Director of Public Service, School of Law

UVA Health•Charlottesville, VA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The University of Virginia School of Law seeks to hire a Director of Public Service within the Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center (PSC). The Director of Public Service will be responsible for highly individualized counseling to Law School students and graduates on public service searches, employer outreach, the creation of resources and programming, and additional projects as assigned by the Assistant Dean for Public Service. The incumbent will work closely with other members of the Public Service Center, the Office of Private Practice, and the Office of Judicial Clerkships. The PSC provides guidance to law students on all facets of their search for summer and postgraduate positions with public service employers. This includes counseling students on job searches and professional development; providing information on, and assisting in applying for, available positions; facilitating and preparing candidates for interviews; and creating career-related programming. The PSC also provides assistance to graduates of the Law School on career searches and transitions. In addition to its counseling-centered work, the PSC administers the Law School’s public service summer and postgraduate fellowship programs, and it assists students in identifying and applying for externally funded fellowships, grants, and other programs that support careers in public service. The position calls for substantial knowledge of and/or experience in public service law, with a demonstrated understanding of career paths and employment opportunities in areas such as indigent defense, nonprofit advocacy, civil legal services, and government practice (civil or criminal). Other keys to success include the ability to establish professional credibility and trust within a diverse community of students, graduates, and employers; exceptional writing skills, including the ability to provide effective critiques of students’ writing; superior project management, client relations, and teamwork skills; and, the ability to work diligently in a fast-paced, detail-oriented environment.

Requirements

Substantial knowledge of and/or experience in public service law
Demonstrated understanding of career paths and employment opportunities in areas such as indigent defense, nonprofit advocacy, civil legal services, and government practice (civil or criminal)
Ability to establish professional credibility and trust within a diverse community of students, graduates, and employers
Exceptional writing skills, including the ability to provide effective critiques of students’ writing
Superior project management skills
Superior client relations skills
Superior teamwork skills
Ability to work diligently in a fast-paced, detail-oriented environment
A master’s degree with five years of experience is required
At least three years of experience working in a law practice following graduation from law school
At least one of which is in a public service law practice (government or nonprofit employer)

Nice To Haves

A J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school (which will satisfy the master’s degree requirement)
At least five years of law practice
At least three of which are in public service
Legal experience in indigent defense, criminal justice reform, or nonprofit advocacy

Responsibilities

Highly individualized counseling to Law School students and graduates on public service searches
Employer outreach
Creation of resources and programming
Additional projects as assigned by the Assistant Dean for Public Service
Counseling students on job searches and professional development
Providing information on, and assisting in applying for, available positions
Facilitating and preparing candidates for interviews
Creating career-related programming
Providing assistance to graduates of the Law School on career searches and transitions
Administering the Law School’s public service summer and postgraduate fellowship programs
Assisting students in identifying and applying for externally funded fellowships, grants, and other programs that support careers in public service