University of Connecticut, School of Law

Program ID:UConn-School of Law-495495 [#19072, 495495]
Program Title: Director of Field Placement and Pro Bono Programs
Program Type:Non tenure-track faculty
Location:Hartford, Connecticut 06105-229, United States [map] sort by distance
Subject Area: Law
Appl Deadline: finished (2021/07/30, finished 2022/03/08, listed until 2022/01/22)
Description:    

*** this program has been closed and new applications are no longer accepted. ***

INTRODUCTION

The University of Connecticut School of Law seeks candidates with energy and vision for a faculty position to serve as Director of Field Placement and Pro Bono Programs (Assistant Clinical/Associate Clinical/Clinical Professor of Law), commencing in fall of 2022.  UConn Law’s field placement and pro bono programs offer students transformational opportunities to become competent, ethical, and reflective legal professionals and potential leaders. The programs encompass both general and specialized field placement courses as well as semester-in-residence programs in Washington D.C. and New York City.

The Director identifies, cultivates, and publicizes field placement and pro bono opportunities; counsels students about experiential learning options; approves and monitors student placements and pro bono projects; designs and teaches reflective seminars, orientations, and supervisor trainings; works collaboratively with other faculty to ensure quality instruction and supervision; and ensures that the law school’s field placement and pro bono programs enhance our students’ legal education.  Through innovation and collaboration, the successful candidate will expand and improve our programs to maximize students’ learning from practice in order to enhance their substantive knowledge, practice skills, and professional identity. Applicants should be deeply committed to teaching and counseling students, and to preparing them for success and fulfillment in legal practice, public service, and beyond.

This is a non-tenure track position subject to the Law School’s long-term contract policy for clinical faculty which, in compliance with ABA Standard 405(c), provides for security of position and non-compensatory perquisites such as research support and participation in faculty governance similar to those enjoyed by tenure-track faculty. The person filling the position may be hired at the rank of assistant, associate, or full clinical professor, depending on prior law school teaching experience and qualifications.  

The School of Law is especially interested in candidates who will add to the diversity of our faculty and community. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups, women, individuals, people with disabilities, and other candidates with experiences, backgrounds, and viewpoints that will enrich the diversity of our institution.

The successful candidate will be an integral member of the law school’s clinical faculty.  UConn Law School’s robust clinical program includes, in addition to the field placement program, in-house clinics that focus on asylum, criminal defense, tax, mediation, intellectual property, and animal law; and clinics operating in partnership with non-profit law firms that focus on child advocacy and transactional assistance to community organizations.  UConn Law School also encourages student, faculty, and staff participation in pro bono projects, and has a “pro bono pledge” program through which students may obtain recognition on their transcripts for the pro bono work they perform.  In addition, the successful candidate will be fully integrated into the academic life of the school, including by participating in faculty workshops, receiving support for scholarship, and having opportunities to collaborate on a collegial faculty.

UConn Law is the top-ranked public law school in the Northeast, offering a professional education of the highest quality.  The Law School is committed to building and supporting a vibrant, multicultural, and diverse community of students, faculty, and staff.  Its Gothic Revival campus is located in the West End of Hartford, a few miles from the state capitol and courts, as well as the headquarters of leading insurance companies and other major corporations.  The school has both day and evening divisions and offers the JD (Juris Doctor), LLM (Master of Laws) and SJD (Doctor of Laws) degrees, as well as several dual degrees.  The UConn Law faculty includes leading scholars, experienced practitioners, and internationally known experts in a wide range of fields.  The Law School hosts four student journals, over forty student organizations, extensive clinical and service engagement with the surrounding communities, and one of the largest law libraries in the world.

Founded in 1881, UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state’s flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 13 Schools and Colleges, including a Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn is a Carnegie Foundation R1 (highest research activity) institution, among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn embraces diversity and cultivates leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UConn promotes the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond. The University serves as a beacon of academic and research excellence as well as a center for innovation and social service to communities. UConn is a leader in many scholarly, research, and innovation areas. Today, the path forward includes exciting opportunities and notable challenges. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  • A J.D. degree
  • A minimum of five years of experience as a practicing lawyer or equivalent experience
  • Membership in good standing in the bar of at least one state
  • Experience and demonstrated skills in supervising law students or lawyers new to practice, and/or providing feedback and fostering critical reflection in comparable settings
  • A demonstrated commitment to pro bono legal work and/or public interest law
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Excellent organizational and/or administrative skills
  • Demonstrated ability to work both collaboratively and independently

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Clinical or other relevant teaching experience
  • Familiarity with ABA standards and best practices for experiential education
  • Engagement with legal scholarship
  • Demonstrated commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the legal academy and/or profession

APPOINTMENT TERMS

The position is at the Law School campus in Hartford. Salary and rank will be commensurate with background, qualifications, and experience. Benefits include health insurance, retirement annuities, and research support.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment at the University of Connecticut is contingent upon the successful candidate’s compliance with the University’s Mandatory Workforce COVID-19 Vaccination Policy.  This Policy states that all workforce members are required to have or obtain a Covid-19 vaccination as a term and condition of employment at UConn, unless an exemption or deferral has been approved. 

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

TO APPLY

Please apply online to Academic Jobs Online https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/19072 and submit the following application materials:

  • A letter of interest,
  • Curriculum vitae,
  • Teaching statement (including teaching philosophy, teaching experience, commitment to effective learning, concepts for new course development, etc.);
  • Commitment to diversity statement (including broadening participation, integrating multicultural experiences in instruction and research and pedagogical techniques to meet the needs of diverse learning styles, etc.);
  • Writing sample,
  • Recent teaching evaluations (if any),
  • Contact information for three letters of reference.

Any questions about application materials may be directed to the appointments committee chair, Susan Schmeiser, at susan.schmeiser@uconn.edu. For questions about field placements, pro bono, and clinical programs at UConn Law, also feel free to contact Professor Jennifer Mailly at jennifer.mailly@uconn.edu, or Associate Dean Paul Chill at paul.chill@uconn.edu

At the University of Connecticut, our commitment to excellence is complemented by our commitment to building a culturally diverse community.

This position will be filled subject to budgetary approval.

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics, which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.

The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty and staff. The diversity of students, faculty and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University’s teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn’s ranking as one of the nation’s top research universities. UConn’s faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural and diverse University community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.



Application Materials Required:
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:
And anything else requested in the description.

Further Info:
https://www.law.uconn.edu/
email address
 
University of Connecticut School of Law
55 Elizabeth Street
Hartford, CT 06105-229