The University of Pennsylvania Law School, a national leader in clinical legal education, seeks to appoint a full-time faculty member to its Practice Professor track to teach in and administer the new Detkin Intellectual Property and Technology Law Clinic.  The position is available to start between March 2012 and July 2012.

 

This new Clinic is intended to prepare students for the realities of modern legal and business practice surrounding the commercialization of innovation.  The clinic will give students hands-on, practical experience along much of the technological, legal, and business pathways that comprise the modern commercialization process.  Working in conjunction with Penn’s Center for Technology Transfer (CTT), the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Perelman School of Medicine, this Clinic will set the new standard for training modern commercial lawyersundefinedas well as provide an unprecedented example of cooperation between schools of law, engineering and medicine, and university technology transfer offices.

 

The Clinic will be integrated with Penn Law’s curriculum in law and technology and associated with its Center for Innovation, Technology and Competition (CTIC).  The Clinic faculty member will conduct outreach to other relevant campus and external organizations and, depending on expertise and background, may have teaching opportunities in Engineering and Medicine.

 

The successful applicant must possess substantial practical experience in and a deeply-rooted passion for intellectual property and technology law strategy.  He or she must present an inspiring vision for a new model for clinical legal education that involves hands-on, practical experience along the technological, legal, and business pathways that comprise the commercialization of innovation and for future directions that a premier intellectual property and technology clinic should take.  It is expected that the successful applicant will integrate law, business, and technology in an innovative clinical setting that forges strong partnerships with other parts of the university, legal and business communities in Philadelphia and nationally, and government institutions and NGOs.  The ultimate goal is to educate law students to be skilled, reflective, and ethical practitioners.

Penn seeks candidates with strong practice experience, distinguished academic and professional achievement, dynamic teaching and supervisory skills, and a deep commitment to intellectual property and technology law, clinical legal education, teamwork, and collegiality.  Candidates must have a minimum of five years of relevant practice experience; prior teaching and/or substantial experience mentoring new attorneys is desirable but not required.  Candidates must hold a J.D. degree and be a member of the Pennsylvania bar or be willing to be licensed in Pennsylvania.

 

This is a practice professor track position, which is Penn Law’s equivalent of clinical tenure.  Upon successful initial review, clinicians are promoted to the position of full practice professor and awarded five-year presumptively renewable contracts.  Clinical faculty are eligible to receive research funds during the academic year and may also apply for summer financial support for scholarly research.  The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.  Review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Penn Law School’s endowed Gittis Center for Clinical Legal Studies is the home of nine major clinics covering civil litigation, entrepreneurship and community development, mediation, legislation, transnational lawyering, criminal defense, appellate practice, child advocacy, and, now, intellectual property and technology law.

Please submit all applications via e-mail to: lawgroup-ipsearch@law.upenn.edu.  E-mail attachment materials should include a resume and a letter of interest addressed to Rachel Mayover, Administrative Director, Gittis Center for Clinical Legal Studies, 3400 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104.  Please contact Rachel Mayover at (215) 898-8904 with any questions.