Pro Bono Corporate Attorney

Roseland, NJ or New York, NY (with plans to spend time in both locations)

Summary

The Pro Bono Corporate Attorney will be a member of the team of the Center for Public Interest and will be responsible for expanding, managing, and participating in the firm’s corporate pro bono practice.

Essential Duties
Manage corporate pro bono practice and supervise pro bono matters:

• Identify and bring in corporate pro bono matters that advance the Center’s strategic goals;
• Evaluate and place matters for pro bono representation in all corporate practice groups and offices of the firm;
• Promote partner, counsel, and associate engagement in pro bono representation of nonprofit clients and low-income entrepreneurs and inventors;
• Maintain active pro bono practice in complex corporate matters including, but not limited to, nonprofit incorporation, governance, mergers, and tax issues; social entrepreneurship; and impact investing;
• Supervise corporate pro bono matters, ensuring best possible results for pro bono clients and meaningful professional development opportunities for volunteer attorneys;
• Track progress of corporate matters and take steps to ensure their timely completion;
• Attend, facilitate, and, where appropriate, offer trainings in transactional areas of pro bono practice.

Cultivate and maintain internal and external relationships to advance the Center’s agenda:

• Through pro bono practice, develop relationships with attorneys and staff at nonprofit organizations who can co-counsel or refer matters to the firm, including sophisticated transactional matters;
• Build relationships with counsel at leading billable clients of the firm who collaborate with the Center in corporate pro bono projects and help to create, manage, and sustain such joint projects;
• Participate as appropriate in task forces, bar association committees, professional associations of pro bono counsel, and other gatherings to assess and advance corporate pro bono practice;
• Maintain strong relationships in all corporate practice groups of the firm to promote pro bono participation and advance overall strategic goals of the firm.

Under the direction of the Chair, assist in managing the Center for the Public Interest:

• Participate in establishing and meeting annual goals and performance parameters for firmwide pro bono program;
• Participate in programs and orientations of summer associates and new, lateral, and other firm attorneys on the work of the Center;
• Stay current with best practices in pro bono administration through participation in professional networks of pro bono counsel and administrators, and recommend improvements.

Promote corporate pro bono to internal and external audiences:

• Draft targeted communications to provide information on pro bono opportunities and achievements inside the firm;
• Prepare materials for annual Pro Bono Report, press releases, and other Center communications. 

Qualifications
The successful candidate will have five plus years of experience in representing nonprofit clients with a clear and demonstrated commitment to corporate pro bono practice; superior analytic and writing skills; mature professional judgment; and the ability to work well with and earn the respect of a wide range of colleagues. Candidates will also need to show initiative and creativity in their work and manage and complete multiple assignments in a timely manner. Admission to the New York and/or New Jersey bars required. Experience in tax law strongly preferred. Some travel required.

*This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities required by employee.