___

Jericho Road Legal Aid Clinic Seeks a Director of Legal Services

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jericho Road Legal Aid Clinic, 184 Barton Street, Buffalo, New York, Serving the Legal Needs of the West Side Community, seeks a Director of Legal Services.

The West Side Community of Buffalo is home to poor and low income families, including an ever growing population of Asian and East African immigrants. The Jericho Road Legal Aid Clinic (JRLAC) seeks to provide free legal services to individuals and families living in this community, concentrating on the areas of family, housing and landlord tenant, labor and employment, and immigration law. To fulfill this purpose, JRLAC will rely heavily upon a core group of experienced volunteer lawyers led by the Director of Legal Services.

About the Position

The Director of Legal Services will be responsible for the management of the day-to-day operations of the JRLAC and will report to its Board of Directors.

High priority roles and responsibilities of the Director of Legal Services will include:
· development and implementation of procedures for intake interviews and
screening of all prospective clients for legal services
· recruitment of an Advisory Board of Attorneys who volunteer their time and services in the core areas of the Clinic's legal practice
· development and implementation of training for the Advisory Board of Attorneys
· advice and counseling and full representation of clients, including preparation of legal documents and pleadings, and court appearances on behalf of JRLAC clients
· supervision of an AmeriCorp volunteer who will assist with the day-to-day operations of the clinic, handle telephone and in-person interviews with clients and prospective clients, and with other needs of the Director of Legal Services and the volunteer lawyers
· supervision of a part time secretary/receptionist who will assist with office operations and preparation of legal documents for client matters

In addition, as a high priority, the Director of Legal Services will work with the Board of Directors of JRLAC to raise funds for the organization annually, including the solicitation of grants and contributions from governmental agencies, foundations, law firms, businesses, churches, individuals and other sources of funding for the Clinic's operations. The Clinic anticipates needing $100,000 per year for its operations.

The successful Director of Legal Services will:
- be a lawyer admitted to practice in the State of New York with two to four years experience

- be an energetic and collaborative leader who is passionate about JRLAC's mission and has a demonstrated commitment to low income clients

- have experience supervising staff and working with volunteers

- possess management experience, including budgeting and resource development

- display excellent written and oral communication skills

- have a demonstrated ability to build a new program

- have a background in one or more of the Clinic's areas of practice including family, housing and landlord tenant, labor and employment, and immigration law

- value diversity and be culturally competent; proficiency in a foreign language is a plus

The salary of the Director of Legal Services will be commensurate with experience and benefits are competitive.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. In order to be assured of consideration, however, candidates should submit their materials by December 18, 2009. Interested candidates should submit a letter expressing in detail why they are interested in the position of Director of Legal Services, as well as what they believe they can contribute to the future of Jericho road Legal Aid Clinic and its client community. The letter should be accompanied by a current resume and include the names and contact information of three references.

Materials should be submitted electronically to Jeff Meyer at JMeyer@baillie.com, a member of the Board of Directors, in Microsoft Word format. Candidates with questions about the position or the process should contact Jeff Meyer at the email address above.

About Jericho Road Legal Aid Clinic

Jericho Road Legal Aid Clinic (JRLAC) is a program of Jericho Ministries which began five years ago as a not-for-profit, faith-based adjunct to Jericho Road Family Practice, which has provided safety-net medical care in Buffalo for over ten years. Jericho Ministries' mission is to strengthen the character and relationships of families, children, and individuals through attention to health, wellness, education, and spirituality based on mutual respect, understanding, and trust, motivated by God's call to serve the poor. Jericho Road Ministries offers programs including Jericho Road Family Health Practice, a family medical practice, and Journey's End Resettlement Service, an organization assisting the growing immigrant community. Jericho Road Ministries welcomes the addition of the legal clinic, JRLAC, to address a great need of West Side clients.

The mission of JRLAC is to provide legal services to poor and low income residents of the West Side who would otherwise be subject to injustice or be unable to protect their legal rights. In serving those who are in desperate need of legal services, JRLAC will provide a fulfilling opportunity for lawyers to offer pro bono services, utilizing their experience to positively impact the lives of individuals and families living in the West Side.

JRLAC expects to concentrate its services in the areas of family, housing and landlord tenant, labor and employment, and immigration law. It does not intend to provide criminal defense representation.

JRLAC is a New York not-for-profit and 501(c)(3) organization. It has a board of directors consisting of lawyers, business leaders and community leaders. It has a staff of three, including a Director of Legal Services, an AmeriCorp volunteer, and a part time secretary/receptionist. Experienced lawyers will comprise a Board of Volunteer Attorneys and will serve clients in the areas of their practice and experience.