SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW seeks a Public Interest Attorney to work in its Public Interest Law Clinic.

STCL Houston seeks a full-time, exempt public interest attorney for a time limited program that ends on August 31, 2024, unless renewed by additional funds. Primary subject matter is General Civil Law. Client base is drawn from Brazoria, Ft. Bend, Harris, and Montgomery Counties—indigent and economically disadvantaged persons. Provides high quality legal representation and community service to Clinics’ client base in landlord/tenant, emergency rental assistance, and self-help assistance in various civil law matters, often utilizing student/qualified unlicensed graduate intern involvement designed to enhance student/graduate education experience by performing the following duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Collaborate with Clinics’ faculty, coordinators, and public interest attorneys in assisting student interns with client interactions, including intake, interviews, and correspondence.

Provide legal representation to eligible applicants for landlord/tenant matters, including eviction defense in Justice Courts or County Courts.

Assist with the pro se clinics; develop self-help videos, brochures, or handouts; and serve at self help desks at the courthouse.

Attend partnership or collaborative meetings as representative of the Clinics.

Conduct information sessions or presentations at outreach events, occasionally in the evenings or on weekends.

Assist with the development and implementation of the outreach activities, such as making connections with partner agencies and distributing materials at community service fairs.

Participate in a collaboration to enhance the provision of legal services to indigent populations, in collaboration with Houston Volunteer Lawyers, Lone Star Legal Aid, UH, TSU, and other organizations.

Observe and monitor student/graduate interns, as needed, in the performance of their duties and skills development/enhancement in such functions as client interviewing and counseling, factual investigation, document drafting, case/hearing preparation and development, timeliness, court/administrative appearances, post-hearing follow-up, and provides timely and appropriate feedback. This includes clinical settings, pro bono projects, and post graduate internships or fellowships.

Practice and promote ethical and professional approach to the practice of law to enhance and ensure high quality student education experience, client representation, and community service.

Utilize case management and data aggregation software(s) to:

·     maintain program reports, surveys, and data entry of statistics

·     assist with client intake, screening, and document gathering

·     set appointments, organize and track cases, and communicate with clients

Travel frequently to off-site locations as needed to accomplish the above tasks.

Performs other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

When needed, monitor and supervise the work of student/graduate interns, pro bono attorneys, and paralegals as directed by the Managing Attorney.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required

1.                        Licensed to practice law in Texas;

2.                        Strong interpersonal skills and ability to community with all levels of constituencies;

3.                        High level of business and professional ethics;

4.                        Flexible and adaptive in meeting the needs of the Clinics’ client base, student interns, faculty, and staff;

5.                        Excellent verbal and written communication skills;

6.                        Reliable transportation;

7.                        Minimum computer and technology skills required: Microsoft Windows and Office, telephone, fax, and copying/scanning.

Preferred

·     Two (2) years legal experience or more;

·     Prior legal services, public interest, or volunteer experience serving low-income persons;

·     Other language proficiency besides English;

·     Prior experience with veterans legal or social services;

·     Prior experience in teaching, training, or mentoring others;

·     Experience with case management software is a plus.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Graduate of an ABA accredited law school.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define routine problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions to solve routine problems and/or deal with a variety of variables in situations, especially when department head may be out of office or unavailable. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Licensed to practice law in Texas

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is regularly required to stand and walk. Occasional light to moderate lifting from floor level, at waist, and above shoulders required. Infrequent bending and stooping necessary. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision in order to accurately input data and proofread; distance vision in order to recognize and assist visitors to the department.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Fast paced, multitasking, non-smoking work environment. Must be able to work the general business schedule of the College ranging from a start time of 9:00 to 5:30 depending on scheduling needs, plus occasional evenings and weekends as necessary.

SALARY

$65,000 to 68,000/yr, depending on experience. Position is anticipated to end on August 31, 2024 unless funding renewed. Position is eligible for employee benefits.

Application Instructions

Applications must contain a CV or resume and a cover letter describing the applicant’s interest in public interest law and clinical legal education.

Link: https://stclh-openhire.silkroad.com/epostings/?fuseaction=app.jobInfo&version=1&jobid=141

SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW seeks an attorney for its Opioid Use Disorders work

STCL Houston seeks a public interest attorney for a collaboration to serve individuals affected by opioid use disorders (OUD). Client base is drawn from Greater Houston (Harris and contiguous counties)—indigent and economically disadvantaged persons accessing Harris Health medical and clinical services. The public interest attorney will provide high quality legal representation and community service to the OUD client base in various civil legal issues, including expunction/nondisclosure, estate planning, family law, guardianship, and landlord/tenant.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Collaborate with Clinics’ faculty, coordinators, and public interest attorneys in assisting student interns with client interactions, including intake, interviews, and correspondence.

Work with Clinics team to provide legal representation to eligible applicants for general civil law to individuals and families affected by opioid use disorders.

Attend partnership or collaborative meetings as a representative of the Clinics.

Conduct information sessions or presentations at outreach events, occasionally in the evenings or on weekends.

Develop, update, and deliver advocacy training to staff and partners.

Observe and monitor student/graduate interns, as needed, in the performance of their duties and skills development/enhancement in such functions as client interviewing and counseling, factual investigation, document drafting, case/hearing preparation and development, timeliness, court/administrative appearances, post-hearing follow-up, and provides timely and appropriate feedback. This includes clinical settings, pro bono projects, and post graduate internships or fellowships.

Practice and promote ethical and professional approach to the practice of law to enhance and ensure high quality student education experience, client representation, and community service.

Utilize case management and data aggregation software(s) to:

·     maintain program reports, surveys, and data entry of statistics

·     assist with client intake, screening, and document gathering

·     set appointments, organize and track cases, and communicate with clients

Travel frequently to off-site locations as needed to accomplish the above tasks.

Performs other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

When needed, monitor and supervise the work of student/graduate interns, pro bono attorneys, and paralegals as directed by the Senior Director, Legal Services.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required

1.  Licensed to practice law in Texas;

2.  Two (2) years legal experience or more;

3.  Strong interpersonal skills and ability to community with all levels of constituencies;

4.  High level of business and professional ethics;

5.  Flexible and adaptive in meeting the needs of the Clinics’ client base, student interns, faculty, and staff;

6.  Excellent verbal and written communication skills;

7.  Reliable transportation;

8.  Minimum computer and technology skills required: Microsoft Windows and Office, telephone, fax, and copying/scanning.

 

Preferred

·     Prior public interest or volunteer experience serving low-income persons;

·     Other language proficiency besides English;

·     Prior experience with veterans legal or social services;

·     Prior experience in teaching, training, or mentoring others;

·     Experience with case management software is a plus.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Graduate of an ABA accredited law school.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define routine problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions to solve routine problems and/or deal with a variety of variables in situations, especially when department head may be out of office or unavailable. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Licensed to practice law in Texas

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is regularly required to stand and walk. Occasional light to moderate lifting from floor level, at waist, and above shoulders required. Infrequent bending and stooping necessary. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision in order to accurately input data and proofread; distance vison in order to recognize and assist visitors to the department.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Fast paced, multitasking, non-smoking work environment. Must be able to work the general business schedule of the College ranging from a start time of 9:00 to 5:30 depending on scheduling needs, plus occasional evenings and weekends as necessary.

SALARY

$65,000 to 70,000/yr, depending on experience. Position is full-time, exempt, and eligible for employee benefits.

Application Instructions

Applications must contain a CV or resume and a cover letter describing the applicant’s interest in public interest law and clinical legal education.

Link: https://stclh-openhire.silkroad.com/epostings/?fuseaction=app.jobInfo&version=1&jobid=134

WASHBURN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW seeks an Associate Dean for Student Affairs to serve as a student advisor and liaison to faculty, administration, and staff. Reporting directly to the Dean, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs provides the strategic direction for a robust student life program that addresses all aspects of the law school student experience, from orientation to guidance on passing the Character & Fitness requirements for bar licensing. The position is not tenured or tenure-track. 

For additional information about the position and to apply, see: 

https://careers.washburn.edu/jobs/associate-dean-student-affairs-school-of-law-topeka-kansas-united-states 

THE UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE SCHOOL OF LAW is hiring a Non-Faculty Executive Director Position:

The Sayra & Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts ("CFCC") at UBalt Law is hiring a new Executive Director!  The ED will work alongside me, the Faculty Director, to develop a new strategic vision for CFCC that centers the needs of our most vulnerable families.  We are looking for someone who wants to connect with the community and our legal partners to develop policy, programs, and resources that serve families in Baltimore and beyond.  Expertise in family law, juvenile justice, child welfare, disability, or education law preferred. 

Visit the job posting and apply here:

http://www.ubalt.edu/about-ub/offices-and-services/human-resources/jobs-at-ub.cfm?&posting=1800

In addition to our daily work, each year CFCC hosts a national symposium.  Last year, our keynote speakers were Dorothy Roberts and Andrea James.  You can see our full list of speakers here: 

 https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/cu/d1kzTPI/cfccsymposium2022speakers

Salary extremely competitive with stellar university benefits.  Please note that this is not a faculty position.

Please feel free to share widely, to reach out with any questions or to recommend amazing candidates (including yourselves!).  Applications due by May 10, 2023.

THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE COLLEGE OF LAW is accepting applications for our new Clinical Teaching Fellowship to begin in the summer of 2023. This two-year fellowship will prepare talented lawyers and aspiring clinicians with at least 2 years of practice experience to become full-time clinical faculty at U.S law schools. The Clinical Teaching Fellow will work alongside and learn from current full-time clinical faculty who teach in the College of Law’s Legal Clinic.

The Clinical Teaching Fellow will be immersed in all aspects of clinical teaching from learning clinical pedagogy to supervising law students on their casework. The UT Law Clinical Teaching Fellow will also develop a research agenda and begin working on a scholarly article in preparation for entering the law school teaching market. The fellow will receive training in clinical teaching methods, supervision when working with students on cases, and guidance in developing legal scholarship with faculty mentors.

We seek a Clinical Teaching Fellow to begin in the summer of 2023, and to work with one of the following Clinics:

(1) The Advocacy Clinic, which provides direct legal services to clients in a range of litigation including civil, juvenile, and criminal cases. A more detailed description can be viewed at https://law.utk.edu/clinics/.

(2) The Transactional Law Clinic, which provides direct legal services to small businesses, nonprofit organizations, community-based associations, entrepreneurs, and artists. A more detailed description can be viewed at https://law.utk.edu/clinics/.

Key Responsibilities

The UT Law Clinical Teaching Fellowship will commence in the summer of 2023. The fellow will directly supervise J.D. students enrolled in either the Advocacy Clinic or Transactional Law Clinic. The fellow will first work with a clinical faculty member to co-supervise students and then supervise second- and third-year law students on their own to provide high-quality client representation and to prepare them for graduation and practice. The fellow will work with fulltime faculty in teaching the clinic’s seminar by preparing class instruction and leading exercises, discussions, and clinical rounds related to the students’ casework. The fellow will also assist with casework during the semester and summer case coverage. Finally, the fellow will work with faculty mentors to develop a research plan and to produce an article of publishable quality.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• J.D. or equivalent degree.
• At least two (2) years of practice experience in relevant areas of law.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong interest in clinical teaching, with a commitment to inclusive teaching methods designed to effectively engage a diverse student population.
• Membership in a U.S. state bar and willingness to petition for admission to the Tennessee Bar prior to the start date of the fellowship. Tennessee allows lawyers teaching in a law school clinical program to waive into the bar.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience

• Teaching, training or supervision of law students or early-career lawyers.
• Experience with relevant civil, criminal or juvenile matters as preparation for teaching in the Advocacy Clinic or experience with relevant transactional matters as preparation for teaching in the Transactional Law Clinic.
• A commitment to public interest work.

Salary and Benefits:

The Clinical Teaching Fellow will receive a salary and health benefits. The salary for this position is $80,000 in Year 1, and $90,000 in Year 2. The fellow is also eligible for the University of Tennessee’s comprehensive benefits package, including medical and dental health care benefits.

How to apply:

Applications must be submitted through interfolio: https://apply.interfolio.com/122868.

Applicants should submit:

1. a resume,

2. the names and contact information for at least three (3) references, and

3. a letter of interest describing (a) why you are interested in the fellowship; (b) what you can contribute to the clinic in which you are interested; (c) your experience with the area(s) of law in which the clinic practices and with public interest/social justice work; (d) your future professional goals; and (e) anything else you deem relevant.

In furtherance of the University’s and the College’s fundamental commitment to diversity in our faculty, student body, and staff, we strongly encourage applications from people of color, women, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people, veterans, and others whose background, life experiences, viewpoints, or philosophy would contribute to the diversity of our faculty, curriculum, and programs.

The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status.

Deadline: While applications will be considered on a rolling basis, preference will be given to applications received before May 1, 2023. For questions, please contact Director of Clinical Programs Joy Radice at jradice@utk.edu

WASHBURN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW invites applicants for a two-year visiting assistant professor to teach in the Washburn Law Clinic and to teach complementary doctrinal courses, beginning in the 2023-2024 academic year. We are particularly interested in applicants qualified to teach in a small business, transactional, and/or non-profit law clinic. While this is a visiting position, it may convert into a tenure-track appointment after the 2024-2025 academic year depending on budget and curricular needs. If a tenure-track position is approved for the 2025-2026 academic year and beyond, the law school will conduct a national search and the visiting faculty member will be welcome to apply for the position. If the successful candidate has earned tenure at another ABA-approved law school, the candidate may be eligible for an appointment with tenure if selected for the tenure-track position. Application materials should clearly articulate the candidate’s record of work supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and state how the candidate will contribute to Washburn University's commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, including a dedication to developing inclusive teaching practices.

Founded in 1970, Washburn University School of Law’s in-house, live client clinical program has been an integral part of the law school curriculum staffed by tenured and tenure-track positions. Washburn Law Clinic practice areas include Family Justice & Immigration, Civil Practice, Criminal Defense, and Small Business & Nonprofit Transactional (SBNT) Law. Washburn also hosts a Criminal Appeals Advocacy Clinic administered in cooperation with the Kansas Appellate Defender Office. The SBNT Law Clinic was initiated in 2005 and is on hiatus during the 2022-2023 academic year. The SBNT clinic is the only law school clinic in Kansas that represents small businesses and non-profit organizations.

Washburn University is a teaching-focused, student-centered, public institution. The Washburn campus is located in the heart of Topeka, Kansas, blocks from the historic state capitol. Topeka features affordable housing; beautiful, historic neighborhoods with well-maintained parks; and a nationally recognized public library. It is also the home of the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Site.

Washburn University School of Law is committed to diversity in its faculty and encourages applicants whose backgrounds will enrich the law school. We offer competitive wages, an excellent benefits program, a supportive leadership team, and a healthy work/life balance. At Washburn, we strive to ensure a campus climate that supports the success of every employee and appreciates the unique skills and expertise each contributes to serving our students.

Essential Functions:
The appointed hire will be responsible for fulling teaching expectations associated with a visiting assistant professor appointment, teaching a full workload as outlined in the faculty handbook.

The appointed hire will be responsible for fulfilling service expectations associated with a visiting assistant professor appointment.

Required Qualifications:

·      JD degree from an ABA accredited law school.

·      A demonstrated commitment to clinical legal education.

·      A demonstrated commitment to developing inclusive teaching practices that engage students from diverse backgrounds.

·      Kansas bar license or eligibility to apply for a restricted license to practice in a clinical setting for the length of the appointment, which does not require the taking of the Kansas state bar exam.

Official transcripts required at time of hire. 

Preferred Qualifications:

·      Training or experience appropriate to teach in a small business, transactional and/or non-profit clinic.

·      Training or experience appropriate to teach doctrinal courses complementary to the clinic, such as in the area of non-profit law, intellectual property, technology, energy, environmental law, and tax.

Background check required.

Washburn is an EOE and is dedicated to providing a student-centered and teaching-focused academic and work environment. We seek candidates who are committed to Washburn’s efforts to create a campus climate that fosters the growth and development of a diverse student body, and we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically underrepresented and/or marginalized in higher education.

Washburn University provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, veteran status, or marital or parental status.

Washburn University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants for employment. If you are an applicant who needs a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please email benefits@washburn.edu or call 785-670-1538 at least five (5) business days in advance of the date you need the requested accommodation.

For more information and to apply, visit https://careers.washburn.edu/jobs/visiting-assistant-professor-washburn-law-clinic-topeka-kansas-united-states.

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW is hiring one lawyer to serve as a clinical teaching fellow and supervising attorney for a two-year term beginning in the summer of 2023.

Clinic Description

The newly formed Civil Justice Clinic at Georgetown Law will help low-income clients achieve access to justice through advocacy in a variety of legal contexts - with a particular focus on economic justice. Under the close supervision of the Clinic’s faculty director and clinical teaching fellow, the students help their clients solve legal problems and provide representation in civil matters in the courts and administrative agencies of the District of Columbia and Maryland. The Civil Justice Clinic’s docket typically contains cases involving employment, public benefits, consumer, and housing matters. The clinic is particularly committed to representing low-wage workers in wage theft cases against exploitative employers.       

Description of the Fellowship

The fellow will have several areas of responsibility, with an increasing role in the clinic as the fellowship progresses. 

The fellow will:

•  Supervise students in cases and take responsibility for his or her own case load;
• Share responsibility for designing and teaching seminar sessions;
• Assist with administrative and case handling responsibilities of the clinic, taking a leadership role during the summer for case coverage;
• Participate in a clinical pedagogy seminar and other activities designed to support an interest in clinical teaching and legal education; and
• At the end of the fellowship, be awarded an LL.M. in Advocacy from the law school.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 2 years of post-J.D. legal experience; and
• Admission (or willing to be admitted as soon as possible) to the District of Columbia Bar

Pay and Other Benefits

The annual stipend for the position will be $70,000 during the first year and $75,000 during the second year plus an opportunity to participate in group health insurance and other benefits, including unlimited free access to a state-of-art, on-site fitness center.  The fellowship will start in August of 2023 and end in the summer of 2025.

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit the following documents in a single PDF file by COB on Monday, May 8, 2023 to lawclinics@georgetown.edu: 

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Unofficial law school transcript
• Writing sample
• Two references

If you have any questions about the Civil Justice Clinic or the fellowship, please contact Patrick Griffith, Assistant Dean for Clinical Programs at pwg7@georgetown.edu.

ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW is seeking to hire a full-time faculty member to serve as our Professor of Bar Support.  The Professor of Bar Support's primary objective will be to enhance the bar passage rates at the law school through developing, implementing, directing, and evaluating a comprehensive bar examination program, including the for-credit Applied Legal Reasoning course.  This role involves working with the Academic Excellence Program and assisting the directors involved with academic excellence to incorporate best practices in preparing students for the bar.  The Professor of Bar Support will also provide academic advising to students to enhance their preparation for the bar exam.

The position would begin as soon as July 1, 2023.  This is a long-term contract position, with eligibility for a presumptively renewable five-year contract.  A fuller description of the position and instructions on how to apply can be found here: https://rwu.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp;jsessionid=F574EDAC170B3628E0C59A461536B6E6?JOBID=159986&jobboard=148.  Those with questions can contact Professor Andrew Horwitz, Chair of the Search Committee, at ahorwitz@rwu.edu or 401-276-4880.

YALE LAW SCHOOL’s Information Society Project (ISP) is now accepting applications for a fellowship position with the Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic (MFIA). MFIA is an innovative law student clinic dedicated to increasing government transparency, defending the essential work of news gatherers, and protecting freedom of expression. The Clinic provides pro bono legal services, pursuing impact litigation nationwide, and develops policy initiatives. Since its founding in 2009 as the first law school clinic dedicated to defending the rights of newsgatherers and promoting government transparency, the MFIA Clinic has litigated cases on the cutting edge of digital free expression and achieved successes for a wide range of clients, from individual investigative journalists and major news organizations to whistleblowers, scholars, and non-profit advocacy organizations.

The duties of the Clinical Fellow include:

•       Assuming overall responsibility for selected cases on the MFIA docket and supervising Yale Law School students in the Clinic.
•      Assisting the Clinic’s intake process and shaping its docket.
•       Teaching several substantive and skill-based classes to students as part of the Clinic’s weekly seminar.
•       Supervising summer law student interns at the Clinic and covering Clinic cases during semester breaks.
•       Coordinating the Access and Accountability Conference hosted each fall by MFIA and the Floyd Abrams Institute for Freedom of Expression.
•       Engaging in the scholarly activities of the ISP, which include regular academic lunches, workshops, conferences, and talks.

The candidate must have:

•       Excellent legal research and writing skills.
•       An exceptional ability to work with others, including students, staff, clients, and outside counsel.
•       Excellent communication skills.
•       The ability to juggle multiple projects and work under pressure to meet deadlines. 
•       At least two years of relevant litigation experience, including some demonstrated interest in the fields of media law, First Amendment, FOIA, Internet law, administrative law, or intellectual property law.
•       Admission to at least one state bar.

The ideal candidate will also have experience litigating with and supervising law students or more junior attorneys.

The ISP and MFIA value diverse life experiences and backgrounds and encourage candidates from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in First Amendment and media law to apply. MFIA seeks candidates who are interested in pursuing a career in litigation or public advocacy on issues surrounding digital-age free expression and government transparency.

The Fellow will work closely with Clinic Director David Schulz and other MFIA Fellows. The Fellowship is a full-time position based at Yale Law School in New Haven. The position starts on July 1 and lasts for one year, renewable for a second year.

The salary for the fellowship will be up to $82,500, depending on experience. Fellows also receive Yale health benefits and access to university facilities, as well as a travel budget for academic and clinic conferences.

Start date: July 1, 2023

Application Instructions

Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications should include:

•       A statement of no more than three (3) pages describing the applicant’s interest in the fellowship, relevant practice experience, and career goals;
•       A copy of the applicant’s resume;
•       A law school transcript; and
•       At least one sample of recent legal writing, preferably a brief or memorandum.

Application materials should be sent (in electronic form) to Heather Branch at heather.branch@yale.edu. Please indicate clearly in the subject line of your email that you are applying for the MFIA Fellowship.

For further information, please contact MFIA Clinic Director David Schulz at david.schulz@yale.edu.

MFIA is a program of the Abrams Institute at Yale Law School and is administered by the ISP. The Abrams Institute and the ISP are directed by Knight Professor of Constitutional Law and the First Amendment Jack Balkin. In addition to MFIA Clinic Director David Schulz, visiting clinical lecturers Sandra Baron and Jennifer Borg oversee the Clinic’s “DocProject,” a dedicated team of Yale Law students that advises documentarians and independent filmmakers during the production phase of their projects, working on libel, privacy, and other newsgathering issues. More information about the MFIA Clinic, including its current docket, can be found on the Clinic website.

Yale University considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, an individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, status as a veteran, or national or ethnic origin; nor does Yale discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects people from sex discrimination in educational programs and activities at institutions that receive federal financial assistance.  Questions regarding Title IX may be referred to the University’s Title IX Coordinator, at TitleIX@yale.edu, or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 8th Floor, Five Post Office Square, Boston MA 02109-3921. Telephone: 617.289.0111, Fax: 617.289.0150, TDD: 800.877.8339, or email: ocr.boston@ed.gov.

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER'S Racial Equity in Education Law & Policy Clinic (“REEL Policy Clinic”), opened its doors in the Spring of 2022. The REEL Policy Clinic engages law students in legislative and policy advocacy on behalf of clients to promote racial equity within the public education system. This work entails leveraging policy advocacy to address issues that disproportionately impact the educational experiences and outcomes of students of color, including discriminatory school discipline practices, school segregation, and school finance and resource inequities, among others.

Clinic students engage in legislative lawyering on behalf of clients and participate in a twice-weekly seminar that examines substantive issues of education, civil rights, legislation, and administrative law. The Clinic employs a client-centered approach to lawyering and students collaborate with clients to develop policy solutions. Clinic clients include non-profit educational advocacy organizations, student-led groups, parent-led groups, coalitions, and governmental entities, among others.

The Clinic employs a Critical Race Theory (CRT) approach to interrogate the role of the law and public policy in the endurance of racial inequities in education. Students explore the promise of law to help eliminate them. Students explore innovative legislative, policy, and practice solutions to address racial inequities in public education.

Students learn the art of legislative lawyering by employing a range of legislative and administrative tools to further clients’ goals, including oral and written advocacy (such as delivering testimony before a policymaking body or drafting comment letters in response to a proposed administrative change), interfacing with policymakers and legislative staff, legal research and writing, analyzing and drafting legislative language, and building relationships through partnerships and coalition participation.

Through legislative advocacy, students strengthen core lawyering competencies, including creative problem-solving, statutory interpretation, interdisciplinary research, self-reflective lawyering, teamwork and collaboration, prioritization, and culturally responsive lawyering.

In this 10-credit clinic, students can expect to spend an average of 35 hours per week on Clinic matters, including client work and related events, seminar, and other Clinic responsibilities.

Description of the Fellowship

The REEL Policy Clinic is hiring a lawyer to serve as a Clinical Teaching Fellow and Supervising Attorney for a two-year term, beginning in the Summer of 2023. The two-year fellowship is an ideal position for former educators, organizers, policy advocates, and legislative lawyers interested in transitioning into legal academia and developing their supervisory skills. The Fellow will have several areas of responsibility, with an increasing role in the Clinic as the fellowship progresses. The Fellow will: 

●      Supervise students in day-to-day work related to Clinic projects, work closely with students on improving their legislative lawyering skills, including written and oral advocacy, management of responsibilities, and legal and legislative analysis.

●      Provide students with formal and informal feedback in timely, constructive, and respectful ways. The fellow’s understanding of and appreciation for giving and receiving constructive and informative feedback is a vital aspect of this position.

●      Share responsibility for designing and developing one seminar and for teaching a selected seminar in the first semester with additional teaching opportunities as the fellowship advances..

●      Take a proactive role in project development and assist with the administrative and project oversight responsibilities of the Clinic.

●      Participate in a clinical pedagogy seminar to strengthen clinical teaching skills and other activities designed to support an interest in clinical teaching and legal education.

●      At the end of the fellowship, be awarded an LL.M. in Advocacy from the Law Center. 

This fellowship offers an opportunity to work on timely issues of racial justice and education law. Fellows assume substantial responsibility for projects at an early stage of their careers and generally play a more important role in the decision-making process than do their contemporaries in other types of law practice. They also have an opportunity to work on a variety of client matters at different stages of development, so they gain a broader understanding of how laws and public policies are developed and how the legislative process works.

Fellows work closely with a broad range of clients and client partners, meeting others who are involved in public interest law and seeing how the entities function. For those with an interest in clinical teaching, fellows get first-hand experience in clinical supervision, opportunities to develop scholarship and participate in conferences, and to develop as legal educators, including support in  developing and refining a teaching philosophy and gaining experience in planning and delivering lectures.  

Qualifications:

A demonstrated commitment to addressing issues of racial justice and educational equity, including an understanding of how the social consequences of actual or perceived identities may impact educational experiences or outcomes.

●      Preferred:

o   At least two to three years of post-graduate legal experience (preferably in a public interest, civil rights, or social justice setting);

o   Interest and experience in education law and public policy;

o   Interest in pursuing a career in legal academia;

o   An understanding of the legislative landscape of the District of Columbia or other local or federal legislative landscape;

o   An understanding of how to facilitate intentional conversations about racism and racial inequality;

o   A willingness to and understanding of how to support students in developing as culturally competent lawyers; and

o   Admission to or willingness to seek admission to or waive into the District of Columbia Bar.

​​Applicants need not demonstrate all of the preferred qualifications, but priority is given to applicants who demonstrate the preferred qualification. The Clinic encourages applications from candidates who are women, disabled, LGBTQIA2S+, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), as these groups are historically minoritized and underrepresented  in legal academia.

Pay and Other Benefits:

The annual stipend for the position is $70,000 the first year and $75,000 the second year, an LL.M. in Advocacy, plus group health insurance and other benefits. The fellowship will start in the summer of 2023 and end in the summer of 2025. 

Application Instructions:

Please submit a cover letter describing your experience and interest in the position, a, résumé/CV, two professional references, a writing sample (no longer than 5 pages), and transcript to Daniella Blake-Aranbayeva at db1571@georgetown.edu. Interviews will be conducted in late March and early April.