Pro Bono Nonprofit Senior Attorney

Description:

Job Details:
The Pro Bono Nonprofit Sr. Attorney plays an important role in supporting the firm's Pro Bono Initiative, which supports a diverse array of charitable missions that strengthen the communities in which we live and work. By providing legal support to nonprofit organizations, the firm helps drive positive change and fosters innovation in the nonprofit sector. This work also creates meaningful opportunities for Goodwin attorneys to apply their legal skills to organizations and causes that are meaningful to them, supporting a culture of service, professional growth, and personal fulfillment. Nonprofit pro bono work expands transactional pro bono opportunities, encourages broad attorney engagement, and strengthens the firm's ties to the communities it serves. Because much of the Firm's pro bono work falls substantively under the aegis of the Tax Exempt Organizations (TEO) sub-group of the T&E/TEO Business Law Department (BLD) Legal Specialty Group, the Sr. Attorney will report to that group for substantive purposes, with the Pro Bono Committee having an oversight function with respect to the aspects of the role related to the development and expansion of pro bono opportunities for business law attorneys.

The Sr. Attorney is responsible for supporting and expanding the firm's pro bono work for nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations. This role focuses on onboarding nonprofit clients, managing matters for existing clients, and providing legal oversight and mentorship to business law attorneys engaged in nonprofit pro bono matters. The essential duties and responsibilities outlined below directly support the role's mission to expand and strengthen the firm's pro bono practice for tax-exempt organizations, with a particular focus on engaging and mentoring general business law attorneys while providing hands-on expertise for more complex matters. With a strong emphasis on risk management and professional development, the Sr. Attorney ensures excellent results for clients and meaningful opportunities for firm attorneys. A core aspect of the position is to actively engage and empower general business law attorneys in pro bono work, fostering broad attorney participation across the firm. Recognizing the complexity of certain matters, the Sr. Attorney must balance hands-on involvement in challenging client matters with mentoring and oversight responsibilities, dedicating approximately 70% of their time to guiding and supporting other attorneys (including business development activities), and 30% to direct client service. Key responsibilities include screening and onboarding nonprofit pro bono clients, providing substantive tax support and oversight for 501(c)(3) matters, serving as a resource for Goodwin attorneys, collaborating with the Knowledge Management team to maintain and enhance exempt organization forms, precedents, and resources, and engaging in business development activities to cultivate pro bono opportunities related to tax-exempt organizations.

Success in this role requires not only deep expertise in tax-exempt organization law, sound judgment, and exceptional communication skills, but also the ability to be a skillful teacher and mentor. The Sr. Attorney must be able to discern which matters are appropriate for non-specialists and which require specialist involvement. Being a skillful teacher and guide, driven by a genuine desire to mentor junior attorneys and a willingness to empower others by relinquishing direct control, is essential not only for fostering confidence in less experienced attorneys, but also for building a sustainable and engaged pro bono nonprofit practice. In addition, the attorney must be highly organized, dependable, and adept at working both independently and collaboratively, with a proactive approach to addressing challenges and managing details. Strong people skills and the ability to interact effectively across all organizational levels, as well as with potential nonprofit pro bono clients, are essential, as is a commitment to client service, risk management, attorney professional development, and broad pro bono engagement. Strategic thinking is also critical, particularly in identifying and cultivating a group of firm attorneys interested in nonprofit work who can serve as future mentors and resources for their colleagues and building out the firm's roster of nonprofit pro bono clients. As outlined above, this position reports to the TEO subgroup within the T&E/TEO Legal Specialty Group for substantive legal purposes and works in close partnership with the Pro Bono team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Deliver Direct Client Service:
• Provide hands-on legal support for complex nonprofit, tax-exempt matters requiring specialized expertise.
• Balance direct client service with mentoring and oversight, dedicating the majority of time to supporting other attorneys.
• Facilitate Intake and Manage Matters:
• Lead onboarding for new nonprofit pro bono clients, including screening requests, scoping calls, and preparing engagement letters.
• Oversee risk management throughout the lifecycle of pro bono matters, including intake, matter opening, staffing transitions, and case closures.
• Design and implement staffing risk management policies and procedures in collaboration with the Pro Bono Team, the Pro Bono Committee, and other stakeholders.
• Provide Mentoring and Oversight:
• Engage, mentor, and oversee corporate attorneys working on nonprofit pro bono matters, offering substantive guidance, training, and support.
• Supervise pro bono matters for nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations to ensure excellent client outcomes and meaningful attorney development.
• Collaborate on and facilitate training programs, clinics, and events to build corporate and transactional skills and promote broad attorney participation.
• Serve as a resource for attorneys on engagement letters, co-counseling agreements, client management, and legal ethics.
• Offer “Office Hours” weekly for firm attorneys.
• Strengthen Collaboration and Practice Support:
• Build and maintain relationships across corporate practice groups and with legal service organizations, in collaboration with the Pro Bono team, to promote pro bono engagement and participation in pro bono initiatives across offices and practice groups.
• Maintain and enhance knowledge management resources, forms, precedents, and databases for pro bono practice areas.
• Promote Attorney Engagement and Professional Development:
• Encourage attorney engagement in pro bono representation of tax-exempt clients.
• Track progress and outcomes of transactional pro bono matters to ensure timely completion and professional development.
• Support associates' growth by developing and facilitating nonprofit-related training programs and collaborating with the Pro Bono and Learning + Professional Development teams.
• Develop and Deliver Training and Knowledge Resources:
• Develop, facilitate, and deliver trainings on nonprofit law, entity formation, and corporate governance.
• Monitor legal developments and update attorneys as needed.
• Participate in tax-exempt group meetings and maintain membership in relevant bar groups.
• Engage in Business Development Activities:
• Foster relationships with legal services organizations to develop a pipeline of potential nonprofit pro bono clients.
• Attend industry conferences and events to develop opportunities for additional nonprofit pro bono work for Goodwin attorneys.

Other Responsibilities: