work arrangements, including generous telework hours and scheduling flexibility.
Key Qualifications
A strong pro bono case manager candidate will demonstrate: a sound commitment to VIP’s service model—expanding access to justice through supporting pro bono; a passion for engaging and interfacing with lawyers from a variety of practice settings; strong communication skills; and interest in working in a collaborative, team-oriented environment. Further qualifications include:
- Bachelor’s Degree required (this position does not require a J.D.)
- Capacity for learning and understanding substantive legal issues
- Excellent time management, organization, and attention to detail
- Demonstrated capacity to build relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds
- Experience assisting clients living in poverty or volunteers preferred, but not required
- Team player, collaborative, and able to receive and act on feedback
- Aptitude with technology, including a comprehensive case management system
- Conversational Spanish language skills are required
Key Functions
Recruit and retain volunteer attorneys in private practice to fulfill VIP’s mission
- Actively recruit volunteer attorneys and efficiently match volunteers with clients, including maintaining volunteer records to identify volunteer prospects for new cases.
- Develop new sources of potential volunteers, while retaining current volunteer relationships.
- Actively strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders, including law firms, and participate in volunteer recognition efforts and events.
- Assist in planning, execution, and follow-up for volunteer clinics, trainings, and other events.
Guide and support clients and volunteer attorneys throughout the life of the case
- Interview new clients to gather necessary information and documents; assess the legal merit of cases, with attorney supervision; and develop client relationships, utilizing conversational Spanish language skills for appropriate clients.
- Provide ongoing case management.
- Facilitate the volunteer-client relationship, and obtain case updates from attorneys.
- With attorney supervision, provide technical assistance to volunteer attorneys in case subjects, procedures, support services, and client interaction.
- Monitor cases for status reports, deadlines, and emergencies.
Manage a Legal Team strategic project
- Administer a distinct project tied to VIP’s legal work, which will include developing a deeper knowledge of a particular legal issue
- Improve the project’s structure, methods, and design, as necessary
- Strategic projects include the Custody Advice-Only and Attorney Consultation Panels, Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program, Landlord/Tenant Eviction Defense, and Language Access, and generally make up about a quarter of the Pro Bono Case Manager’s workload
Lead and support other efforts to further VIP’s mission and strategic goals
- Help implement VIP’s strategic plan, including primary responsibility for designated task(s)
- Track metrics to meet goals and improve recruitment, retention, and case referrals
- Develop and strengthen sources of “in-kind” case support services for volunteers, including interpreters and translators for language access