Clinical Teaching Fellow

Description

The University of Tennessee College of Law is accepting applications for our new Clinical Teaching Fellowship to begin in the summer of 2023. This two-year fellowship will prepare talented lawyers and aspiring clinicians with at least 2 years of practice experience to become full-time clinical faculty at U.S law schools. The Clinical Teaching Fellow will work alongside and learn from current full-time clinical faculty who teach in the College of Law’s Legal Clinic. The Clinical Teaching Fellow will be immersed in all aspects of clinical teaching from learning clinical pedagogy to supervising law students on their casework. The UT Law Clinical Teaching Fellow will also develop a research agenda and begin working on a scholarly article in preparation for entering the law school teaching market. The fellow will receive training in clinical teaching methods, supervision when working with students on cases, and guidance in developing legal scholarship with faculty mentors.

We seek a Clinical Teaching Fellow to begin in the summer of 2023, and to work with one of the following Clinics:

1. The Advocacy Clinic, which provides direct legal services to clients in a range of litigation including civil, juvenile, and criminal cases. A more detailed description can be viewed at https://law.utk.edu/clinics/ .
2. The Transactional Law Clinic, which provides direct legal services to small businesses, nonprofit organizations, community-based associations, entrepreneurs, and artists. A more detailed description can be viewed at https://law.utk.edu/clinics/ .

Key Responsibilities

The UT Law Clinical Teaching Fellowship will commence in the summer of 2023. The fellow will directly supervise J.D. students enrolled in either the Advocacy Clinic or Transactional Law Clinic. The fellow will first work with a clinical faculty member to co-supervise students and then supervise second- and third-year law students on their own to provide high-quality client representation and to prepare them for graduation and practice. The fellow will work with full-time faculty in teaching the clinic’s seminar by preparing class instruction and leading exercises, discussions, and clinical rounds related to the students’ casework. The fellow will also assist with casework during the semester and summer case coverage. Finally, the fellow will work with faculty mentors to develop a research plan and to produce an article of publishable quality.

Background on the UT Legal Clinic, UT Law, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville:

The University of Tennessee College of Law’s Legal Clinic recently celebrated its 75th Anniversary as the longest continuously-operating legal clinic in the country. The Legal Clinic consistently ranks in the top ten of all US public law schools. The clinic operates like a public interest law firm with seven distinct clinical course offerings. Students are immersed in all facets of casework supervised by clinical faculty who guide, mentor, and challenge students. The Clinical Teaching Fellow will be an integral part of our program.

The University of Tennessee College of Law, founded in 1890, is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a charter member of the Association of American Law Schools. The mission of UT Law is to prepare students for the practice of law by integrating theory and practice across the curriculum, with an emphasis on clinical and skills training, innovative classroom teaching, legal writing, and professional values. The college endeavors to produce high-quality scholarship that examines, explains, critiques, and improves the law and the legal system. UT Law strives to serve the university, the campus, the profession, and the public by developing and sharing its talents and expertise.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), is an R1, land-grant university located in Knoxville, Tennessee. UTK has recently developed a new strategic vision that imagines “a world enriched by our ideas, improved through action, and inspired by the Volunteer Spirit of service and leadership.” The Clinical Teaching Fellow would have an opportunity to connect with scholars throughout the University.

The City of Knoxville is also a highly appealing destination, with a beautiful and walkable downtown, varied nightlife, active neighborhoods, and eclectic shopping and restaurants. Knoxville is located within easy driving distance to Asheville, Nashville, Atlanta, and the Great Smoky Mountains.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• J.D. or equivalent degree.
• At least two (2) years of practice experience in relevant areas of law.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong interest in clinical teaching, with a commitment to inclusive teaching methods designed to effectively engage a diverse student population.
• Membership in a U.S. state bar and willingness to petition for admission to the Tennessee Bar prior to the start date of the fellowship. Tennessee allows lawyers teaching in a law school clinical program to waive into the bar.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience:

• Teaching, training or supervision of law students or early-career lawyers.
• Experience with relevant civil, criminal or juvenile matters as preparation for teaching in the Advocacy Clinic or experience with relevant transactional matters as preparation for teaching in the Transactional Law Clinic.
• A commitment to public interest work.

Application Instructions

Applications must be submitted through Interfolio. Applicants should submit:

1. a resume,
2. the names and contact information for at least three (3) references, and
3. a letter of interest describing (a) why you are interested in the fellowship; (b) what you can contribute to the clinic in which you are interested; (c) your experience with the area(s) of law in which the clinic practices and with public interest/social justice work; (d) your future professional goals; and (e) anything else you deem relevant.

Deadline : While applications will be considered on a rolling basis, preference will be given to applications received before May 1, 2023. For questions, please contact Director of Clinical Programs Joy Radice at jradice@utk.edu .

In furtherance of the University’s and the College’s fundamental commitment to diversity in our faculty, student body, and staff, we strongly encourage applications from people of color, women, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people, veterans, and others whose background, life experiences, viewpoints, or philosophy would contribute to the diversity of our faculty, curriculum, and programs.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Equity and Diversity, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, telephone 865-974-2498. Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the Office of Equity and Diversity.