Director of LLM Professional Development & Special Programs

Duke University:

 

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

 

Occupational Summary

 

The overall goal of the position is to holistically support the overall mission of the Office of International Studies by providing strategic management of multiple programs and initiatives aimed at expanding the school’s global reputation. The Director will work closely with the Associate and Assistant Deans for International Studies and the Director of LLM Admissions. One of the core functions of the role will be to support International LLM students in their professional development and career preparation. In addition, the Director’s responsibilities will also include preparation and management of the Visiting Scholar program and the LLM Ambassador Program. The Director may assist with recruitment and evaluation of LLM applicants. The Director will collaborate closely with colleagues across the Law School and University, including the Career & Professional Development Center, Alumni & Development Office, Communications, Office of the Registrar, Duke Visa Services, and others.

 

Work Performed

The Director of LLM Special Programs in the International Studies Office works in the following areas:

• LLM Career and Professional Development (30%)

 

Under the direction of the Assistant Dean for International Studies and in close collaboration with the colleagues in the Career & Professoinal Development Center (CPDC), the Director will support the implementation and execution of the Law School’s comprehensive career and professional development training program for international LLM students, focusing on two main areas: (1) offering individualized career counseling to LLM students and graduates, and (2) supporting career and professional development programming. Work within each area will reinforce the work in the other; to provide a sense of the different responsibilities in each, however, work in each of the two areas is broken down below. The Director will attend weekly CPDC meeting and participate in various initiatives and programs of that office on as needed basis.

Student Career Counseling

The Director is one of the primary providers of career counseling and targeted advice to LLM students and graduates through one-on-one meetings.  The position counsels and advises students and graduates in two broad areas – professional development and industry knowledge.  Professional development ranges from self-assessment, long and short-term narrative development and career planning, to the detailed review of resumes, cover letters and other written material. Also covered are discussions of professional opportunities, guidance and advice on search strategies and techniques, interviewing, networking, general professionalism and more. Industry knowledge requires a thorough understanding of the U.S. legal market, particularly in the context of LLM recruitment, an appreciation of the unique challenges faced by international candidates, as well as knowledge of—or the desire to learn—legal markets in other regions, particularly Western Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Middle East and Africa.

Career and Professional Development Programming

The Director will initiate and organize a wide range of career-related panel discussions, presentations, receptions and workshops in order to prepare LLM students for practice in the United States, and/or in their home country or other markets. Other projects, based on the needs assessment, may include researching and developing new student resources, assisting in updating current resources, and developing new programs and initiatives.

• Administer the Visiting Scholar Program (15%)

Working closely with Director of LLM Admissions and Duke Visa Services, the Director will collect and review applications for the Duke Law School Visiting Scholar program. In consultation with Associate Dean for Internatinoal Studies, the Director will liaise with applicants, convey admission decisions, orient Visiting Scholars (VS) upon arrival, coordinate VS’s course auditing, and assist Duke Visa Services with relevant visa paperwork. The Director will also coordinate library space and services for VS with the Duke Law Library staff and arrange social events a