Duties & Responsibilities: The Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School is seeking a Fellow to work as part of the Center’s Food Law and Policy Division. Reporting to the Director of the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation’s Food Law and Policy Division, the Fellow will work independently and with the Director, staff and students on a broad range of federal, state, and local policy projects aiming to increase access to nutritious food for poor and low-income individuals and families, reduce diet-related diseases, and maximize small farmers’ access to food markets. Among others, projects include assisting with the development and research needs of state and local food policy councils; assessing food safety rules to inform law and policy changes that would increase economic opportunities for small local producers; analyzing and recommending ways to increase access to healthy produce for low-income individuals and those living in “food deserts;” and identifying and breaking down legal and non-legal barriers inhibiting small producers from going beyond direct farm-to-consumer sales to sell at grocery stores, restaurants, and farm to institution programs. The clinic’s work is primarily focused at the state and local level with some national level policy work, and we work with clients and partners located in different parts of the country.
The Fellow’s work will focus broadly on initiatives that will increase access to nutritious food for poor and low-income individuals and families and work to forge at better food system that is more accessible to small producers and fosters improved environmental and health outcomes. The Fellow will work with staff and students to inform cutting-edge policy recommendations at the state and national levels in both the legislative and regulatory arenas. The Fellow will also conduct regular outreach and training for state and national government officials and community groups.
Qualifications: JD required. Ability to work independently, as well as in teams, and in demanding and periodically high stress circumstances. Outstanding oral and written communication and organizational skills required, as well as demonstrated ability to work creatively within broad program goals. Candidate should exhibit strong motivation to learn and achieve superior professional practice and mentoring skills. Relevant food law and policy experience preferred.
Additional Information: The Food Law and Policy Division of the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation was established in 2010 to link Harvard Law students with opportunities to work with clients and communities on various food law and policy issues. The Clinic aims to increase access to healthy foods, prevent diet-related diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, and assist small farmers and producers in participating in food markets. The Food Law and Policy Clinic has focused much of its work in the Delta region, with projects underway in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee; however, starting in fall 2011 the Clinic began to replicate its work in other regions and communities, using its expertise in food law and policy to build similar federal, state, and local advocacy infrastructure around access to food and assisting small producers. The Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation (formerly the Health Law & Policy Clinic) has long been a leading health care access law and policy research and advocacy program. Starting in 1987, in response to the emerging AIDS epidemic, the Clinic was the first law school-based legal clinic in the country to represent poor and low-income individuals and families affected by HIV and AIDS. Today, the Clinic works to reduce barriers to access to care for all uninsured, low-income individuals, with an emphasis on those living with chronic medical conditions.
http://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/clinical/lsc/clinics/health.htm
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/foodpolicyinitiative/
How to Apply: The posting is available online at https://sjobs.brassring.com/1033/ASP/TG/cim_jobdetail.asp?SID=^/PeUXjlnRLpleELzDng8ZaqyJl_slp_rhc_oabVYF_slp_rhc_/3B3RyzS7ZEApueIXZAlQAmr7SoPZM&jobId=885950&type=search&JobReqLang=1&recordstart=1&JobSiteId=5341&JobSiteInfo=885950_5341&GQId=0
Applicants need to apply through the HR office and should be able to do that through the link above, or by going to the Harvard ASPIRE site and searching for the Auto Req ID 27065BR.