Associate Director, Law School Career & Professional Development

Position Title & Department:

 Associate Director, Law School Career & Professional Development; School of Law Posting #

5354

Department Description:

USD School of Law is one of the 84 law schools elected to the Order of the Coif, a national honor society for law school graduates. The law school's faculty is a strong group of outstanding scholars and teachers with national and international reputations and currently ranks in the top 20% (36th out of 204) among U.S. law schools in scholarly impact according to a 2018 study. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Founded in 1954, the law school is part of the University of San Diego, a private, independent, Roman Catholic university chartered in 1949.

University Description:

The University of San Diego, an engaged and contemporary Catholic institution, was founded by the Diocese of San Diego and the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1949. Governed by an independent board of trustees since 1972, USD remains committed to a liberal arts education grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition and the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty. Inspired by this centuries old tradition of Catholic higher education, the University welcomes people of all faith traditions and any, or no, religious background. The future success of USD relies on the contributions of those who seek to foster the development of engaged global citizens and an earnest confrontation of humanity’s urgent challenges.

Detailed Description:

Manages coordination and promotion of public interest and government (“public service”) opportunities to students and alumni. Manages the public service Graduate Jobs Initiative Program. Advises students and alumni as to public interest and government law opportunities; performs outreach to public interest and government employers to enhance employment, networking, and pro bono opportunities; gathers and organizes information on such opportunities. Serves as a liaison to local, regional, and national legal public interest and government legal employer communities.

Designs and initiates programs and projects on public service law careers including District Attorney 1L Academy, Public Defender 1L Academy, Attorney General’s Fellowship, annual Judicial Clerkship Panel and Public Law Panel. Serves as a resource and advisor for student public interest law organization and oversees all aspects of student participation in the annual Equal Justice Works conference and the annual Southern California Public Interest Career Day. Gather and provide information for students interested in post-graduate fellowships such as EJW and Skadden.

Will design and direct a comprehensive, voluntary Pro Bono Service Program for the law school.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Public Service Career Advising and Programming:

• Manage public interest and fellowship programming and provide advising for law students and alumni of the school regarding summer clerkships, fellowships and post-graduation and lateral career options.
• Advise students on career planning and professional development and assist them in attaining career goals.  Review and revise application materials.
• Provide direction to other advisors on counseling students interested in pursuing public interest law and government externships/internships and careers.
• Oversee student participation in public interest law and government career fairs.
• Monitor public interest informational database on national, state and local opportunities including but not limited to fellowships.
• Develop and maintain resources of information on national, state and local government hiring requirements and timelines.
• Conduct annual public interest informational workshops and speaker programs. 
• Manage and update content for electronic library of public interest materials.
• Build and manage relationships with student public interest law organizations, public interest organizations and clinics.
• Prepare and update content on