GET INVOLVED

There are many ways to support Start Small and get involved in our important work in the South Bronx.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Providing Pro Bono Legal Assistance

Each year fewer than 20 percent of low-income people with civil legal problems obtain the legal assistance they need. Volunteer attorneys play an essential role in bridging this justice gap. Please consider sharing your expertise and knowledge.

We are currently looking for law firms to help staff both our Consumer Debt and Bankruptcy Legal Advice and Referral Clinics. The Consumer Debt Clinic helps clients deal with personal debt and banking problems. We focus in particular on identity theft, frozen bank account/garnished wages, consumer debt judgments, credit reporting errors/disputes, debt collection harassment/general problems with creditors, student loans, and medical debt. The Bankruptcy Clinic helps clients in serious financial difficulty contemplating filing for bankruptcy or otherwise involved in a bankruptcy case. Both of these Clinics are limited to providing general information, advice, and brief services, and do not provide representation. If your firm is interested in helping staff one of these Clinics, please contact Jason Labate at jason@startsmallthinkbig.org or (718) 665-5250. 

Start Small gratefully acknowledges the individuals, law firms, foundations corporations and institutions that support our work with financial contributions and pro bono assistance.

Our current partners include Bingham McCutchen, Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, Bronx Women’s Business Resource Center, Business Outreach Center Network, Checkspring Bank, The Columbia Business School Small Business Consulting Program, The Community Resource Exchange, Debevoise & Plimpton, East Side House Settlement, Fordham Law School Community Development Clinic, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service, Lehman College Small Business Development Center, The NonProfit Coordinating Committee of New York, Per Scholas, SCORE/Bronx, Supporting Healthy Marriage, and The Urban Justice Center’s Community Development Project.

If you would like to volunteer, or if you have another idea for how you would like to help, please contact us. 

INTERNSHIPS & FELLOWSHIPS 

Right now, we are looking for:

Economic Empowerment Legal Fellow / Spring 2011

The Economic Empowerment Legal Fellow reports directly to the Director of Programs and Operations and is responsible for providing logistical programming support to Start Small's civil legal programs. The successful candidate will share Start Small’s mission and have exceptional organizational and communication skills,  be able to manage multiple tasks and projects, take initiative and pay careful attention to detail.

Job Responsibilities shall include, but are not limited to:

-- Conducting intake interviews with clients (approximately an hour each), and summarizing the background and legal issues identified in a pro bono attorney referral form.

-- Working with the Director of Programs and Operations and pro bono legal partners to develop legal education workshop presentations and materials.

-- Providing logistical support for legal education workshop presentations.

-- Developing informational packets on common small business, consumer debt, and bankruptcy legal issues.

-- Creating forms, documents, and online content to support Start Small’s civil legal activities and programs.

-- Conducting follow-up interviews with Start Small legal clients to evaluate client progress and program impact and identify new legal needs/issues.

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

-- 2nd or 3rd year JD candidate, with an interest in corporate law, tax, finance, and/or community development (Corporations and Agency, Partnership and LLC courses highly recommended)

-- Experience working with low-income, minority populations.

-- Strong verbal communication skills, excellent organizational ability, time management, and interpersonal skills.

-- Highly organized, creative and self-motivated.

-- Excellent computer skills.

-- Excellent project management skills, with careful attention to detail.

-- Strong understanding of discretion and confidentiality.

-- Commitment to the mission of the organization.

-- Vision, enthusiasm, tact, sense of humor, and grace under pressure.

-- Bilingual (English/Spanish), preferred. 

Please note that this is an unpaid fellowship.

TO APPLY: Submit resume and a one-page cover letter to: Jennifer DaSilva @ jenny@startsmallthinkbig.org (include subject line: “[your name] 
(Legal Fellow). Deadline: December 16, 2011.