Job o’ the Day: Elderly Project Director for Volunteers of Legal Service in New York
Do you have a demonstrated expertise in the law of life-planning and knowledge of issues related to low-income elderly people? Today’s Job o’ the Day could be for you:
Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) seeks a Project Director for our Elderly Project. VOLS’ mission is to leverage the good will, resources, and talents of some of New York City’s best law firms to provide pro bono legal services to the city’s neediest residents. Each year, over 800 volunteer attorneys from 40 law firms provide legal assistance to more than 3,000 low-income New Yorkers through VOLS’ projects.
Founded in 1990, VOLS’ Elderly Project works closely with senior centers in Manhattan and participating law firms to coordinate pro bono legal services for low-income elderly people. A major emphasis of the Project is on enabling volunteer attorneys from law firms to assist seniors with life-planning, including wills, health care proxies, powers of attorney, and medical directives. The Project also advises and refers seniors on a wide range of other legal issues, including housing, consumer debt, Medicare and Medicaid, Social Security, and other government benefits.
The Elderly Project maintains close relationships with many community agencies serving low-income seniors by conducting twelve legal clinics at senior centers each month where elderly people can discuss their legal concerns in confidence, receive legal advice and, where appropriate, obtain referrals to volunteer lawyers recruited by VOLS. The Project also handles referrals and questions from an additional 80 community-based agencies, and conducts home-visits for homebound clients.
The Project Director will:
- Recruit, train, and be an expert mentor for volunteer lawyers
- Conduct trainings at law firms concerning life-planning
- Conduct clinics and screen, assess, and prepare cases for placement with volunteer lawyers
- Provide case consultation and training to staff of participating social service agencies
- Supervise our Elderly Project Paralegal
- Ensure that the Elderly Project maintains organized, accurate, and complete data concerning volunteers, cases, clients, and participating social services agencies and law firms
- Oversee data collection and organization and ensure that monthly reports concerning Elderly Project services are provided to the Executive Director
- Write grant proposals and reports to funders
- Supervise editing and updating of A Guide to Burial Assistance and Funeral Planning
- Edit and update online media concerning the Elderly Project
Successful applicants will showcase at least 5 years of legal experience and have a commitment to serving low-income elderly people. For more information on application instructions and qualifications, view the full job listing at PSJD.org (log-in required).
(Also, if you are still a law student but interested in this type of position with Volunteers of Legal Service, be sure sure to check out their Spring and Summer internships, also available on PSJD.)