Volunteer Legal Intake Coordinator

The ACLU of Oregon seeks a dedicated volunteer Legal Intake Coordinator. Founded in 1955, ACLU of Oregon’s mission is to preserve, protect, and advance the individual civil liberties and civil rights of Oregonians. Every year the ACLU of Oregon receives thousands of requests for legal assistance via email, mail, and through our Legal Request telephone line. These requests are related to a broad range of civil liberties and constitutional law issues. The Legal Intake Coordinator will work closely with the Legal Director and the legal intake volunteers to oversee the tracking, screening, research, and responses to legal requests.

RESPONSIBILITIES
•    Review and assess requests for assistance, distinguishing complaints of interest from ones with which the ACLU cannot assist. Provide information, advice or referrals. Coordinate and support legal intake volunteers for the legal complaint line, letter and email request review.

•    Develop and update informational materials in response to common inquiries. Maintain self-help, resource materials, complaint forms, and training materials.

•    Organize training opportunities to keep legal department volunteers abreast of civil liberties issues and ACLU policies.

•    Train and supervise legal department interns who take on special projects. In conjunction with the Legal Director, identify potential projects for intern assignment.

•    Supervise the intake volunteers in the management of intake records and databases. Ensure that the intake and referral service records are accurate, up-to-date and well-organized.

•    Investigate selected civil liberties complaints. Engage in factual development and basic research. 

QUALIFICATIONS
Volunteer should be familiar with the legal field. They must possess excellent written and interpersonal skills, a sense of humor, and a passion for civil liberties. Applicants should be comfortable conducting research on the internet and using Microsoft Word, Excel and Access. Fluency in a language other than English is a plus.

COMMITMENT
10 – 20 hours per week for 12 months.

This is an unpaid volunteer opportunity. The ACLU of Oregon office is located in downtown Portland. Bus fare or parking validation is available.

TO APPLY
If you are interested in joining our intrepid team of volunteers, please email a detailed letter of interest, résumé, and a writing sample in PDF format to Sarah Armstrong. In your letter please be sure to highlight the civil liberties/civil rights issues that interest you and why you would like to volunteer with the ACLU of Oregon.