Program Director - Legal Clinic (COL)

Position Type: Staff position with full, competitive benefits package
Opens: Immediately
Closes: Open Until Filled

This is an opportunity designed for an attorney with experience as a practitioner in the field of tax law (including substantial working experience representing clients in disputes with the IRS), who is passionate about a future in academic teaching. In this 12-month position, the successful applicant will teach and administer the College of Law’s Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (“Clinic” or “LITC”) in accordance with College policies and ensure compliance with academic policies and ABA standards. Under the supervision of and in collaboration with the Director of the Clinical Law Program, the LITC Director receives instruction in clinical pedagogy and supervises student attorneys to ensure that clients receive high-quality representation and that students learn about the effective, ethical, and reflective practice of law.

The LITC Director screens cases to insure they are appropriate for the Clinic. The Director supervises student attorneys working on cases involving tax controversy matters. This supervision will include meeting at least weekly with students, accompanying students to court, and working with students on other activities, including education and outreach initiatives. The LITC Director also co-teaches a weekly lawyering skills seminar with the Director of the Clinical Program and other clinical faculty and staff. The LITC Director is responsible for applying for grants and managing grants, including grant reporting. The LITC Director collaborates with the IRS LITC Program Office, partners with other organizations who represent low-income taxpayers, and provides outreach and education to the broader community.

Key Responsibilities
Teaching and Supervision

• Screen cases looking for tax controversy issues appropriate for clinic.
• Supervise cases and student attorneys meeting at least weekly with students, reviewing and providing comments on student work, accompanying them to court, and working on other activities, including education and outreach initiatives.
• Co-teach a weekly seminar to help students synthesize their clinical casework and develop their lawyering skills, ethical awareness, and professionalism.
• Receive instruction and coaching regarding clinical legal education and its unique pedagogy.
• Participate in weekly clinical faculty meetings.

Grant Management

• In collaboration with the Office of Sponsored Programs, the LITC Director will apply for federal grants and/or any applicable private grants.
• Manage grants including ongoing grant reporting and budgeting.

Partnerships and Community Engagement

• Consult and partner with other clinics and organizations including Legal Aid of West Virginia, Mountain State Justice, the Tax Law Society, and the West Virginia Tax Institute.
• Provide education and outreach to the community.

Qualifications :

Required Qualifications
Education: Juris Doctor from an ABA-accredited law school
Experience:

• At least three (3) years of experience as a practicing lawyer in matters relating to federal income tax controversy
• Tax Court admission
• Good standing to practice before the IRS
• Admission in good standing to any state’s bar
• Willing to seek West Virginia bar admission upon hire

Preferred Qualifications

• Admission to the West Virginia Bar
• Teaching experience
• Experience supervising attorneys in a practice setting
• Fundraising or grant-writing experience
• Nonprofit or public interest employment history
• Project management experience

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated skills in organization, leadership, and communication
• Strong academic record and/or other indicia of ability to perform at a high level
• Commitment to work for low-income clients
• Strong interest in teaching
• Ability to foster relationships and work with diverse groups
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Creativity and initiative

Please direct questions to Nicole McConlogue, the Director of the Clinical Law Program, at nicole.mcconlogue@mail.wvu.edu .

WVU is the state’s comprehensive Land Grant University, boasting a R1 Carnegie Classification and an enrollment of approximately 32,500 students, including 27,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate/professional students. The College of Law, West Virginia’s only law school, was founded in 1878 and has been ABA-accredited since 1923. The Clinical Law Program was founded in 1976 and provides approximately 40,000 hours of pro bono legal services to low- and moderate-income West Virginians each year.

Morgantown is a safe and family-friendly community with a population of about 62,000 residents. It is ranked highly among the most livable small cities in the U.S., with affordable housing, excellent schools, a picturesque countryside, and many outdoor activities . The community lies within a high technology corridor that also includes several federal research facilities as well as industries active in shale gas operations. The city is readily accessible and within easy traveling distance of Washington, DC, to the east, Pittsburgh, PA, to the north, and Cleveland and Columbus, OH, to the northwest. For more information on WVU and Morgantown, see http://www.wvu.edu and http://www.morgantown.com .

WVU provides faculty members with a supportive environment for developing a visible and productive career ( https://talentandculture.wvu.edu/new-employees ) and a range of progressive policies to support work-life integration ( https://faculty.wvu.edu/policies-and-procedures/work-life-integration ). WVU also offers a Dual Career Program to assist partners in their career transition and job search and belongs to the OH/Western PA/WV Higher Education Recruitment Consortium ( https://www.hercjobs.org/oh-western-pa-wv ).

At West Virginia University, we leverage our talents and resources to create a better future for our state and the world. As West Virginia's land-grant university, WVU has three campuses that touch each corner of the state. The WVU System includes 518 buildings on 15,880 acres, Extension Service offices in all 55 counties, ten experimental farms and four forests.

From the groundbreaking R1 research of our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs of WVU Potomac State in Keyser to the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley — the contributions of WVU employees directly impact the 1.8 million people of West Virginia every day, no matter their role or position.

Service, curiosity, respect, accountability, and appreciation are the core values that unite Mountaineers, inspiring one another to work tirelessly and support others as they seek to reach new heights. After all, when you're a Mountaineer, impossible is just another mountain to climb.

To learn more about West Virginia University, visit go.wvu.edu . View current career opportunities at careers.wvu.edu .

West Virginia University is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer and is the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity. The University values diversity among its faculty, staff, and students, and invites applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, genetics, disability, or Veteran status.