Director of Pro Bono Services
Posted on: June 19, 2013Application deadline: July 19, 2013
Posted by: Center for Reproductive Rights
BACKGROUND
Founded in 1992, the Center for Reproductive Rights (the Center) is a global human rights organization that promotes women's equality worldwide by securing reproductive rights in constitutional and international human rights law. Its mission is straightforward and ambitious: to advance reproductive health and rights as fundamental rights that all governments are legally obligated to protect, respect and fulfill. The Center is unmatched as a reproductive rights organization in its expertise in U.S. constitutional law, comparative law, and international human rights law.
The Center works across the globe on issues including access to life-saving obstetric care, contraception, abortion services, and comprehensive sexuality information. National-level courts, regional and international human rights s bodies have increasingly recognized that a woman's right to reproductive autonomy and reproductive healthcare are basic human rights that must be protected. The Center for Reproductive Rights has played a key role in securing these legal victories and works with attorneys and advocates in the U.S., Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe.
The Center is governed by a 20-person Board of Directors and employs more than 100 professionals from Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Kenya, Korea, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines, Slovakia, Sweden and the US. In addition to its headquarters in New York, the Center has offices in Washington, DC, Nairobi, Bogotá, Kathmandu, and Geneva.
In the U.S. Legal Program, the Center's preeminent litigation team has helped millions of women and their families by securing government funding for abortions, striking down abortion bans and other access restrictions, and protecting teens' access to emergency contraception and confidential reproductive healthcare services and information. The Center's complimentary legislative advocacy initiatives and strategies have helped local advocates fight restrictive abortion legislation in over 25 states as well as promote reproductive rights and access to health care for millions of women. Through our human rights advocacy, the Center has been able to promote the integration and adoption of human rights principles in the domestic sphere while systematically norm-building and elevating local reproductive health issues within international treaty monitoring bodies and partner organizations.
Through its Global Legal Program, the Center has brought groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. committees, and regional human rights bodies, and has built the legal capacity of women's rights advocates in over 50 countries. The Center's global advocacy has shaped the international human rights landscape greatly expanding the interpretation of human rights norms to include reproductive rights protections.
The Center's Government Relations Program, based in Washington, DC since 2009, focuses on both U.S. domestic and foreign policy, providing leadership within the community of reproductive rights allies. The Center informs the policy debate at the federal level by producing legal analysis of legislation, comments on regulations, polling data, and other materials to policymakers in Congress, the Administration, and the White House. It works to vigorously defend and expand access to a full range of reproductive healthcare; counter abortion stigma as it is reflected in federal policy; and ensure U.S. foreign policy reflects the full range of women's health needs around the globe.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Director of Pro Bono Services will be joining the Center at an exciting time for the institution, and a critical time for the nation and for the reproductive rights movement globally. The Center has dramatically expanded its pro bono support from domestic and foreign law firms from $80,000 to more than $5 million annually.
She/he will be responsible for developing, maintaining and expanding relationships with law firms to leverage effective legal support for the Center's US Legal, Government Relations and Global Legal programs. The Director will also seek to expand our partnerships with pro bono firms in order both to increase our capacity to take on new cases and to deepen and broaden our engagement with the private bar.
The Director of Pro Bono Services will report to the Vice President of Programs and works in in close collaboration with other senior staff to maximize effective pro bono engagement with law firms.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Strategic and Annual Planning:
- Develop and implement long-term and annual plans for maximizing pro bono legal support that advances the Center's Strategic Plan.
- Pro Bono Program Management:
- Develop, maintain and deepen pro bono partnerships
- Implement a system to channel CRR project proposals, including litigation, legal advocacy and research projects; and respond to requests from firms to engage in pro bono work
- Develop and manage the contracts/engagement with firms
- Develop and manage the database of firms and pro bono contacts
- Strategically involve the Center's President and staff across the organization to strengthen relationships and secure effective engagement with firms
- Resolve administrative, operational and project issues that can arise between CRR and the firms
- Develop and implement a system for managing, reporting, and evaluating projects implementation; and for providing feedback to relevant parties after projects are completed
- Marketing:
- Develop and implement a plan to market the Center to top law firms, including:
- Maintain regular communications with current and prospective firms
- Develop cultivation events
- Develop and distribute marketing materials
- Public Relations:
- Work with Communications to develop and seize opportunities to profile CRR pro bono partners in the media
- Work with legal programs for opportunities to feature CRR pro bono partners in public speaking opportunities about CRR cases
- Development:
- Support outreach strategies to firms aimed at securing law firm support for the Center's annual gala
- Undertake any other responsibilities that support or enhance the Center's pro bono program and other institutional priorities.
- Strong commitment to the Center's mission, purpose, and values
- JD degree required
- Minimum of 10 years legal experience, including at least three years of relevant work experience in a leading law firm
- Familiarity with pro bono legal services and nonprofit organizations.
- Wide network of relationships with partners at leading firms in New York City.
- Excellent political judgment, strong analytical and writing skills and ability to think and plan strategically
- Effective public speaker
- Strong interpersonal skills
- A high level of energy, self-confidence, initiative, and follow-through; ability to recognize and act on opportunities in a fast-paced environment.
- Track record of effectively working in a team environment and with all levels of management
- Detail-oriented with excellent organizational and project management skills
- Principled, ethical, professional, and committed to exceptional work quality and standards
- Must be available for occasional travel and evening events,
Send cover letter, résumé, and contact information for three references (email preferred) to resumes@reprorights.org
Note: Applicants must indicate Director of Pro Bono Services, their last name, and Code 187 as the subject of emailed applications. Cover letter and resume should be sent as attachments. Please mention in your cover letter where you saw this opportunity.
Mailing address:
Center for Reproductive Rights
Attn.: Director of Pro Bono Services - Code 187
120 Wall Street, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10005
Deadline for applications: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as they come in and we will not hold the position open for any specific time period. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by July, 19 2013.
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