Senior Volunteer Recruiter, Bi-Lingual (Part-Time)

About Pro Bono Ontario

Pro Bono Ontario (PBO) is a registered charity that increases access to justice in Ontario. PBO bridges the gap between lawyers who want to donate their services and low-income Ontarians who cannot afford a lawyer or qualify for legal aid. With a focus on legal problems that are both common and under-served, such as employment, housing, consumer protection, consumer debt, and estate planning (including substitute decision making, wills and powers of attorney), each year PBO serves 34,000 low-income clients with nowhere else to turn. 

Staff and volunteers of one of PBO’s best-known services, the Free Legal Advice Hotline, answer 30,000 calls each year and make a significant difference in the lives of people who would not otherwise have access to legal assistance. PBO was founded with funding from the Law Foundation of Ontario in 2001 when there was no tradition of organized pro bono legal services in Ontario and, since that time, the organization has worked effectively with the private bar to provide meaningful access to justice for Ontarians through programs that serve children and youth, self-represented litigants, artists, non-profits, and start-ups, among others. 

About the Position

Pro Bono Ontario is seeking a bi-lingual Volunteer Recruiter to inspire lawyers to volunteer with PBO. The successful candidate with work to connect lawyers with pro bono opportunities that meet the civil legal needs of low-income Ontarians and align with PBO’s strategic objectives. Building strong relationships with stakeholders across the legal sector is essential to success in this role.  

The successful candidate will believe strongly in access to justice and in PBO’s ability to harness the skills and enthusiasm of the private bar in service of improved access to justice. The candidate will have exceptional interpersonal and communication skills and will be able to organize efforts to reach and build relationships with new segments of the private bar, including Francophone lawyers.  

The Volunteer Recruiter will grow our operation by enhancing our ability to address unmet legal needs through the development of partnerships with the private bar (e.g., law firms, legal departments & law associations). 

This position reports to the Executive Director. 

Duties an Responsibilities

• Cultivate, develop and maintain relationships with pro bono lawyers, law firms, pro bono coordinators, and legal departments 

• Recruit new volunteer lawyers  

• Retain and build strong relationships with existing volunteers, including individual lawyers, law firms, legal departments, and law associations 

• Develop and deliver presentations regularly to law firms, law associations, legal departments and other groups 

• Develop and implement strategies and plans to increase volunteer recruitment, engagement and retention 

• Support pro bono lawyers, including connecting them to technical legal support and mentoring  

• Collaborate with staff to recruit and train lawyers for specific rosters (e.g., francophone, employment and consumer panels) 

Requirements of the Position

We are seeking a positive and energetic candidate, who is both a team player and someone who can prioritize and manage diverse responsibilities well. Other required qualifications include: 

• Has a growing network within Ontario’s private bar  

• LL.B or J.D. from an accredited law school is an asset 

• Oral and written French  

• Familiarity with one or more of the areas of civil, non-family, law that PBO currently addresses 

• Deep commitment to increasing access to justice in Ontario and working effectively with diverse populations  

• Exceptional oral, written and organizational skills 

• Proficient with the MS Office suite and comfort with learning new technology (prior experience with Salesforce or another CRM is an asset) 

Additional Information

This position is part-time (0.4 – 0.5 FTE)  

Salary range – $35,000 – $40,000 depending on hours and qualifications 

Pro Bono Ontario offers an RRSP program, benefits, and a largely remotely working environment. Some aspects of this position, including presentations to law firms, will be in person. 

Some travel is expected. 

Pro Bono Ontario is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes candidates from equity-deserving groups and is committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities. Please let us know if you require accommodation during any aspect of the recruitment process and we will collaborate with you to address your needs.  

PBO does not use AI to screen applicants.