Position Available: Alabama Bankruptcy Assistance Project (ABAP) Coordinator
Job Title: Alabama Bankruptcy Assistance Project (ABAP) Coordinator
Reports to: VLP Program Director – Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham
Status: Salary – Full Time
Please apply by sending a resume and cover letter to Glory McLaughlin at gmclaughlin@volunteerlawyersbham.org.
Job Summary and Qualifications:
The Alabama Bankruptcy Assistance Project (ABAP) is a project developed by the South Alabama VLP, Montgomery VLP, Madison County VLP, Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham, and Alabama State Bar VLP. ABAP will provide bankruptcy assistance services in Chapter 7 bankruptcies to low-income Alabamians, removing barriers to employment and housing and benefiting the community as a whole. The ABAP Coordinator will work out of the office space at Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham.
The ABAP project has two components:
1) A comprehensive bankruptcy training for volunteers; and
2) Centralized staffing that would streamline client case development and minimize the administrative burden on volunteer attorneys, increasing the number of clients served. The ABAP Coordinator is guided by an Advisory Council consisting of US Bankruptcy Judges, Chapter 7 Trustees, VLP Program Directors, and practitioners.
Responsibilities:
- Responsible for recruiting and retaining volunteers to participate in the ABAP, through the development and implementation of strategies to expand the pool of volunteers accepting pro bono referrals
- Independently facilitates the placement and tracking of eligible cases with volunteers
- Serves as a key liaison to volunteers and provides training and support to volunteers
- Plans and develops volunteer recognition efforts
- Responsible for ABAP program development and delivery of legal services
- Other Duties as directed
Requirements:
- Commitment to access to justice for all
- Ability to treat everyone with compassion, dignity, and patience
- Ability to recruit, manage, and recognize a volunteer corps consisting primarily of lawyers, paralegals and other professionals in the legal field
- Ability to perform detailed, accurate, and complete work product
- Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally
- Effective organizational skills
- Ability to collaborate with the VLP Program Directors, volunteers, the Courts, and others
- Experience and familiarity with office equipment and computer programs including Best Case, Pacer and other legal programs necessary to perform key functions of the position.
- The ABAP Coordinator should be a qualified attorney with bankruptcy experience.
Evening or weekend work may be required. Travel, predominantly in-state, is a requirement.
Salary range $55,000 – 65,000 based on qualifications and experience.
This is a grant-funded position.