How to Apply
A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position. Please also provide a writing sample that demonstrates your motion writing skills.
Job Summary
The University of Michigan Law School is seeking applications for a newly created full-time Program Director position in the MDefenders program. MDefenders is a program designed to provide education and support for current students considering careers in indigent defense as well as support and assistance to alumni who work as public defenders. The MDefenders program is an umbrella organization responsible for overseeing a faculty-sponsored student group for aspiring public defense students, an active alumni listserv with more than 300 members, the Public Defender Training Institute, and the Data for Defenders project. The Program Director will help to implement MDefenders's projects and will work closely with the Founder and Faculty Director to plan additional initiatives that align with the overall mission of the group to provide support for and grow interest in indigent defense work. The Program Director will also teach relevant courses on indigent defense representation to current MDefenders students and will provide counseling and advice to current aspiring public defenders on career paths.
The appointment will be for two years with the possibility of renewal based on satisfactory performance and the availability of funding.
Who We Are
Founded in 1859, Michigan Law School is one of the world's leading institutions of legal education and enjoys a reputation for academic excellence characterized by a powerful commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Michigan is consistently ranked among the top law schools in the nation and enjoys international renown for its intellectual rigor, stunning physical surroundings, preeminent faculty scholarship, and a community noted for collegiality and warmth. Michigan Law has an exceptional and cooperative community of talented and interesting students, with 1000 in the J.D. and 40 in the LL.M. program. Our commitments to collegiality, constructive and challenging debate, and enabling our students to pursue a wide range of options explain why the Law School has long been committed to diversity along many dimensions. Our graduates serve with distinction in the private, public, non-profit, and academic sectors, in large numbers in every major market in the nation, as well as internationally. The University of Michigan is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is considered among the best places in the United States to live and work.
At Michigan Law, we view our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as central to our mission as an educational institution and we seek to ensure that each member of our community has full opportunity to thrive in our environment. We believe that diversity is key to individual flourishing, educational excellence, and the advancement of knowledge and we maintain a deep commitment to fostering a diverse community in which all students, staff, and faculty learn and work in an atmosphere of inclusion and respect.
Responsibilities*
Administrative Responsibilities:
- Oversight and development of MDefenders' Data for Defenders project including:
- Outreach to public defender offices and organizations to expand the program's partners and its reach and impact
- Social science research and drafting of motions to include in the database
- Oversight and development of Alumni Development Program including:
- Creating and overseeing an alumni mentorship program for Michigan Law graduates who go into indigent defense
- Maintaining alumni connections through alumni reunions and crafting monthly newsletters
- Advising students on indigent defense careers paths and providing substantive support to them in the application process
- Coordinating with the Office of Career Planning and the Office of Development and Alumni Relations
- Coordinating activities with the MDefenders student group
- Thinking creatively about new initiatives and helping to implement them. Examples may include creating a toolkit to enable other law schools to create programs similar to the MDefenders program or making Public Defender Training Institute programming available to entry-level attorneys through CLE programs.
Teaching Responsibilities:
- Teaching advocacy-related courses that will depend on the particular skills and background of the candidate and may include teaching in the Trial-Level Public Defender Training Institute and/or creating and teaching in an Appellate Defender Training Institute
Required Qualifications*
- Juris Doctor degree
- Minimum of two years of experience working in indigent defense
- Demonstrated project management experience
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of a streamlined, highly organized team
- Excellent legal research and writing skills
- Strong administrative, organization, and communication skills
- Highly motivated self-starter who is able to learn and apply new concepts quickly
- Creative vision and ability to implement complex tasks
- Comfortable with and interested in technology
- Experience teaching, training, or mentoring entry-level lawyers and/or law students
Desired Qualifications*
- Budgeting experience
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
Additional Information
During the semesters that the co-director is teaching, the staff appointment effort will be adjusted downward and a LEO lecturer appointment will be created that represents the effort associated with teaching the class(es).
Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.
U-M EEO/AA Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.