TEMPLE UNIVERSITY BEASLEY SCHOOL OF LAW is hiring a Postdoctoral Clinical Fellow in the Family Law Litigation Clinic. Details below:

Temple University Beasley School of Law (“Temple Law”) is committed to excellence in teaching, learning, scholarship, and service. The faculty is dedicated to preparing students to enter and continue in the legal profession with the highest level of skill possible, with a firm commitment to principles of professional responsibility, and with a sense of personal obligation to lead and to serve the communities in which they live and practice.

Temple Law has long been recognized – locally and nationally – as one of the nation’s leading institutions in Public Interest and Social Justice legal education.  Offering a comprehensive, diverse, and supportive learning environment for civically minded attorneys in training, Temple’s longstanding commitment to public service and equal access to justice is as evident outside of the classroom as it is within it.

The Temple Legal Aid Office provides free legal representation to low-income individuals in a variety of civil legal matters.  The Family Law Litigation Clinic provides direct legal representation to low-income litigants in child custody, child and spousal support, adoption and other family law matters.

Postdoctoral Clinical Fellow

The Postdoctoral Clinical Fellow in the Family Law Litigation Clinic will be primarily responsible for all aspects of case handling and case supervision in the Clinic, with support and supervision from the Clinical Professor. The fellow will be the attorney of record for a caseload of approximately 50-75 cases at a time, supervising the work of law students on many of the cases, and handling a small caseload on their own.  Clinic law students are certified by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to represent clients in court, and are responsible for all aspects of case handling, including client interviewing and counseling, drafting of pleadings, legal research and writing, negotiations with opposing counsel or parties, trial preparation, and court appearances. 

The Fellow will assist the Clinical Professor in teaching the two-credit Clinic seminar in both the Fall and Spring semesters.  The fellow will meet weekly for supervision meetings with Clinic students, as well as provide ongoing supervision and feedback to Clinic students on their case work.  The fellow will attend all scheduled court appearances with Clinic students.  The Fellow will be responsible for all aspects of case handling during times when Clinic students are not available, including Winter break, Spring break, and Summer.  

Essential functions of the position include serving as attorney of record for Clinic caseload; supervising law student work on cases; co-teach Clinic seminar with Clinic Professor; and participating in the activities of the Law School, as appropriate.

Fellowship Details

Education and experience

Candidates must have earned J.D. and be admitted to Pennsylvania Bar.  Otherwise, timely waiver into the Pennsylvania Bar is required.

Candidate must have a minimum of two years’ experience interviewing and counseling clients; drafting pleadings; negotiating settlements; conducting legal research and writing, trial preparation; trials and other court appearances. 

Required skills and abilities:

• ·         Experience interviewing and counseling clients.
• ·         Experience drafting pleadings.
• ·         Experience conducting legal research and writing.
• ·         Experience negotiating settlements.  
• ·         Experience with trials and other court appearances in state court.

Preferred education and experience:

• ·         Experience representing low-income litigants.
• ·         Experience with Philadelphia/Pennsylvania domestic relations/family law practice.
• ·         Experience supervising attorneys and/or paralegals.
• ·         Experience in clinical law teaching or interest in clinical law teaching. 

Other requirements:

• ·         The clinical fellow will commute between on-campus office and off-campus locations for business.
• ·         The incumbent must be able to work evenings and early mornings, as need.

Appointment Details:

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position.  Is a one-year appointment that may be renewed annually for up to three (3) years.

Application instructions:

For full consideration, apply by Friday, June 23, 2023. Review of applications begins upon receipt and continues until the position is filled.

Applicants, please send an email with the subject line “Postdoctoral Clinical Fellow, Family Law Litigation Clinic” with the following attachments:  1) a cover letter, 2) current resume, and 3) list of three (3) references with contact information.

Send application materials to Assistant Dean for Administration Beth Shepard-Rabadam at elizabeth.shepard.rabadam@temple.edu.

Temple University Beasley School of Law is an equal opportunity, equal access, affirmative action employer committed to achieving a diverse community (AA, EOE, m/f/d/v).