Interim Dean of Law

Wilfrid Laurier University•Brantford, ON

2d•CA$105 - CA$126•Onsite

About The Position

Wilfrid Laurier University is seeking a senior legal academic with strong professional and academic ties to help spearhead the process of strengthening its vision and gaining the necessary regulatory approvals and support to proceed with developing a new, unique law school in Brantford. This law school will provide versatile, high-quality, and experiential legal education to prepare students from across Ontario to respond in new ways to critical justice needs of Ontario’s communities. The university is devoted to excellence in learning, research, scholarship, and creativity, challenging people to become engaged and aware citizens of an increasingly complex world. It fulfills its mission by advancing knowledge, supporting and enhancing high-quality undergraduate, graduate, and professional education, fostering community engagement and relationships, and emphasizing holistic student development.

Requirements

Former dean or emeritus faculty member at a Canadian law school.
Evidence of successful academic leadership, creativity and innovation, with an emphasis on one or more of curriculum development, program certification, Indigenization and government relations, financial and human resource management, clinical or community-based legal education.
Evidence of strong relationships with the Ontario legal community and legal academics from across Canada.
Excellent interpersonal communications and relationship-building skills, committed to developing relationships with Indigenous communities, rural legal practitioners, and regional stakeholders.
A strong academic reputation and record of excellence in law teaching and scholarship.
Evidence of a strong commitment to interdisciplinarity, social justice, diversity and inclusion, collegial governance, and Indigenous initiatives.
Familiarity with the Federation of Law Societies of Canada and the Law Society of Ontario’s accreditation processes and policies.

Responsibilities

Working with the Law School Executive Steering Committee and the JD Program Coordinating Committee, contribute to the visionary direction, and support the development of, a complete, feasible JD Program Proposal and a proposal to create a Faculty of Law.
Build relationships with internal and external stakeholders to advance the law school proposal.
Lead efforts to obtain necessary program approvals from the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, and from the Law Society of Ontario.
Support efforts to obtain program approval from the Ontario Universities Quality Council.
In collaboration with senior leadership, engage with members of the provincial parliament and the Ministry of Colleges Universities, Research Excellence and Security to secure Ontario government funding for the prospective JD program.
Strengthen and develop partnerships and networks as a foundation for a robust clinical and cooperative learning model in service of Ontario’s communities.
Working with the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, ensure the JD proposal is responsive to the needs of local First Nations Communities and develop mechanisms to ensure that Indigenous program development is deeply integrated and Indigenous-led.
Working with the Development Office, contribute to strategic fundraising plans for the law school.
Advise on the development of a fundraising plan to support excellence within a Faculty of Law.
Work with interdisciplinary Laurier faculty on proposal for a Centre of Excellence focused on justice and development in Ontario’s rural, peri-urban and Indigenous communities.