Lawyers for America Program Director, Career Services Office

The Lawyers for America Program Director manages all aspects of the Lawyers for America program, including, but not limited to, participant recruitment, placement site recruitment, collaboration with the Externship Office, and collaboration with the national Lawyers for America organization. In addition, the Director works directly with participants in the Lawyers for America Program as well as other students as assigned on all aspects of their career planning, including self-assessment, career exploration, application materials, interview preparation, and professional skills development. The Director, in partnership with the Career Services Team, provides programming and resources to facilitate the above objectives. The Director reports directly to the Associate Dean of Career Services. This is an exempt position.

Primary Responsibilities

  • Receive and respond to students, alumni, and employer communications regarding the Lawyers for America Program (LFA);
  • Liaise with the Public Service Program, the Externship Office, and the national Lawyers for America organization regarding LFA;
  • Advise LFA applicants and participants in matters related to career and professional development; the application process; and refer students and program participants to other resources and departments as necessary;
  • Manage LFA’s student application process, schedule interviews, and communicate decisions to applicants;
  • Coordinate professional development events and programs for LFA participants;
  • Create program marketing materials;
  • Manage programmatic data collection and outcome evaluation;
  • Assist in maintaining the CSO website and online resources in regards to LFA information;
  • Advise non-LFA students and alumni, as assigned, on career goals and objectives through self-evaluation; assess articulated career interests and recommend avenues of exploration to meet goals; advise and counsel students on matters related to career and professional development and the legal job search process;
  • Manage the CSO’s post-graduate public interest fellowship advising and programming;
  • Act as CSO point person for post-graduate fellowship funders; host organizations; and student applicants;
  • Review student application materials for post-graduate public interest fellowships;
  • Assist in the creation and updating of CSO handouts, guides, and other resources;
  • Maintain positive relationships with employers, alumni, students, staff, and faculty;
  • As required, represent the CSO at national, regional and local meetings of appropriate professional organizations and associations, and periodically interface with law career counselors at other law schools; and
  • Perform other work-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Job Requirements

  • JD Degree Required
  • A minimum of 2-3 years of experience in legal practice, and/or counseling experience with law students

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

  • General knowledge about and strong interest to continue learning about the legal employment market and the legal community, including post-graduate public interest fellowships and other career opportunities within the local, national, and global legal community
  • Strong interest in counseling and guiding law students with respect to their professional development
  • Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills, and knowledge of legal resume and cover letter format
  • Strong interpersonal, communication, active listening, and presentation skills
  • Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community
  • Strong time management and organizational skills
  • Highest ethical and professional standards and proven ability to exercise exemplary judgment when dealing with sensitive information and difficult situations
  • Strong technology abilities, with a high degree of comfort using Microsoft Office
  • Enthusiasm for working with law students, lawyers, and the legal community

Salary: $97,000/yr.

Please send a cover letter and resume to jobs16@swlaw.edu to be considered for this position.

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