Employment

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The mission of Equal Justice Works is to create a just society by mobilizing the next generation of lawyers committed to equal justice.

Equal Justice Works is a recognized leader in the public interest law movement. We provide a continuum of opportunity that begins with incoming law school students and extends into later careers in the profession. From advocating for law school programs that instill public service values among students, to creating summer and postgraduate public interest jobs, to addressing the staggering educational debt that blocks lawyers from going into public service, Equal Justice Works inspires and provides opportunities for the legal community to change lives, make careers, and deliver on the promise of justice for all.

Please note Equal Justice Works only posts internal job announcements. We recommend visiting Idealist, NALP, NLADA or PsLawNet for posting job opportunities.

 

 

Communications Specialist

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The Communications Specialist will work with a dynamic team to develop and execute communications strategies for a variety of program and development initiatives. Responsibilities include developing all forms of communications with external audiences, including e-newsletters, website content, social media, blogs, PowerPoint presentations, video productions, and public and media relations

The ideal candidate will have an undergraduate degree with 2-4 years of related experience in marketing communications and/or media relations, be skilled at and engaged with blogging and online social media sites, managing e-communications, and will have the interpersonal skills and professional presence to have a positive influence on external audiences.

 

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Develop and manage Equal Justice Works social media campaigns, including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
  • Manage the Equal Justice Works blog, including writing and editing blog posts.
  • Create content for and manage the production of monthly e-newsletter.
  • Assist with public relations activities, including writing press releases and media outreach.
  • Assist with communications strategy development for national programs.
  • Assist with content management of organization website.

 

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

  • Two – four years experience in new media and communications at a nonprofit or relevant organization.
  • New media skills, including experience drafting, posting and updating web stories, blog posts and other online content, as well as experience using social networking and other web-based tools.
  • Excellent writing, proofreading, editing and oral communication skills.
  • Communications and/or media relations experience, including producing media kits, press releases, media advisories, and op-ed pieces, and experience pitching stories to national media.
  • Natural team player with demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and manage competing priorities.
  • Experience with web content management systems, as well as organizing and writing web content. Experience writing HTML and CSS code highly desired.
  • Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing or public relations preferred.

 

SALARY AND BENEFITS

Salary commensurate with experience; comprehensive and generous benefits package.

 

TO APPLY

Qualified applicants are encouraged to submit a cover letter, résumé, salary requirements and a minimum of three writing samples (preferably blog, tweet campaign or other online content) via email to mail@equaljusticeworks.org or by mail to Communications Specialist Search, Equal Justice Works, 1730 M Street NW, Suite 1010 Washington, DC, 20036. Résumés will be reviewed as they are received. No phone calls please.

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Senior Manager – Federal Programs and Strategic Initiatives

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

Equal Justice Works, a 25-year old national organization devoted to helping lawyers help community, seeks a solution-oriented individual to manage a portfolio, which currently includes a $3 million AmeriCorps program which puts 80 lawyers and 700 law students in low-income and under-served communities across the country, and responds to disasters and crises. The program currently reaches more than 60,000 low-income individuals each year with vital legal services. We seek an effective Senior Manager, who can manage a large U.S. government grant, quickly size up opportunities and challenges, make effective and creative recommendations, and execute and implement the chosen course of action. The Senior Manager works at the highest staff levels and ensures the quality and timeliness of all aspects of grants processing, program implementation, grants compliance, and management. The Senior Manager also works on long-range planning, implementation, and communications efforts.

The ideal candidate will be currently managing a budget of $1 million + and a team of two or more in a project that is in the legal services, social justice, or direct service sector; someone with an aptitude for effective systems, studying and implementing best practices, and managing a team while collaborating with colleagues across a medium-sized organization. This is an excellent opportunity to build an effective team, and to grow as a leader, manager, and problem solver, in a nimble, fast-paced, well-placed national organization engaged in the most pressing issues of the day: the BP oil spill, the foreclosure crisis, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, domestic violence victims, and tribal courts.

 

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Management

  • Oversee program design.
  • Ensure programs comply with all grant regulations.
  • Grow and lead team of three to six staff to deliver high-impact and demonstrable results.
  • Ensure effective systems are in place to ensure clean audits.
  • Pro-actively collect and disseminate information within the organization to ensure organization's business goals are met.
  • Ensure compliance with organizational policies and procedures, including those related to human resources, expense tracking and reimbursement, and communications with outside stakeholders.
  • Develop and manage budgets; review budgets and grant expenditures and approve spending requests.
  • Represent program to outside entities and potential host sites in a clear and engaging way.

Program Improvement and Strategic Initiatives

  • Monitor Corporation for National and Community Service, U.S. government agencies (such as, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs), law firms, legal aid, and other relevant landscapes in order to seize opportunities for expanded funding and partnerships.
  • Develop and maintain relationships with host sites; search for new and innovative projects improvements or develop new project ideas.

 

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor's degree. JD, MBA or other advanced degree preferred.
  • Minimum of six (6) years program development, management, and government grants implementation experience.
  • Experience with identifying appropriate funding opportunities, preparing winning proposals for new or continuing grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts; budget forecasting and cost assignment; and ongoing monitoring of funds.
  • Track record of developing and giving presentations to groups ranging from five to more than 30.
  • Demonstrated results managing a program with a minimum budget of $1 million.
  • Demonstrated track record of three+ years effectively managing and training teams comprised of a minimum of two people.
  • Ability to use and adapt to a variety of on-line systems
  • Curiosity and love of learning, figuring out systems and finding opportunities.
  • Experience working on U.S. government grant funded projects, especially those funded by U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or Corporation for National and Community Service a plus.
  • Experience with audit flags, risk-based monitoring, and compliance a plus.
  • Experience with outcomes-based management a plus.
  • Track-record of bidding on and winning government funded projects.
  • Familiarity with public interest law, civil legal aid, Equal Justice Works programs, law firm and pro bono legal landscapes a plus.

 

SALARY AND BENEFITS

$70,000 to $90,000. Compensation based on previous size of budget and staff, and track record of raising new funding. Comprehensive and generous benefits package. No relocation expenses provided. Domestic travel required. The position is a full-time position based in Washington, D.C.

 

TO APPLY

Send email cover letter detailing how your experience meets the above qualifications and résumé to kobrien@equaljusticeworks.org with subject line "Senior Manager – Federal Programs" or by mail to Federal Programs Senior Manager Search, Equal Justice Works, 1730 M. St., NW, Suite 1010, Washington, DC, 20036. Cover letter must include salary history and three references. No references will be called without consent. Résumés will be reviewed as they are received.

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Manager of Indigent Defense Fellowships

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

Equal Justice Works seeks a visionary manager from the public defender community to join us in expanding employment opportunities in indigent defense across the country. Currently, there are 18 Public Defender Corps (PDC) fellows working in the northeast and southeast United States. The PDC is a partnership with the award-winning Southern Public Defender Training Center, a visionary organization dedicated the changing the culture of indigent defense from one which processes individuals quickly through the criminal defense system to one of client-centered representation and zealous advocacy. The manager will be a key leader in improving indigent defense by bringing talented new lawyers into the field.

 

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Program Manager's primary function is to help create public interest law opportunities in indigent defense and provide programmatic support to host sites, the Southern Public Defender Training Center and other stakeholders of the newly-inaugurated Public Defender Corps. The Program Manager reports to the Federal Programs and Strategic Initiatives Director. Some travel required.

Program Development/Fundraising

  • Position Equal Justice Works in the indigent defense community, where the organization's experience in attracting, encouraging and funding enthusiastic new lawyers to be agents of change adds value.
  • Develop and execute a plan for expanding public interest law opportunities for new lawyers in indigent defense, making the case for investing in new lawyers as a cost-effective method of system change.
  • Cultivate relationships in indigent defense community, including national organizations such as the National Legal Aid and Defender Association, key funders such as the Open Society Foundation, U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance, and state and county public defender offices.
  • Raise funds from federal government, state government, private foundations, law firms, and private individuals to support indigent defense fellowships.
  • Write program plans, grant applications, and grant reports.

Program Management

  • Manage $500,000 grant from U.S. Department of Justice, involving a dozen host sites, 25 first and second year Fellows, and an intensive three-year training institute managed by our partner, the Southern Public Defender Training Center.
  • Manage the recruitment, selection and enrollment of fellows.
  • Manage payments to host sites for salary and travel reimbursement, with assistance from finance and compliance staff.
  • Ensure host sites provide timely reporting and evaluation to demonstrate the impact of Public Defender Corps.
  • Present program to outside entities and potential applicants in a clear and engaging way.

 

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor's degree but JD, MBA or other advanced degree preferred.
  • Experience with indigent defense as a public defender, administrator, program manager, recruiter, trainer, or similar.
  • Minimum of four (4) years relevant public defender, fundraising, program development, management, and implementation experience with a preference for those with government grant experience.
  • Demonstrated track record of building programs preferred.
  • Demonstrated track record of maintaining effective relationships with foundation and government program officers preferred.
  • Demonstrated track record of effective oversight of grants, ensuring compliance with regulations without being overly burdensome to participants preferred.
  • Commitment to public interest work and social justice issues.

 

SALARY AND BENEFITS

Salary commensurate with experience and comprehensive and generous benefits package.

 

TO APPLY

Send cover letter detailing how your experience meets the above qualifications, résumé and salary history to Indigent Defense Program Manager Search, Equal Justice Works, 1730 M. St., NW, Suite 1010, Washington, DC, 20036 or email us at publicdefendercorps@equaljusticeworks.org. Résumés will be reviewed as they are received.

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Indigent Defense Consultant

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

For 25 years, Equal Justice Works has been helping lawyers help community. The Equal Justice Works Fellowships programs fund hundreds of public interest attorneys each year to close the justice gap on issues such as foreclosure, community economic development, immigration, civil rights, homelessness, access to healthcare, and domestic violence. These Fellows have a lasting impact well beyond their fellowship. More than 80% of fellows continue doing public interest work after their fellowship ends.

Equal Justice Works joined up with the award-winning and visionary Southern Public Defender Training Center and as a result, the Public Defender Corps (PDC) was born. The Southern Public Defender Training Center's intensive, multi-year, multi-level training is dedicated to changing the culture of indigent defense from one which processes individuals quickly through the criminal defense system to one of client-centered representation and zealous advocacy. With seed funding from the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance, 18 fellows are working throughout the U.S. on three year partially-funded fellowships. 14 Fellows are expected for 2012.

Equal Justice Works seeks a consultant to double the number of available fellowships in 2013, with 50 indigent defense fellowships by 2015. The ideal consultant will be an indigent defense leader with a proven track record of managing and growing programs.

SCOPE OF WORK

  1. Help Equal Justice Works define what our unique contribution can be. Develop strategic plan for increasing indigent defense fellowships to include different funding models, potential funding sources and a fundraising plan.
  2. Establish and conduct meetings with funders, describing the need and program plan.
  3. Evaluate existing Public Defender Corps Program by reviewing PDC Fellow reports, interviewing supervisors and chiefs, and Equal Justice Works and Southern Public Defender Training Center staff, to demonstrate impact and shape future plans.

We are open to proposals of various ranges and intensities, but we envision the ideal engagement being for at least one year for 20 to 40 hours per month. A strategic plan would be expected within a maximum of 90 days following the engagement.

CRITERIA

  1. Indigent Defense Experience (50%).
  2. Proven Track Record of Managing, Fundraising and Growing Programs. (50%)

 

TO SUBMIT PROPOSAL

Please submit a brief proposal of not more than 5 pages responding to the scope of work with specific examples of how the consultant has addressed the same or similar project deliverables. Proposal must include:

  1. Complete contact information, including email.
  2. Background and qualifications to complete the work.
  3. Anticipated scope of work and time frame.
  4. Budget and cost – Provide the number of hours and hourly rates for consultant or consultants.
  5. Résumé(s)
  6. Two references per consultant.

Send to: kobrien@equaljusticeworks.org with "Indigent Defense RFP" in subject line or by mail to: Kerry O'Brien, Director of Federal Programs & Strategic Initiatives, Equal Justice Works, 1730 M St. NW, Suite 1010, Washington, DC 20036.

Questions? Please contact Kerry O'Brien at 202-466-3686 x132.

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Equal Justice Works NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY:Equal Justice Works (formerly known as NAPIL) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, physical or mental handicap, matriculation, or political affiliation.

© 2011 Equal Justice Works - 1730 M Street, NW, Suite 1010, Washington, DC 20036-4511