What are the responsibilities and job description for the Environmental Law & Policy Clinic - Practitioner in Residence or Clinical Fellow position at Suffolk University?
Suffolk University Law School’s top-10 ranked Clinical Programs welcomes applications for a Clinical Fellow or Practitioner in Residence (PIR) to help run its Environmental Law and Policy Clinic during the 2025-26 academic year. The Environmental Law & Policy Clinic (“ELPC”), established in 2023 to meet growing student demand, is one of 15 in-house clinics at Suffolk Law School. The Fellow or PIR will work with a Visiting Clinical Professor in the ELPC to run and teach all aspects the program, including designing and building the docket, supervising clinical students in their case and project work, and teaching the related clinical seminar. Clinical Fellows are staff-level junior clinical teachers, and PIRs are non tenure-track faculty, and the candidate’s appointment will depend on experience and qualifications.
The ELPC is a full-year clinic offered for 10 credits (5 credits/semester) serving students in their last 2 years of law school. Students enrolled in the ELPC work on a variety of local, state, and/or federal environmental, energy, and land use legal matters, including representing non-profits, citizen groups, and governmental agencies on regulatory and environmental policy issues on today’s most pressing issues. During the 2025-26 academic year, the ELPC will substantially focus its work on supporting underserved communities and advocates on matters concerning land conservation, sand mining, and resource protection in Southeastern Massachusetts. Students will also provide analysis and education on various legislative/regulatory initiatives. The Fellow or PIR will focus on developing and managing a docket of cases or projects in the realm of land use and environmental policy, legislation, and regulation, including advocacy.
Requirements/Qualifications:
• Eligible candidates must possess a JD.
• Admission to the Massachusetts Bar, or qualification to be admitted to the Massachusetts Bar within six months of start date, is required.
• Successful Clinical Fellow candidates will have at least 2-5 years of relevant legal experience, and Practitioner in Residence candidates will have 5 years or more of relevant legal experience involving environmental, energy, land use, municipal or administrative law and/or legislative and regulatory drafting and advocacy.
• Experience with, or demonstrated interest in, legislative advocacy and/or environmental legal policy is strongly preferred.
• Experience working with diverse communities, clients, and other stakeholders is strongly preferred.
• Experience mentoring and/or working with junior attorneys or law students is preferred, as is teaching experience or prior participation in a law school clinic.
Hours and Duration: This position will begin July 1, 2025, and will be a full-time, 1-year appointment with the possibility of future renewal.
Required Application Documents: Cover Letter
Curriculum Vitae
