CJW Project Coordinator

Montana Legal Services Association•Helena, MT

53d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Community Justice Worker (CJW) Project Coordinator is responsible for implementing, managing, and continually improving MLSA’s Community Justice Worker Project—an innovative statewide initiative that trains, certifies, and supports non-lawyer advocates to provide limited legal services in Montana. The Coordinator ensures the project meets grant requirements, supports access to justice for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and strengthens legal assistance capacity in rural and tribal communities. This position works closely with community partners, MLSA staff, MLSA’s Tribal Advocacy Incubator Project (TAIP), the Montana Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission, the State Bar of Montana, and the Office of the Court Administrator.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree; equivalent professional experience will be considered.
Experience working with low-income clients.
Demonstrated commitment to access to justice, community-based advocacy, or the high quality delivery of legal services.
Strong program coordination, project management, and organizational skills.
Ability to work collaboratively with diverse partners including courts, tribal communities, advocacy organizations, and legal professionals.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Experience working collaboratively and empathetically with diverse groups of colleagues and clients who have varying cultural backgrounds, perspectives, experience, and expertise.
Comfort with data tracking, reporting, and documentation.
Ability to travel, occasionally overnight.

Nice To Haves

Experience in legal services, court systems, or victim advocacy.
Familiarity with Montana Justice and City Court procedures.
Experience with grant-funded program reporting and management.
Understanding of professional conduct rules or legal ethics (training provided).

Responsibilities

Program Implementation & Management
Lead day-to-day operations of the CJW Project across multiple counties and tribal reservations.
Develop, refine, and manage project workflows, timelines, and deliverables consistent with MLSA’s strategic goals and grant obligations.
Coordinate pilot phases for Medicaid Appeals representation and simple housing and consumer law matters, as well as working with the Domestic Violence CJW Project Coordinator.
Maintain compliance with Montana Supreme Court certification requirements, Rule 14 modifications, and all program-specific practice limitations.
Recruitment, Training & Certification of Community Justice Workers
Recruit community partner staff, tribal lay advocates, and other community members to serve as CJWs.
Coordinate curriculum development with appropriate experts.
Organize the delivery of training programs covering:
Client confidentiality and ethics
Conflicts of interest avoidance
Professional conduct obligations
Courtroom simulation exercises and practice skill development
Medicaid Appeals Process
Consumer Debt Actions in Courts of Limited Jurisdiction
Evictions and other appropriate Housing matters in Courts of Limited Jurisdiction
Administer certification processes, including tracking training completion, simulation evaluations, and certification exams.
Maintain and update training materials, manuals, and evaluation tools.
Support & Supervision of CJWs
Serve as the primary point of contact for active CJWs across the state.
Coordinate mentoring, shadowing, and case-review sessions between CJWs and appropriate attorney mentors.
Monitor caseloads and ensure CJWs are operating within authorized practice areas.
Assist in identifying complex cases requiring referral to MLSA attorneys.
Track CJW compliance with ethical rules, confidentiality policies, and all program standards.
Partnership & Stakeholder Coordination
Maintain productive working relationships with project and community partners.
Facilitate communication between partners, courts, and participating agencies.
Represent MLSA and the CJW Project at meetings, conferences, task forces, and public presentations.
Data Collection, Reporting & Evaluation
Collect data on training, certification, cases handled, client demographics, and program outcomes.
Prepare and submit regular grant reports working with MLSA administrative staff, and other reports on the Project as requested.
Assist in monitoring grant deliverables and ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and MLSA reporting requirements.
Contribute to continuous project evaluation and improvement, including tracking justice gap impact, success metrics, and client satisfaction.
Client Safety, Informed Consent & Ethical Compliance
Ensure applicants for legal assistance receive clear information that CJWs are not attorneys and are practicing under limited authorization.
Oversee written informed consent procedures required before representation begins.
Manage the CJW grievance process, ensuring clients have accessible avenues for raising concerns.