The University of Georgia School of  Law invites applications for the position of Director of the Wilbanks Center for Child Sexual Assault and Exploitation Survivors, beginning November 2015.  The position is secured by a 12-month, annually renewable contract.  Research and publication are not expected. We encourage you to forward this announcement to anyone who you think might have an interest in the position.

Applications received  by November 6, 2015 are assured of consideration. All persons interested in applying should send a letter of interest and a resume to Cindy Wentworth, University of Georgia School of Law, Herty Drive, Athens, GA 30602. A link for applications is here.  https://apps.itos.uga.edu/ach/position/30387

The Center is being created in response to the Georgia legislature's passage of House Bill 17, which created a two-year window of relief from the statute of limitations for bringing civil charges in the case of child sexual abuse.  Regardless of when the abuse occurred, victims can bring suit against their abusers until the window closes on July 1, 2017.  After that time, the law requires suits to be brought forward before the victim reaches 23 years of age or within two years of becoming aware of the abuse, the memories of which are often repressed until later in life.

The Center Director’s Office is located in downtown Athens, Georgia.  The Center represents clients who have been sexually abused or exploited as children in litigation against their abusers.  The Director will be responsible for operationalizing the Center; teaching and supervising up to eight students each spring, summer and fall semester; managing a law practice consisting of all phases of tort litigation brought on behalf of child sexual assault and exploitation survivors against the perpetrators of the assault; collaborating with other service agencies to strengthen protections for victims of child sexual abuse and exploitation; supervising a fellow; and managing a litigation budget.   

Applicants must have a J.D. from an accredited university, be licensed to practice in Georgia (or eligible to waive into the Georgia bar) and ideally will have at least five years of relevant law practice experience. Preference will be given to applicants with demonstrated experience in teaching, especially clinical law teaching, and to applicants with a demonstrated commitment to working with child sexual abuse and exploitation victims.