PENN STATE LAW in University Park seeks to hire a 2-year clinical law VAP to direct my family law clinic while I serve as our Associate Dean for Academic Affairs starting July 1, 2019.  This is a great opportunity for those interested in preparing for the academic market to be mentored, for those interested in clinical teaching, and for victim/survivor advocates.

Penn State Law, based in University Park, PA, is seeking to hire an experienced legal professional to serve as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Clinical Law and Interim Director of the Family Law Clinic. The successful candidate will have law school teaching experience, and a background in representing clients in family law matters, particularly in cases involving domestic and sexual violence, and/or supervising law students in clinical casework. The Clinic is an “in-house” clinic that functions as a small pro bono law firm representing low-income Pennsylvanians in a variety of family law matters, including divorce, custody, protection from abuse, child support and adoption. The Interim Director will manage the Clinic’s direct legal services to clients, and, along with the Clinic’s Supervising Attorney, supervises the law students who represent those clients. Situated at Penn State’s largest campus in University Park, Pennsylvania, the Family Law Clinic is an integral part of Penn State Law’s work as a land grant university serving rural Pennsylvanians while competing on a global scale with scholarship and public policy work. Examples of Family Law Clinic cases and projects include protective orders for victims of domestic violence, securing financial support and property for indigent clients in divorces, asserting custodial rights for parents, and conducting Brief Legal Advice workshops on family law issues. The Interim Director will also teach the weekly Clinic seminar class, including simulations and other skill-building exercises, doctrinal law instruction, and case rounds. The Interim Director may also teach another law school course, which will be determined in consultation with the Associate Dean of Clinics and Experiential Learning and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. This is not a tenure-track position, nor is it designed to lead to permanent employment at Penn State Law. Rather, this is an opportunity for an experienced practitioner who is interested in exploring a career in clinical teaching, or a new clinical teacher who hopes to enter the market for a clinic director position in the future. This position has year-round case management responsibilities, with no teaching obligations in the summer, leaving some time to pursue a scholarly agenda. In-depth knowledge of family law and domestic violence required, with preference for those with experience in VAWA work and/or in certain other Clinic practice areas - specifically, divorce economic relief, child custody and support, and campus sexual assault. The Interim Director will also manage Penn State Law’s Public Interest programs, which include a large grant that partly funds the Clinic’s operations. The Public Interest programs job duties include collaborating with numerous student initiatives like the Family Law Society; Public Interest Law Fund and Alternative Spring Break; chairing the Public Interest Law Placements faculty committee; working with Career Services staff to maximize student matching with public interest opportunities; cultivating and publicizing pro bono opportunities for students; representing Penn State Law on public interest law boards and committees such as Student Legal Services, Mid-Penn Legal Services, the PA-IOLTA Board; and the AALS, ABA, and other national groups’ Public Interest/Pro Bono networks. Must have a desire to mentor, supervise and train law students in an “in-house” clinical program; a demonstrated passion for social justice and a commitment to working with low-income communities; excellent writing, communication and organizational skills; and the ability to work effectively within diverse stakeholder communities. The successful candidate will demonstrate knowledge and experience with client-centered lawyering, and outstanding legal practice skills. We seek a candidate who is creative, curious and self-motivated with an ability to anticipate issues and follow-up independently; is an exceptional strategist who can thrive in a collaborative, collegial environment and enjoys thinking through complex legal issues; and exhibits professionalism, drive and tenacity. This position is a benefits-eligible, fixed-term academic appointment beginning in summer 2019 and funded for two years from date of hire. Starting rank is negotiable depending on the applicant’s experience. A J.D., admission to the Pennsylvania Bar or eligibility to become a member of the Pennsylvania Bar and minimum four years of family law practice experience with substantial trial work preferred. Preferred start date is July 1, 2019. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled; only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

To learn more and apply: https://psu.jobs/job/85700.