New Hampshire Legal Assistance Seeks an Executive Director
New Hampshire Legal Assistance (NHLA) seeks an Executive Director to lead this award winning
nonprofit legal aid organization which is the cornerstone of civil justice for people in poverty throughout
New Hampshire. To address legal problems which affect daily survival and most basic needs, it offers its
clients high quality civil legal services including vigorous and thorough individual representation in New
Hampshire’s courts and complex impact litigation and multi-faceted legislative and regulatory advocacy.
About the Position
The next Executive Director will lead NHLA in a time of great opportunity as the organization undertakes
to protect, enhance and develop NHLA as a force for clients, nurture the rising generation of NHLA staff,
and continue its leadership role in New Hampshire and throughout the national legal aid community.
NHLA has been well-served by its highly regarded executive director who is retiring after 18 years in the
position and 38 in the organization.
High Priority Roles and Responsibilities for the Next Executive Director:
To provide the leadership and structural support which strengthens and protects high quality work of
maximum impact for clients by staff.
To increase NHLA revenue from all sources, including state legislative funding, private fundraising and
grants and contracts.
To build on NHLA’s history of successful legislative and regulatory advocacy for its client community.
To creatively engage the board and help board members contribute to NHLA’s success.
To meet existing strategic plan goals and build the foundation for the next strategic plan.
To develop exceptional staff in face of significant projected retirements.
To deepen relationships among partners so that the organizations serving low income clients work
increasingly better together.
To effectively serve as the public face of NHLA in its communities and relationships.
Qualifications of the Next Executive Director:
A deep commitment to advocacy for the legal rights of low income and vulnerable clients, experience in
a legal aid organization is a plus.
Demonstrated success in resource development, including state legislative funding, private fundraising
and grant writing.
Experience in or skills suited to working in the legislative arena.
Management experience involving staff supervision, financial oversight and reporting, budget
development, and compliance with grant, contract and legal requirements.
A job/responsibility trajectory that shows drive, rapid advancement and peer recognition.
A practice of relationship building and stakeholder interaction rooted in a collaborative model.
Demonstrated success thriving in a non-hierarchical setting.
High emotional intelligence; high work ethic; humility; unquestioned integrity of the highest order.
Possession of a JD and NH license or eligibility to become licensed in NH.
Application Process
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. To receive full consideration, please submit
your application materials by April 14, 2014. Please include a letter expressing in detail your interest
in the position, your qualifications, and what you hope to contribute to the organization’s future; a
current resume; and the names and contact information for three professional references.
Materials should be emailed to ppap@m-i-e.org in Microsoft Word format.
NHLA is being assisted in the search by Patricia Pap, Executive Director, Management Information
Exchange, 99 Chauncy St., Suite 700, Boston, MA 02111, 617-556-0288, ppap@m-i-e.org,
www.mielegalaid.org. Candidates with questions about the position or process are encouraged to
contact her.
NHLA expects to make a hiring decision in mid-June 2014 and to have the successful candidate join
the organization soon thereafter.
NHLA is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates with disabilities, women,
persons of color and others who represent distinct linguistic or cultural communities to apply.
About New Hampshire Legal Assistance
NHLA receives generous support from a broad spectrum of the New Hampshire community and beyond.
Its largest funding sources are the State of New Hampshire and the Interest on Lawyers Trust Account
(IOLTA) program of the New Hampshire Bar Foundation. It has received grants from numerous local,
state and national foundations, United Ways, and municipal, state and federal agencies. Also important
is the ongoing support of local law firms, individual lawyers and others in the business community
through the annual Campaign for Legal Services.
NHLA has been a pioneer in in promoting salary improvements, law school loan assistance, and other
measures that enhance staff recruitment and retention in order to provide its clients with creative and
skillful advocacy.
NHLA has a staff of 29, working in five offices. NHLA’s budget for 2014 is $3.5 million.
NHLA carries out its work in partnership with the Legal Advice and Referral Center (LARC), which
provides legal advice by telephone and online intake. NHLA and LARC have integrated boards of
directors which meet together and function as one policy-making and oversight body to unify the
direction and vision of the two organizations. A third key partner is the Pro Bono Referral Program of
the New Hampshire Bar Association which recruits and trains private attorneys to assist low income
families and individuals with basic legal issues. NHLA’s advocates collaborate with a range of community
agencies and allies in the legal system and in the social service network.
For more information about New Hampshire Legal Assistance, visit www.nhla.org.
About New Hampshire
New Hampshire is regularly ranked as one of the top states to live in the country. With beautiful
mountains and forests, pristine lakes, and a vibrant Seacoast, New Hampshire residents are afforded a
wide range of recreational and cultural activities. NHLA’s administrative office is located in Concord,
which is just over an hour’s drive away from Boston, Massachusetts.