Dean and President

President and Dean

The incoming President/Dean will be the public face of California Western School of Law (CWSL) in its engagement with alumni, students, the legal community, community leaders, potential donors, and the media. The President/Dean provides leadership in developing, implementing, and maintaining course curriculum and internship programs that respond to community needs and prepare law students for success in their careers. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the President/Dean is responsible for advancing the overall mission of the law school, including successful implementation and accountability for strategic planning, accreditation, enrollment, facilities, fundraising, and community relations. They will oversee a Vice Dean for Academic Affairs; an Associate Dean for Teaching and Assessment; an Associate Dean for Faculty Research; a Dean of Students; an Assistant Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid, and Campus Diversity; an Associate Dean of Library and Information Resources; a Senior Director of Marketing and Communications; and a Senior Director of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement.

Primary Responsibilities (includes but not limited to):

• Create and execute on a vision to chart a clear path forward for California Western School of Law Program Coordination.
• Develop a robust resource and infrastructure base that will allow CWSL to realize its ambitious objectives.
• Recruit, develop, and inspire an exceptional faculty and staff.
• Identify opportunities to improve bar passage and career placement for CWSL students.
• Collaborate closely and effectively with CWSL’s Board of Trustees.

Qualifications:

• The ideal candidate should have a record that includes experience in senior administrative roles in legal academia.
• The candidate should have familiarity working with accrediting bodies, including the ABA (American Bar Association), AALS (Association of American Law Schools), and WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges).
• The candidate should have experience in managing complex operations, teams, and budgets in the legal education context, and should have familiarity with and interest in overseeing an institution’s financial and fiscal health.
• The individual should have a background as a legal academic that includes experience in law school teaching and a demonstrated record of producing, or commitment to encouraging, legal scholarship.
• The President/Dean will have an aptitude for, and commitment to, advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for the benefit of the entire CWSL community.

Skills:

• Strong listening and communication skills
• Ability to work well with others
• Leadership
• Honesty and integrity
• Adaptability and flexibility

Compensation: $340,000 to 360,000 commensurate with experience and subject to other negotiated benefits.

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the law school reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the law school anticipates paying for this position, based on internal equity and budget.

The law school offers competitive benefits for eligible employees, including, but not limited to:

• Generous employer contribution for Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance (depending on which plan/level the employee elects). 
• 403 (b) Employer Retirement contribution of 8% (up to 8k per year) Fully and immediately vested.
• Company Paid Life and AD&D Insurance.
• Paid Long-Term Disability Insurance.
• Flexible Spending Plan.
• Reduced Summer Work Schedule (paid).
• Paid Winter Break (week of x-mas through new year).
• 10 Paid Holidays.
• Wellness Programs.

Perks:

• Little Italy/Downtown location for convenient access to great restaurants and after-hour activities.
• Free on-campus parking facilities provided.
• Employee engagement events held both virtually and on-campus.
• On-Campus Convenience Store.
• Complimentary bottomless Specialty Coffee.
• Use of on-campus Law Library facilities.

APPLY NOW

Complete an application through the CWSL Career Center website at https://workforcenow.adp.com/jobs/apply/posting.html?client=35y2n&ccId=19000101_000001&type=MP&lang=en_US or visit our website at CWSL.edu and search Current Job Openings.

Resume and Cover Letter required.

About us:

Established in 1924, CWSL is an ABA accredited and AALS member, non-profit law school located in downtown San Diego, California.   CWSL has the distinction of being San Diego’s oldest law school.  CWSL is the recipient of numerous community service awards, including the State Bar of California President’s Pro Bono Service Award, and the federal government’s President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.  The law school is also home to numerous outstanding programs, including the California Innocence Project, Community Law Project, and New Media Rights Program.  The faculty are dedicated to teaching, research, and service to the community.  Detailed information is available at https://www.cwsl.edu/

California Western School of Law is committed to using the law to prevent and solve human and societal problems.  In conjunction with our mission - to train ethical, competent, and compassionate lawyers, representative of our diverse society and equipped to use the law effectively and creatively on behalf of all members of society - we value a rich diversity among our students, alumni, faculty, and staff, as well as in the larger communities of which we are a part.

The law school is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to affirmative action and to excellence through diversity.  The law school provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities upon request.

Salary : $340,000 - $360,000