Yale Law School seeks applications for a Robert M. Cover Fellowship in Public Interest Law, a two-year position beginning on or about July 1, 2016 in the Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization, within Yale Law School’s clinical program. The Fellowship is designed for a lawyer with at least two years of practice who is considering a career in law school clinical teaching. The Fellow will work with the Worker & Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic (“WIRAC”).
WIRAC is a year-long, in-house clinic whose students represent immigrants, workers, and their organizations in litigation under labor and employment, immigration, Freedom of Information Act, § 1983, and other civil rights laws; state and local legislative advocacy; and other non-litigation matters. Illustrative cases include class action litigation challenging the prolonged immigration detention of noncitizens with certain criminal convictions; representation of nail salon workers denied minimum wage and overtime; habeas litigation to vacate the conviction, on the basis of Padilla v. Kentucky, and to obtain the return of a deported, longtime lawful permanent resident; representation of a community-based organization and individuals in East Haven challenging pervasive practices of anti-Latino police brutality through community organizing, litigation, and policy advocacy; representation in immigration court, before the Board of Immigration Appeals, and in federal court on behalf of individuals resisting removal; representation of a national organization of immigrant youth advocating for federal administrative and legislative relief; and representation of community organizations, unions, and faith organizations on a range of employment, education, policing, and other immigrant rights matters.
The Fellow’s responsibilities include representing WIRAC clients, supervising students, assisting in teaching WIRAC classes, and working on one’s own scholarship. In addition, the Fellow may be asked to co-teach a section of a half-semester experimental program for first-year students, Introduction to Legal Research and Writing. Candidates must be prepared to apply for admission to the Connecticut bar. (Candidates may qualify for admission without examination.) All work will be conducted with the support of the clinical faculty, and will focus on providing legal assistance to low-income and civil rights clients and organizations. The principal supervisors for the position will be Professors Muneer Ahmad and Michael Wishnie.
The Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization is committed to building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. Candidates must be able to work both independently and as part of a team, and must possess strong written and oral communication skills. Experience in creative and community-driven advocacy is a strong plus. Annual salary is $63,000-68,000. Fellows receive health benefits and access to university facilities. Send (or email) a resume, cover letter, writing sample, law school transcript, and names, addresses and telephone numbers of three references by March 15, 2016 (early applications encouraged) to: Osikhena Awudu, Program Manager, The Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization, P.O. Box 209090, New Haven, CT 06520-9090; telephone: (203) 432-4800; fax: (203) 432-1426; osikhena.awudu@yale.edu.
Yale University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Yale values diversity among its students, staff, and faculty and strongly welcomes applications from women, persons with disabilities, protected veterans and underrepresented minorities.