Announcement: Liberty & Law Center Seeks Free Speech Fellow

Liberty and Law Center
Free Speech Clinic Fellow

Salary Range: Competitive with similar fellowships.

The Liberty and Law Center at the Antonin Scalia Law School is looking for a Free Speech Clinic Fellow to run a new Free Speech Clinic for law students, which will begin in Fall of 2018. The Free Speech Clinic Fellow will collaborate with the Clinic Director to manage, instruct, and support the activities of the Free Speech Clinic. It is anticipated that the Clinic will focus on two core First Amendment objectives: (1) litigating and supporting cases and other legal proceedings that further the cause of free speech; and (2) training a group of future lawyers who want to advance their knowledge of the status of freedom of speech in the United States, and seek practical training in protecting freedom of speech.

About the Liberty and Law Center:

The Liberty and Law Center is a new academic center within Scalia Law School. Its mission is to provide a forum to learn about the role of law in protecting and promoting liberty, challenge government encroachment upon liberty, and lead the discussion of the law's role in protecting and promoting liberty.

Fellowship Description:

At the direction of the Clinic Director and the Center's leadership, the Fellow's responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Serve as the day-to-day manager of the Clinic.
• Provide supervision and instruction to students in the Clinic, including feedback, mentoring, and training.
• Manage ongoing cases, ensuring that the work is done in a timely and professional manner.
• Assist with the organization and teaching of the Clinic, focusing on substantive knowledge of First Amendment doctrine and the litigation process, as well as effective legal writing, advocacy, and client relations skills.
• Develop the focus of cases the Clinic will work on, including developing and maintaining relationships with public interest law firms with which the Clinic expects to collaborate.
• Assist in managing the marketing and promotion of the Clinic.

This is a full-time position for a period of two-years, and is benefits eligible. The position may be renewable.

Requirements: The Fellow must be a U.S. citizen (or otherwise eligible to work in the U.S.) and a law school graduate, with practical experience and background in constitutional law.

Desired qualifications and skills:

• A strong interest in freedom of speech and the First Amendment;
• 2 or more years of relevant experience;

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with others and execute projects;
• Strong analytical and research skills;
• Strong spoken and written communication skills; and
• Highly self-motivated and detail-oriented with an ability to advance projects in a self-directed way.

Required qualifications:

• A juris doctor;
• License to practice law in Virginia, or ability to obtain a Virginia bar license within a short timeframe; and
• Either (1) At least one year of litigation experience; or (2) a demonstrated interest in constitutional law and public interest litigation.

Required application materials:

• Cover letter;
• Resume, no longer than two pages;
• Three professional references; and
• Writing sample, no longer than five pages (can be an excerpt from a longer work).