Michigan State University College of Law-Public Defender Clinic-Fellow

MSU College of Law is accepting applications for a one-year fellowship in the Public Defender Clinic. The fellowship is open to talented and dedicated individuals with at least two years’ practice experience who are interested in careers in clinical law teaching and/or public defense leadership.

The Public Defender Clinic provides a well-supervised and academically rigorous opportunity for second- and third-year law students to learn the practice of law. The caseload consists primarily of preconviction appellate representation, including prosecutor appeals from dismissal or defense interlocutory appeals from adverse pretrial rulings. Under close faculty supervision, students review court records, meet with clients, write appellate briefs, present oral argument in the Michigan Court of Appeals, and appear with local counsel in trial courts. Most cases involve constitutional questions such as the lawfulness of traffic stops, searches, or interrogations, or the protection of double jeopardy or speedy trial rights. The nature and scope of this representation provides a uniquely valuable educational experience for law students. More information about the Public Defender Clinic is available at https://law.msu.edu/clinics-centers-institutes/clinics/public-defender.

The Public Defender Clinic Fellowship is divided into two components: clinical teaching during the fall and spring semesters followed by public defense leadership during the summer. During the academic year, the fellow will supervise students in the representation of indigent clients throughout Michigan, co-teach seminar classes, evaluate students, provide consultation and support to indigent defense systems, contribute to public defense advocacy projects, and participate in the general development and functioning of the Public Defender Clinic. For fellows interested in law teaching careers, the law school will support scholarly development including research, faculty workshops, and conference travel.

During the summer, the fellow will work in partnership with the Muskegon County Public Defender on a research project that identifies and proposes innovative solutions to a complex policy problem in the delivery of indigent defense services. The fellow will present their findings to public defense leaders throughout Michigan and publish a white paper or journal article providing practical, actionable guidance to public defenders, leaders, and policy makers.

The job posting is available at https://careers.msu.edu/jobs/fellow-fixed-term-east-lansing-michigan-united-states-19461624-aa5c-4629-9ce6-457ebf16fbb7.

For more information, contact Public Defender Clinic Director Brad Hall at bhall@law.msu.edu.