Job Description – Pro Bono Director
The Chicago Bar Foundation
The Pro Bono Director of The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) is the primary
point person within the CBF and The Chicago Bar Association (CBA) on pro bono issues
and as detailed below is responsible for promoting pro bono in the CBA and larger legal
community and among the CBF’s grantee organizations. The Pro Bono Director reports
to the CBF’s Associate Director.
The Pro Bono Director is required to be a licensed attorney with experience in the
practice of law that includes pro bono or legal aid experience and to have: a demonstrated
commitment to the CBF’s mission; a solid understanding of the legal community as a
whole, and the pro bono and legal aid community specifically; leadership and
management experience; strong organizational and communications skills; and a
demonstrated record of working effectively towards common goals with people and
organizations representing diverse sets of interests. It is strongly preferred that the Pro
Bono Director also have experience teaching or training attorneys as well.
The CBF, a nonprofit charitable organization, offers a competitive salary,
comprehensive benefits package and flexible work environment. The salary range for the
Pro Bono Director position is $65,000 to $75,000, depending upon experience. The CBF
is an equal opportunity employer.
As the charitable arm of The Chicago Bar Association, The Chicago Bar
Foundation brings our legal community together around a cause that is uniquely
important to us as lawyers and legal professionals: working to ensure that everyone in the
Chicago area has access to justice, particularly the low-income and disadvantaged
Chicagoans who most need the protections of our civil legal system. Through grants,
advocacy and other programs, the CBF takes a system-wide approach to improving
access to justice and focuses on objectives we can best achieve by coming together as a
community.
EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL ATTRIBUTES
The Pro Bono Director must be a licensed attorney and must demonstrate an
understanding of, and dedication to, the mission of the CBF to ensure access to justice for
the less fortunate in our community. As one of the principal representatives for the CBF,
this individual must be a strong leader and excellent communicator with the ability to
engage and inspire staff, volunteers and the various stakeholders of the CBF, including:
the members of the CBA and the larger Chicago area legal community; the legal aid
community; policymakers; the corporate and foundation community; the courts; and the
general public.
In addition, the Pro Bono Director should possess the following skills and experience:
 Experience in the practice of law that includes pro bono or legal aid
experience and active bar involvement;
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A solid understanding of the legal community;
Excellent communication skills, both oral and written – this individual must
be able to communicative effectively both within the CBF and to audiences
outside the CBF concerning the mission and goals of the CBF;
Excellent management and organizational skills;
A record of working effectively towards common goals with people and
organizations representing diverse sets of interests; and
Experience in teaching or training attorneys.
Professional Strengths and Characteristics:
The following professional strengths and characteristics are important in the Pro
Bono Director:
 Credibility and stature to inspire the confidence of the CBF Board, staff,
volunteers and other stakeholders;
 Decisive leadership capabilities, including the ability to make decisions
 The highest ethical character and integrity;
 The ability to manage and resolve conflicts, confrontations and disagreements by
forming positive alliances with stakeholders and achieving compromises and
solutions; and
 The ability to work well within a small and collegial working environment.
JOB DUTIES
The new CBF Pro Bono Director’s duties include:
Act as Point Person within CBA and CBF for Pro Bono Issues
 Manage the CBF Pro Bono Support Program, responding to inquiries from
attorneys, law students and others in legal community about available pro bono
opportunities and helping to match them with organizations that have relevant
opportunities
 Promote the CBA Pro Bono Resolution and pro bono generally among the CBA
membership
 Staff the annual CBA/CBF Pro Bono Week
 Act as lead staff for planning and implementation of the pro bono aspects of the
annual YLS Pro Bono and Community Service Fair
Manage and Regularly Communicate Information on Available Pro Bono
Opportunities
 Periodically update, edit and publish the CBF Pro Bono Opportunities Guide
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Act as Liaison between Legal Aid, Public Interest Law and Bar Organizations and
Law Firms and Corporations on Pro Bono Issues
 Provide trainings for grantees on pro bono issues and promote best practices
through the CBF’s grants process
 Solicit and communicate feedback from volunteers to grantees to improve pro
bono practices
Act as Point Person on Pro Bono Issues for CBF Leadership Circles
 Manage pro bono commitments for the CBF Law Firm and Corporate Leadership
Circles
 Work with law firm professional development directors and grantees to leverage
law firm resources and provide legal aid attorneys with more and better training
and professional development opportunities
 Work with other CBF staff to promote other “non-traditional” pro bono in firms
and corporations as part of the Leadership Circles, including advocacy,
marketing, and administrative issues
Work with PILI and CBF Grantees on Areas of Common Interest (lead partner in
parenthesis)
 Promote best practices on pro bono among CBF grantees (CBF)
 Promote pro bono and related support as part of new lawyer trainings (CBF)
 Play a leadership role in larger system-wide policy and advocacy on pro bono
issues (CBF)
 Work with grantee organizations to ensure that accurate and up to date
information about available pro bono opportunities is posted on
www.illinoisprobono.org and elsewhere (PILI)
 Develop and manage periodic forums and workshops on “macro level” pro bono
issues (PILI)
 Conduct periodic pro bono surveys (PILI)
Other
 Attend major legal and philanthropic community events to help build awareness
of CBF and develop partner relationships.
 Participate in Donors Forum of Chicago and other philanthropic initiatives.
 Maintain awareness of CBF projects, latest news in legal community, and issues
affecting CBF mission.
APPLICATIONS
The Chicago Bar Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. To apply for the
Pro Bono Director position, please send resume and cover letter by August 1, 2008 to:
Bob Glaves, Executive Director, The Chicago Bar Foundation, 321 S. Plymouth Court,
Suite 3B, Chicago, IL 60604 or bglaves@chicagobar.org. No phone calls please.
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