Many tasks in an immigration legal services program can be completed by volunteers. Using volunteers when possible frees up staff time that can be devoted to offering more services to clients. This toolkit contains helpful information on how to recruit and retain volunteers and how to incorporate them into your program’s overall service model. Sample forms are included as well as sample volunteer job descriptions.

Overview of Volunteer Management

• 10 Reasons to Use Volunteers for Charitable Immigration Legal Services
• 10 Considerations When Working with Volunteers
• Best Practices for Volunteer Management
• The Case for Hiring a Volunteer Manager

Needs Assessment: Determining Agency Volunteer Roles

• What Volunteers Can and Can’t Do in Legal Work
• 10 Tasks for a Volunteer in Your Legal Office
• Sample Job Description: Civics-Based ESL and Citizenship Instructor (Catholic Charities of Omaha)
• Sample Job Description: Legal Intern (Catholic Charities of Dallas, Inc.)
• Sample Job Description: Naturalization Tutor: (Catholic Charites of Omaha)
• Sample Job Description: Pro Bono Attorney (Catholic Charities of Omaha)
• Sample Job Description: Summer Legal Intern (Hogar Immigrant Services)
• Sample Job Description: Workshop Volunteer

Recruitment, Matching and Screening 

• Where to Find Volunteers
• Sample Volunteer Application and Acknowledgement Form (Catholic Charities of Dallas, Inc.)
• Sample Volunteer Confidentiality Agreement (Catholic Charities of Omaha) 

Supervision and Motivation

• Ways to Give Feedback to Volunteers
• Managing a Difficult Volunteer
• Volunteer Recognition: A Key Component of a Successful Volunteer Program
• Volunteer Evaluation Form (Hogar Immigrant Services) 

Training and DOJ Accreditation

• Department of Justice (DOJ) Accreditation for Volunteers
• Training Opportunities for Volunteers

Pro Bono Specific Resources

• Common Questions on Pro Bono Program Development
• 10 Considerations When Working with Pro Bono Attorneys
• Sample Job Description: Pro-Bono Attorney (Catholic Charities of Omaha)
• Sample Pro Bono Guidelines for Representation (Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project (Esperanza) of Catholic
  Charities Of Los Angeles, Inc.)
• Sample Pro Bono Attorney Acknowledgment (Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project (Esperanza) of Catholic
  Charities Of Los Angeles, Inc.)
• Sample Pro Bono Attorney Guidelines (National Immigrant Justice Center)
• Sample Pro Bono Project Newsletter April 2015 (National Immigrant Justice Center)
• Sample Pro Bono Retainer Agreement (National Immigrant Justice Center)
• Sample Contrato para Asistencia Legal Gratuita (National Immigrant Justice Center)

Webinar Recording

• Building Your Pro Bono Program - 08/31/2022