Clinical Professor of Law & Associate Director of Pro Bono Programs

Company Description:

At Roger Williams University, students are prepared to be thinkers and doers ready to solve challenging problems with innovative solutions. RWU offers 50 majors and robust offerings of graduate and professional programs across eight schools of study including Rhode Island's only law school, with campuses on the coast of Bristol and in the heart of Providence, R.I. With small classrooms and a focus on undergraduate and graduate research and community engagement, a Roger Williams education blends the strength of liberal arts and professional studies, providing all students with the depth and breadth of interdisciplinary thinking and well-rounded knowledge necessary to succeed in our interconnected, global world. RWU is committed to strengthening society through engaged scholarship so that students graduate with the ability to think critically and apply the practical skills that today's employers demand.

Roger Williams University seeks to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff. We value all races, genders, identities, and abilities. RWU is committed to creating a thriving community that encourages lifelong learning, professional development, and academic innovation.  

To learn more about Roger Williams University's commitment and support of diversity and inclusion, please visit https://www.rwu.edu/who-we-are/diversity-equity-inclusion.

Job Description:

The Clinical Professor of Law & Associate Director of Pro Bono Programs ("Associate Director") is responsible for teaching law students about their professional responsibility to provide pro bono legal service and the broader obligation of attorneys to increase access to justice and the quality of justice. The Associate Director's teaching is primarily done through innovative pro bono programming and partnering with doctrinal faculty to integrate pro bono and experiential learning opportunities into traditional doctrinal classes. The Associate Director is an essential member of the law school's experiential education team and participates with all clinical faculty in understanding and developing innovative clinical pedagogy. In addition to teaching, the Associate Director administers the School of Law's 50-hour Pro Bono Experiential Learning Graduation Requirement ("PBELR").

We are seeking a candidate who is available to begin as soon as possible to support the immediate needs of the role.

Description of the Feinstein Center for Pro Bono and Experiential Learning ("Center")

The Center is responsible for the following programs at the law school: the Public Interest Externship Program, the PBELR, the PBC, and all in-house public service project offerings.  In addition, the Center is responsible for creating a culture of public interest at the law school through educational and experiential programs, counseling students about public interest careers, and serving as the advisor to student public interest groups.  The Center is also responsible for assisting in assuring high quality experiential learning opportunities for our students and consistency within the experiential programming.

Description of Pro Bono Collaborative ("PBC") Programs

PBC Programs are those experiential learning opportunities for law students that involve the provision of legal assistance to underrepresented people under the supervision of Center attorneys or of licensed attorneys outside the School of Law.

PBC projects are administered by the Center. The projects are designed to increase legal representation and advocacy on behalf of underrepresented individuals and communities by partnering private attorneys, law students, and community-based organizations to provide pro bono legal assistance on a discrete project basis. 

Through our PBC projects, students gain actual lawyering skills, including interviewing, counseling, client communication, navigating ethics and professional responsibility issues, researching, planning, and civil practice.

Essential Functions/Characteristics

Work with the Director of Pro Bono and Community Partnerships ("Director") to ensure the success of all pro bono programming. Administer the 50-hour PBELR.

Pro Bono Collaborative Project Development and Management

In collaboration with the Director, administer, facilitate and oversee all aspects of the Pro Bono Collaborative;   

Attend and facilitate meetings and communication among all projects' partners;

Work with the Director to recruit law students for participation in the projects;

Identify or develop training programs for each participating law firm and attorneys and their team of volunteer law students; and

In collaboration with the Director, provide a pro bono orientation program for the first year law students in each fall.

Pro Bono Experiential Learning Requirement (PBELR)

Administer the 50-hour PBELR;

Supervise the Pro Bono & Experiential Education Coordinator in administering the PBELR (shared); 

Certify all students through Etrieve, including providing feedback on law students' written evaluations;

General Curricular Experiential Learning Counseling

Counsel law students on curricular experiential learning options (pro bono, clinics, and externships) and provide assistance in planning for these experiences during law school.

Represent the law school at regional and national clinical conferences and access to justice conferences, as well as serving on committees for the ABA and AALS.