Job o’ the Day: The Chicago Bar Foundation’s Justice Entrepreneur Project Seeks Inaugural Class of Lawyers!
From the PSJD job posting:
Are you a recently admitted lawyer interested in obtaining the skills and resources necessary to build an innovative and successful law practice? Are you interested in making a positive impact on your community as a social entrepreneur? The Justice Entrepreneurs Project (JEP) is seeking its inaugural class of lawyers. The JEP will foster the development of practices providing affordable legal services to low and moderate-income people and small businesses who find it difficult to obtain such help. Additional information about the JEP, including the JEP’s mission and goals, is available at www.chicagobarfoundation.org/jep.
This 18-month program is broken into three 6-month modules. The inaugural class will begin in June 2013. The program is designed to help participants develop their ability to provide competent representation (including knowing when they need to refer or co-counsel a case) and to run a successful law practice. During the first module, participants will perform pro bono service for approximately 20 hours per week with partner legal aid organizations. At the same time, participants will receive training, workshops and coaching on business and other issues needed to start a solo/small practice. Participants will establish their own independent practices, begin handling cases in areas traditionally needed by modest income clients and charge reasonable fees for their services. During the second module, participants will develop a fuller caseload and will continue to receive training, mentoring and coaching on business and legal issues. As participants move into the third module, they will continue to develop a fuller caseload but will also prepare to move their practice out of the JEP and will focus more on marketing and business development issues. Participants will pay a modest monthly participation fee during the second and third modules.
About the JEP Participants
JEP is seeking lawyers who are:
• Dedicated to establishing a long-term practice serving the legal needs of low and moderate-income individuals and small businesses
• Committed to access to justice and using the practice of law to enrich the lives of clients and build better communities
• Interested in using technology and innovation to explore new ways of providing cost-effective legal services
• Interested in social entrepreneurship
• Excited to explore new ideas about problem-solving taking a collaborative approach with other program lawyers, leaders in the legal profession and the community, and your clients.
Sounds like you? The deadline to apply is April 5, 2013. For more information, view the full job description at PSJD.org (log-in required).