Assistant OR Associate Director of Law Career Services

Chapman University Careers•Irvine, CA

12d

About The Position

The Assistant or Associate Director of Law Career Services serves as an integral part of the Career Services Office ( CSO ) under the supervision of the Assistant Dean for Career Services. The CSO is responsible for providing a full suite of personalized services to law students and alumni, helping them create, execute, and meet career goals and objectives. The Assistant or Associate Director will work closely with the Assistant Dean to implement strategies for career advising, employer outreach, and programming services for law students and alumni. Candidates eager to join a dedicated CSO team and provide personalized guidance to our students are encouraged to apply. This position is a full-time, year-round (12 month) administrative position.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree.
A minimum of three (3) years of experience in a judicial clerkship, law firm, or other legal work setting (e.g., in-house legal department) as a licensed attorney, or position that otherwise provides experience highly relevant to the duties of the position.
Must demonstrate transferable knowledge and skills in law career services if recent employment is not directly related to the duties of the position.
Familiarity with the Southern California legal job market with proven experience in growing employer contacts and translating them into employment opportunities.
Current knowledge of and the ability to remain abreast of employment trends in general and of the legal market locally, nationally, and globally in both traditional and non-traditional employment.
Understanding of legal education with comprehension of legal academic requirements and requirements for entrance to the state bar.
Knowledge of best practices in legal recruiting and current trends in the legal profession.
Ability to support students, develop a good rapport with students, and engage in candid discussions about various aspects of their job searches.
Proven ability to use word processing, spreadsheet, and database software, preferably of Microsoft Office Suite applications.
Technical ability to learn and use enterprise software.
Ability to positively represent Chapman University and Chapman University Fowler School of Law.
Ability to proactively market the law school, students, and alumni to attorneys, firms, corporations, government agencies, the judiciary, public interest organizations, and other potential employers.
Demonstrated leadership skills and experience working with other team members to devise, analyze, modify, implement, and evaluate programs, materials, and procedures.
Strong problem solving and analytical skills; experience in interpreting data and using information to guide informed decision-making.
Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills to interact, communicate, and persuade diverse groups and individuals at all levels.
Ability to read, understand and interpret laws, policies, and procedures, provide appropriate and accurate guidance, and ensure compliance.
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills to prioritize multiple and competing demands and complete them in a timely manner.
Ability to work independently, exercise good judgment, and use discretion in matters pertaining to all aspects of office administration and student/alumni communication.
Ability to demonstrate tact and diplomacy, maintain confidentiality, and follow FERPA regulations.
Ability to work occasional weekends and evening hours, as needed.

Responsibilities

Student Advising/Training: Meet with and advise/coach law students and alumni individually through all stages of career exploration, job search preparation, and professional development.
Review and provide feedback on student resumes, cover letters, and other materials.
Prepare students for interviews, conduct mock interviews, and provide specific feedback.
Identify candidates for open positions and encourage students to apply.
Follow up with students after interviews to debrief and strategize next steps.
Advise students on traditional and alternative/non-traditional career paths.
Draft resources and guides related to career and professional development topics.
Develop and conduct programs and skills development workshops, including Professional Development Graduation Requirement programs.
Meet individual goals outlined in the most recent version of CSO’s Strategic Plan (the “Strategic Plan”); Assistant Dean will review metrics at the intervals noted in the Strategic Plan.
Maintain consistent and regular communication with students to facilitate ongoing engagement.
Work with CSO team to track and monitor student engagement, identify unengaged students, and conduct individualized outreach to such students.
Work with CSO team to create and implement communication plan to promote CSO programs and services to students.
Draft communications, including newsletters and job alerts.
Meet with targeted employers one-on-one to increase employment opportunities for students and alumni, as directed by Assistant Dean and as outlined in the Strategic Plan, to progressively increase employment numbers at-graduation and 10 months after graduation in Bar Admission Required and Juris Doctor Advantage full-time/long-term positions.
Research and identify employers for outreach in designated strategic areas (as outlined in the Strategic Plan) and connect with employers to cultivate expanded legal employment opportunities.
Respond in timely fashion (within 24 business hours) to employer inquiries, onboard new employers, and regularly communicate with employers throughout the candidate search process.
Create and implement processes to ensure employers receive the highest level of service in interactions with CSO .
Meet individual goals outlined in the Strategic Plan.
Assistant Dean will review metrics at intervals noted in the Strategic Plan.
Assist with career services administration responsibilities.
Collaborate with CSO team to implement all aspects of recruiting programs, including student and employer communications, interview scheduling, and database management.
Assist with employment data collection process for internal and external reporting.
Assist with preparing responses to surveys and questionnaires, including employment reports submitted to the ABA , US News, and NALP .
Review and post job postings on the online job board.
Collaborate with Assistant Dean and other administrators to maintain interactive student database and develop and maintain other career services databases for students and graduates.
Assist in administration and marketing of external career conferences and job fairs.
Act as departmental liaison with student organizations.
Participate in professional development training led by NALP and other organizations to improve coaching/advising skills.