Assistant Dean for Externships, Law School

Position Summary:
The Assistant Dean for Externships is the senior administrative leader who directs the Law School’s student externship and field placement program. This position identifies and develops placement opportunities, oversees academic credit for externships, works closely with the Assistant Dean for Public Interest, and reports to the Vice Dean. The candidate is expected to teach the externship course, which is the required academic component of the externship program. If approved by the law faculty, the position will carry a secondary faculty title.

About the Work Unit:
Vanderbilt Law recognizes that hands-on experience is essential to developing effective legal professionals. Our externship programs enable students to move beyond the classroom and engage directly with practicing attorneys in real-world legal settings. Working alongside accomplished professionals across diverse sectors, students gain authentic insight into law in practice and build the foundation for meaningful legal careers. Students tailor their externships to suit their professional interests, typically working with federal and state judges, prosecutors, public defenders, government agencies, state attorneys general, legislative offices, corporate legal departments, and legal aid or nonprofit organizations. Through these placements, students confront professional responsibility issues in live lawyering contexts, observe and develop core legal skills in practice, critically analyze how those skills apply across different legal settings, and reflect on the diverse roles attorneys play in the legal profession and their own career aspirations.

Key Functions and Expected Performance: 

Program Management & Development
• Directs the overall strategy, performance and assessment of the externship program
• Design, implement, and evaluate the externship curriculum and learning objectives
• Develop and maintain relationships with judicial, government, and non-profit external partners
• Recruit and cultivate new placement opportunities aligned with school priorities
• Create and revise program policies and guidelines

Academic Credit & Compliance
• Oversee academic credit allocations for externships and field placements
• Ensure compliance with ABA standards, law school policies, and accreditation requirements
• Maintain proper documentation of student placements and credit awards
• Develop and implement grading protocols and credit hour frameworks

Student Administration
• Manage student applications, approvals, and placements
• Track student progress and coordinate grading protocols
• Counsel students on placement selection
• Facilitates the application and matching process, ensuring students meet prerequisites for placement
• Ensure proper documentation and credit allocation for student records and externship documentation

Stakeholder Relations
• Serve as primary contact between law school and external employers and placement sites
• Builds and maintains partnerships with outside organizations, judges or corporate sites
• Maintain ongoing partner communication
• Solicit employer feedback and manage partnership agreements
• Promote the school's externship program to prospective and current students
• Collaborate closely with the Assistant Dean for Public Interest on public interest externship placements and initiatives

Assessment & Reporting
• Collect and analyze data on student placements and effectiveness, learning and employment outcomes
• Produce annual reports and programmatic assessments
• Identify areas for improvement and implement enhancements
• Contribute to accreditation and compliance documentation

Supervisory Relationships:
This position may have supervisory responsibility and reports to the Vice Dean of the Law School.

Qualifications:
• A master’s degree in higher education, legal education, educational administration or relevant field is necessary. A J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school is preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years of legal experience in practice, judiciary, legal education or relevant industry is necessary.
• Excellent student counseling and networking skills are necessary.
• Demonstrated experience with experiential education, public interest work, transactional practice or legal externships is necessary.
• Prior law school teaching, administrative experience and familiarity with assessment tools and methodologies are preferred.
• Strong organizational, project management skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office and law school administrative systems are necessary.
• Strong interpersonal, cultural competency and communication skills are necessary.
• Expert ability and experience managing multiple constituencies and building relationships is necessary.
• Knowledge of experiential learning methodologies and ABA standards are preferred.
• Ability to make sound administrative/procedural decisions using a high level of discernment is necessary.
• Ability to resolve conflicts and work independently as well as collaboratively is necessary.
• Ability to provide technical advice and information to staff in area of expertise is necessary.