Senior Pro Bono Practice Coordinator

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP•Washington, DC

5h•$90,000 - $120,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. We are currently seeking a Senor Pro Bono Practice Coordinator in our Client Value and Practice Management department, reporting directly the Pro Bono Partner, Pro Bono Counsel, and Paralegal Manager. The position can reside in either the Washington DC or New York office with hybrid work capabilities, and will be responsible for supporting the practice administration and operations needs of the firm-wide Pro Bono Practice, including serving as primary administrator of our pro bono legal clinics. As a member of a dynamic and collaborative team, the Pro Bono Practice Senior Coordinator is expected to perform all responsibilities with a commitment to providing superior service to the firm’s attorneys, advisors and staff, and maintaining an atmosphere of teamwork and continuous improvement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
3-5 years of related practice support and experience, preferably in a law firm or legal services organization.
Advanced working knowledge of MS Office applications including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint, and ability to work in various software applications as needed, including Foundation and Paladin.
Excellent interpersonal skills and sensitivity to the complexities of a partnership.
Commitment to the public interest; experience with a legal services organization.
Willingness and ability to learn new software programs.
Superior written and oral communication skills.
Strong service orientation, work ethic and attention to detail.
Ability to quickly and proactively identify and analyze problems, develop solutions and deliver results.
Strong analytical skills, with excellent business acumen.
Ability to use initiative and judgment to accomplish results.
Ability to read, comprehend and follow instructions.
Ability to use critique of work to improve performance.
Demonstrated poise and professionalism when interacting with peers, attorneys, office, firm and practice management, and outside business contacts.
Ability to prioritize, manage heavy workload and adjust to changing priorities, work independently and as a member of a team, manage multiple projects with specific deadlines, and complete tasks under time pressure as necessary.
Commitment to maintaining confidentiality of all information and adhering to the Firm’s Core Values.
Commitment to the office and firm, as well as the legal services community.
Commitment to professional growth and development.

Nice To Haves

Spanish fluency is highly desirable; other language fluency (especially Arabic, Dari or Pashto) is a plus.

Responsibilities

Manage, under supervision of Pro Bono Team members, all aspects of pro bono practice administration, including: - Creating and generating reports for use by the Pro Bono Team, office Pro Bono Committees and practice group management.
Facilitating pro bono matter opening process and working with Risk & Compliance Services to assist as needed with issues related to opening new matters and conflicts clearance.
Assisting with all aspects of the charitable donation process, including preparing check requests, coordinating transmittal of the donations, and keeping track of all donations.
Responding to annual audit requests from legal services organizations and keep track of deadlines for submission of external surveys and nominations.
Designing presentation materials for billable clients interested in partnering with Akin on pro bono opportunities.
Assist with pro bono matter risk management, including: - Monitoring staffing needs and working with the Pro Bono Team to ensure that all matters are fully staffed at all times with appropriate personnel.
Liaising with legal teams to determine the status of matters and communicating with Pro Bono Team regarding any legal questions or challenges.
Utilizing reports and coordinating with Finance to ensure hours are credited to proper client/matter numbers.
Facilitate attorney engagement with pro bono, including: - Assisting with the maintenance of our pro bono opportunities database, Paladin, and setting up and tracking attorney interest surveys.
Organizing practice-related programming, including CLEs, trainings, and topical events.
Assisting with planning the annual Pro Bono Awards and Auction and the annual programming for our Pro Bono Scholars summer program for first-year law students.
Drafting and preparing internal publications for weekly and monthly distribution regarding ongoing pro bono opportunities, successes, and news.
Serve as primary administrator of pro bono clinics, including: - Facilitating the onboarding of all clinic clients and legal teams. Serve as main contact for clients during the onboarding process to resolve any access issues and questions about required documents.
Developing and maintaining risk management and tracking systems for all clinics.
Developing remote clinics for diverse pro bono matter types.
Foster relationships with legal services organizations, including: - Maintaining reports on Akin’s engagement with legal services organizations to facilitate outreach by Akin liaisons.
Working with liaisons to coordinate the staffing of tickets and tables for events.
Assist with responding to requests for assistance from members of the public on an as-needed basis.
Establish strong rapport and working relationships with other administrative staff, attorneys at the firm, and non-profit or legal service organization liaisons.
Foster and encourage a culture of superior client service, responsiveness, and collegiality.