BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, a top-tier law school with an international reputation, is a community of leading legal scholars, teachers, students, and alumni, who are dedicated to providing one of the finest legal educations in the world. Since our doors opened in 1872, we have admitted and enrolled accomplished students to our program regardless of their race, gender, and religion.  The breadth and depth of our curriculum and scholarship as well as our innovative spirit are distinctive in American legal education. 

Boston University School of Law invites applications for the position of Clinical Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Externship Program. This position is a full-time non-tenure track clinical faculty position with a projected start date of July 1, 2024.

The externship program is an important feature of Boston University School of Law. The externship program provides over 130 second and third-year law students annually with the opportunity to gain academic credit while working under the supervision of practicing attorneys or judges. Boston’s vibrant legal community offers a vast array of placements in diverse practice areas, including affordable housing, biotech, criminal law, education, environmental law, health law, intellectual property, and microfinance. The externship program has grown substantially over recent years, and the Director will play a significant role in shaping its future direction and development.

The Director of the Externship Program will be responsible for teaching as well as coordination of all aspects of the operation and development of the externship program.

The primary responsibilities include:

• Teaching at least one seminar per semester, serving as instructor of record for all externship courses, and overseeing all New York Pro Bono Scholars.
• Developing and modifying externship program curriculum, including the annual review and updating of externship teaching materials for dissemination to the externship seminar teachers.
• Training and evaluation of field placement supervisors overseeing law students in the externship program.
• Recruiting and hiring part-time faculty to teach in the externship program;
• Maintaining and developing externship opportunities in Boston and beyond, including building relationships with field placement supervisors and recruiting new potential host sites.
• Evaluating student outcomes to guide the future direction of the externship program and determine how to best meet the needs of the law school, student demand, and current legal employment needs.
• Providing substantial assistance, comprised of pedagogical, syllabus development, and other advice to externship instructors with respect to both existing and new externship courses;
• Coordinating with the Associate Dean for Experiential Learning, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and the Registrar’s Office to assemble and publish the externship curriculum as part of the School of Law’s overall course offerings.
• Advising students in selecting appropriate placements and externship seminars, as well as in matters of professional development and law practice.
• Working with the externship faculty to plan and ensure that all externship seminars are taught in accordance with BU Law’s outcomes, current ABA Standards, and best practices.
• Participating in the life of the law school by serving on committees and attending regular faculty meetings and events.

Successful candidates must be licensed to practice law, have a minimum of five years post-JD legal work or law teaching experience, a strong desire to teach and mentor, and robust knowledge of law office practice. Experience with clinical legal education and externship program management is considered a plus. Excellent oral and written communication skills and organizational and managerial skills are required. Teaching and supervision experience are preferred.

At Boston University School of Law, we are dedicated to building a just, inclusive, and engaged community of faculty, staff, and students. We recognize we have more work to do to achieve this vision. Boston University School of Law is committed not only to the ideals of faculty diversity and inclusion but also to the work of creating and implementing practices that combat exclusion and inequity by race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, religion, and other identities subject to historical subordination. We also strive to foster a more inclusive intellectual culture that represents and encourages a broad range of intellectual traditions and approaches to the law. We welcome expressions of interest from applicants of all identities, intellectual traditions, and perspectives.

• BU conducts a background check on all final candidates for certain faculty and staff positions. The background check includes contacting the final candidate’s current and previous employer(s) to ask whether, in the last seven years, there has been a substantiated finding of misconduct violating that employer’s applicable sexual misconduct policies. To implement this process, the University requires a final candidate to complete and sign the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” after execution of an offer letter.
• We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

How to Apply:

DO NOT APPLY USING THIS WEBSITE. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS ARE BELOW.

Applicants should send a letter of interest and a C.V. as soon as they are able to the Faculty Appointments Committee at lawappts@bu.edu. Applications are being reviewed immediately and on a continuing basis, with priority given to those who submit early in the fall semester and are submitted prior to October 1, 2023.  All open faculty positions are pending budgetary approval.

To learn more about the law school, visit our website at www.bu.edu/law.