Director - New Family Defense Clinic - School of Law

The University of California, Berkeley, School of Law seeks applicants for a full-time position to design and establish a new in-house family defense clinic that represents the rights and interests of families who are at risk of or have experienced state intervention and separation, and to serve as the Director of the new clinic. Our intent is to fill this position to begin July 1, 2025.

This is an open rank search and the finalist may be appointed as Assistant Clinical Professor of Law (Assistant Professor of Teaching) or Clinical Professor of Law (Professor of Teaching). This faculty position entails membership in the Academic Senate with rights and responsibilities that are comparable to the standard professorial track, but with an emphasis on legal clinic teaching, professional competence and activity, research and creative work, and University and public service.

Berkeley Law's Clinical Program currently features seven in-house clinics (Death Penalty Clinic; Environmental Law Clinic; Global Rights Innovation Lab Clinic; Human Rights Clinic; Policy Advocacy Clinic; Samuelson Law, Technology, and Public Policy Clinic; Social Enterprise Clinic), and eight community-based clinics at the East Bay Community Law Center (Clean Slate Clinic, Community Economic Justice Clinic, Consumer Justice & General Clinic, Youth Defense Clinic, Education Justice Clinic, Health & Welfare Clinic, Housing Law Clinic, and Immigration Law Clinic).

The mission of Berkeley Law's Clinical Program is to advance equal justice - racial, economic, and social justice - through three interrelated activities: Preparing law students to address pressing societal problems and to become highly skilled, responsible, and reflective legal practitioners; Providing first-rate legal services to underrepresented individuals, marginalized communities, and public-minded organizations-locally, nationally, and globally; and Producing cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research to support litigation, inform public policy, and increase the effectiveness of our teaching and service.

A central component of the successful candidate's application for this position will be a thoughtful explanation of how their proposed family defense clinic would advance racial, gender, economic, and social justice and contribute to student learning. Candidates are encouraged to put forth their vision of what services and experiential opportunities a family defense clinic should offer-including individual representation, systemic litigation, public advocacy, interdisciplinary collaboration, etc.-and how a clinic housed at the law school would meet with and reach clients and community members. The ideal candidate will incorporate an anti-racist approach to legal advocacy and clinical pedagogy and will offer examples of how their anti-racist framework operates in practice.

The Director will plan, develop, and manage the clinic's docket and operations; develop and supervise students' work in the legal and/or policy projects for the clinic; teach the clinical companion seminar; supervise other clinical instructors and/or clinical staff; and fulfill service as a member of the full-time faculty, such as serving on law school and campus committees.

Candidates must have substantial practice experience, administrative ability, and a background in family law and/or the child welfare/family policing system, as well as experience teaching, supervising, or mentoring law students. The candidate should demonstrate potential for research and writing on law, policy, or the profession.

Berkeley Law encourages applications from candidates who will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education through their teaching, research, and service. We recognize that a diverse workforce is essential for maintaining legitimacy as a public university dedicated to serving the needs of our increasingly diverse state. Berkeley Law is committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual career couples and single parents. For information about potential relocation to Berkeley, or career needs of accompanying partners and spouses, please visit http://ofew.berkeley.edu/new-faculty.

Berkeley Law seeks candidates who will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in all facets of higher education. Members of historically marginalized groups are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants need not have attended an elite institution; need not have published academic scholarship to date; and need not have a formal academic research agenda.

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. Consistent with this commitment, UC Berkeley requires all applicants for Senate faculty positions to complete, sign, and upload an Authorization of Information Release form into AP Recruit as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, applicants will only be subject to reference checks if and when they are selected as the candidate to whom the hiring unit would like to extend a formal offer. More information is available on this website.

School: https://www.law.berkeley.edu/

Program: https://www.law.berkeley.edu/experiential/clinics/

Applicants must hold a J.D. degree or equivalent international degree; be admitted to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.

Membership in California bar, or be willing to sit for the California bar within one year of appointment.

Preferred candidates would have at least 5 years of legal practice experience. Judicial clerkships count as legal experience

• 3 required (contact information only)

References may be contacted for candidates under serious consideration, by phone and in writing. The committee will notify candidates in advance of reaching out to references.

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

Please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.