Assistant Professor of Law, Director of Trial Advocacy
Primary Purpose and Essential Functions:
The University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law (McGeorge), invites applications for a faculty position as Director of our Trial Advocacy program, ranked 16th in the country by US News. The position may be tenured, tenure-track, or an indefinite contract, commensurate with a candidate's experience and preferences. Each of these options involves or can lead to security of position, sabbatical opportunities, research support, voting rights, and faculty governance responsibilities. Qualified candidates may be considered for our Robert Eglet Endowed Chair in Trial Advocacy, a fully funded chair that includes a stipend, double travel funds, and a guaranteed writing grant. The Noell M. Ferris Advocacy Professorship is also open to highly experienced contract faculty and comes with additional compensation and benefits.
The Director of Trial Advocacy is responsible for overseeing the Trial Advocacy Program, including teaching courses in Trial Advocacy, other skills and related doctrine, and running the Mock Trial competition teams. The Director of Trial Advocacy is a member of the faculty and reports directly to the Associate Dean for Advocacy for administrative matters. Courses currently offered as part of the program include Trial Advocacy, Jury Selection, Expert Witness Testimony, Mock Trial Evidence, The Art of Plea Bargaining, and Taking and Defending Depositions. The teaching of Trial Advocacy Program courses is shared between the Director, the Assistant Director of Trial Advocacy, and numerous adjunct faculty who participate in the program as teachers and mock trial coaches. As part of her/his/their teaching package, the Director of Trial Advocacy is expected to teach one or more doctrinal courses, such as Criminal Law, Evidence, Criminal Procedure, or Torts.
Other responsibilities include:
- Supervising and collaborating with other trial advocacy faculty in proposing and developing courses for the Trial Advocacy program.
- Teaching Mock Trial Evidence to all members of the Mock Trial team.
- Participating in running the National Ethics Trial Competition (NETC).
- Doing scholarly research and writing in relevant fields and participating in the intellectual life of the law school.
McGeorge is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or protected veteran status. The McGeorge faculty has committed itself to undertake the work to transform itself into an anti-racist law school. Applicants who share that vision, and particularly those who would enhance the racial or ethnic diversity of the faculty, are strongly urged to apply.
University of the Pacific recognizes that diversity, equity, and inclusion is foundational to the success of our valued students and employees. We prioritize policy and decision-making that demonstrates awareness of, and responsiveness to, the ways socio-cultural forces related to race, gender, ability, sexuality, socio-economic status, etc. impede or propel students, faculty and staff.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Juris-Doctor (J.D.) degree.
- Post-J.D. legal experience, including experience as a trial lawyer, criminal or civil.
- Three (3) years of experience teaching in and/or directing a trial advocacy program at a U.S. law school, or equivalent.
- Holds membership in a state bar association.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Excellent writing skills.
- Five (5) years of experience teaching in and/or directing a trial advocacy program at a U.S. law school, or equivalent.
- A record of involvement in national and state advocacy organizations such as the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA), Legal Aid Services of California (LAAC), and the National Association of Legal Advocacy Educators (NALAE).
- Communicates effectively.
- Possesses extraordinary interpersonal skills.
- Maintains professional composure and demeanor at all times.
- Promotes the vision, mission, and core values of McGeorge School of Law.
- Experience and sensitivity in working with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
- Demonstrated experience in advancing social justice, equity, and inclusion in a university setting.
- Ability to engage and integrate culturally responsive practices and knowledge in their work.
Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative but not definitive of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Special Instructions:
To apply, visit https://pacific.peopleadmin.com/postings/32415
