Qualifications:  Must be a member in good standing of the Massachusetts bar and qualified to represent clients in Massachusetts State Courts, or able to waive or test into the Massachusetts Bar prior to the commencement of the Fellowship.  At least two to three years of juvenile and/or criminal litigation experience is required. Experience working with adolescents within the juvenile justice system and related systems (child welfare, education, mental health) is strongly preferred. Teaching experience is preferred but not required, as is experience participating in a law school clinic.  This position is designed for someone who wishes to launch a career in clinical education under the mentorship of a talented and experienced team of Clinicians.

Hours: Full Time

Fellowship Description:  The Juvenile Defender Clinic Fellow will be among a group of several clinical fellows at SULS developing their clinical teaching skills through teaching and supervision in the SULS clinics. During the fellowship, the Fellow will gain experience with clinical supervision and familiarization with clinical pedagogy.  The Fellow will work with members of the clinical faculty to develop clinical teaching skills and will be afforded opportunities to work with the Suffolk University Center for Teaching and Scholarship Excellence to develop teaching, course design skills, and scholarship.   The Fellow will be mentored in the area of teaching, course design, scholarship, the job market, using research assistants, and other topics.  The Fellow will be supported in her/his scholarship, including being given the opportunity to present draft papers at one or more legal conferences and before the Suffolk faculty.  The Fellow will observe faculty teaching their clinical seminars and have the opportunity to teach some class sessions alongside the full-time faculty in the Fellow’s area of discipline.  The initial appointment will be for a period of one year with the opportunity to renew for a second year by mutual agreement between the Fellow and Suffolk.  At the conclusion of the fellowship, the Fellow should be prepared to enter the market for full-time clinical faculty positions.

Juvenile Defender Clinic Position Summary: For the past several years, Suffolk’s Clinical Programs have been nationally ranked as some of the leading programs of their type in the country.  The Juvenile Defender Clinic (JDC) is assigned to represent children, ages seven to eighteen who are involved in the juvenile justice system. While Boston Juvenile Court is where most JDC cases are heard, student attorneys and supervising faculty have appeared on behalf of clients in juvenile courts and in administrative proceedings throughout Massachusetts. Under the supervision of faculty or a fellow student attorneys are assigned duty days in Boston Juvenile Court and are assigned to represent clients from arraignment through final disposition and beyond if client needs dictate. This practice includes administrative proceedings within the educational, mental health, and juvenile detention systems. Through student supervision and using the tools of clinical pedagogy, the JDC Fellow will help students develop essential lawyering skills, such as client interviewing and counseling, case theory development, fact investigation, drafting, advocacy, and resolving ethical dilemmas in practice. 

The Fellow will directly supervise a team of 8 full-year clinical student attorneys in their casework.  The Fellow will be responsible for managing and overseeing the caseload of the Clinic, including intake, case opening and closing procedures, case assignment and appearing in Court and at case-related events with students.  The Fellow will have the opportunity to foster partnerships throughout the juvenile and criminal justice systems, including with education officials, government officials and/or advocates in the non-profit sector to advance the work of the JDC and benefit its students.  The Fellow may work with the Associate Director of Clinical Programs to adjust the caseload of the Clinic to meet her/his interests and expertise, provided there are pedagogical advantages and service needs to be addressed by the changes.  In addition to supervising students, the Fellow will assist in student trainings and teach some of the a weekly seminar classes covering substantive areas of criminal law and procedure, litigation skills, basic lawyering skills, and professional ethics and identity.

Timing: This is a one-year appointment available to begin July 1, 2016 or soon thereafter, with the opportunity to renew for a second year by agreement of the Fellow and Suffolk. The Fellow will be directly supervised by the Associate Director of Clinical Programs.  The Law School particularly encourages applications from women, minorities, and others whose backgrounds will contribute to the diversity of the faculty. 

Required Application Documents:             

Cover letter

Resume or CV

Writing Sample (scholarly or practice-oriented)

List of three references (preferably one clinician)

Optional Application Documents:             

Teaching Evaluations (if applicable)

Scholarship (if applicable)