What are the responsibilities and job description for the Instructor/Fellow-Fixed Term position at Michigan State University?
Working/Functional Title
Instructor/Fellow-Fixed Term
Position Summary
In coordination with the Taxpayer Clinic faculty, the Fellow will supervise students in representing clients and in advocacy projects, teach clinic seminar classes, evaluate students, and participate in the general development and functioning of the clinic. The Taxpayer Clinic fellow will be responsible for covering all Taxpayer Clinic cases and projects during academic breaks, and the fellow will work with the Taxpayer Clinic faculty to develop the clinic curriculum. In anticipation that the Fellow will pursue opportunities to enter a career in law teaching, the law school will support the Fellow’s efforts at scholarly development including research and conference travel support.
Supervision of second- and third-year law students, with the goals of training students to become ethical, effective, and compassionate advocates and of delivering outstanding client representation.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Teaches and supervises second- and third-year law students, with the goals of training students to become ethical, effective, and compassionate advocates and of delivering outstanding client representation.
- Provides case coverage for clinic matters over academic breaks.
- Publishes or works toward publishing a scholarly article in preparation for entering the law school teaching market.
- Collaborates with clinic faculty on classroom teaching and curriculum development.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree
Doctorate -Law
Minimum Requirements
- Juris Doctor from an ABA accredited law school.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- At least two (2) years of practice experience in relevant areas of law, with preference for experience representing taxpayers in controversy-related matters, strong academic records and writing ability, and a demonstrated commitment to public interest law.
- Strong interest in clinical teaching, with a commitment to inclusive teaching methods designed to effectively engage a diverse student population.
- Membership in a state bar and/or willingness to petition for admission to the Michigan Bar.
Required Application Materials
- Resume
- List of at least three (3) references
- Statement of interest of no more than two pages addressing (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 consider pertinent. - A writing sample that represents recent, challenging legal work. The writing sample should not be a collaborative work or a document significantly edited by someone else.
Remote Work Statement
MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.
Website
www.law.msu.edu
Department Statement
Michigan State University College of Law is a diverse and inclusive learning community with roots dating to 1891 when it opened as Detroit College of Law in Detroit, Michigan. It moved to its current East Lansing location in 1995 and remained a private institution until 2021 when it became a fully integrated college of Michigan State University.
Today, MSU Law has more than 650 students, 55 faculty members, 50 staff members, five librarians, and a world-wide network of some 11,500 alumni. MSU Law operates seven legal clinics overseen by nationally recognized faculty that provide students an opportunity to work on actual legal cases. Additionally, it offers some of nation’s leading law programs in new and emerging legal education, including Intellectual Property and Trial Advocacy, Indigenous Law and Policy Center, the Lori E. Talsky Center for Human Rights of Women and Children, Conservation Law Center, and Animal Legal and Historical Web Center.
MSU College of Law, operating under the principles of its DEI Strategic Plan, is poised to become the state’s preeminent law school, preparing a diverse community of lawyer-leaders to serve diverse communities in Michigan and beyond. It is committed to providing a legal education that is taught by leading scholars in their fields, includes best-in-class experiential opportunities, and helps students graduate without excessive debt.
MSU Statement
Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
