Assistant Dean and Executive Director of the TollPublicInterestCenter at Penn Law

Description: Penn Law, one of the nation’s oldest and most distinguished law schools, actively contributes to public interest lawyering through pedagogical, programmatic, and direct service efforts. The Toll Public Interest Center serves as the hub of public interest activity at Penn Law, coordinating and encouraging public interest programming school-wide. Penn Law is renowned for its commitment to pro bono service: Penn was not only the first national law school to institute a mandatory pro bono program for students, but the only law school ever awarded the ABA’s Pro Bono Publico Award. The Assistant Dean and Executive Director of the Toll Public Interest Center administers the Pro Bono Program, the Toll Public Interest Scholars program, the Sparer Public Interest Conference and related events, and various summer public interest internship opportunities, including the Sparer Fellows and Public International Law Fellows; assists in the supervision and provision of public interest career programming and post-graduate loan repayment assistance; and envisions and implements a range of creative public interest programming at Penn Law.

Position Responsibilities:

Employing a deep understanding of public interest lawyering, across practice areas and client bases nationally and internationally, devise short-term and long-term goals for Penn Law’s public interest programs.

Consult with faculty, the Center’s Board, students, the public interest community at large, and other constituencies to develop goals.

Conceive of and develop distinctive initiatives in public interest programming.

Coordinate all public interest programming and resources at Penn Law in the Toll Public Interest Center.

Supervise all aspects of the Pro Bono Program, which currently includes over 800 placement opportunities for students with legal service agencies, not-for-profits, non-governmental agencies, and law firms around the country and the world.

  • Cultivate diverse, interesting, and meaningful student placements.
  • Counsel students on placement opportunities.
  • Ensure that all students enjoy a quality experience and provide excellent service.
  • Ensure strong administrative and supervisory structures for all student-run projects.
  • Establish budgetary guidelines for the program, including support of student-run initiatives.
  • Working with faculty, create pedagogical links from placements to the curriculum as possible.
  • Oversee and assist in the development and implementation of administrative systems, including an on-line data base system, to effectuate the efficient operation of the Program.

Administer the Public Interest Scholars Program.

  • Participate in the selection, admission, and matriculation of Scholar candidates.
  • Develop programming of interest to and in conjunction with the Scholars.
  • Maintain contact with the Toll Scholars upon graduation to develop an effective alumni network.

Oversee the Edward V. Sparer Symposium in Public Interest Law on an annual basis.

  • Devise and implement creative, week-long public interest law programming preceding the Sparer Symposium.
  • Host the Penn Law Honorary Fellow and develop programming around the Fellow’s time in residence.
  • Work with faculty and PI Scholars on topic identification.
  • Identify and solicit appropriate scholars and speakers, as well as papers and possible publishers.
  • Oversee the PI Scholars’ work on administrative aspects of the Symposium.

Inspire, energize, and direct a highly talented team including

  • Two full-time staff,
  • a dotted line report from the Associate Director for Public

Interest Career Counseling,

  • supervising attorneys, student volunteers, particularly students involved in the student-run clinics, and work-study students.

Steward Penn Law resources expended in support of public interest programming.

  • Implement a budget for the Toll Public Interest Center.
  • Collaborate on continued evaluation of public interest resources such as the Public Interest Loan Repayment Assistance Program, summer funding opportunities, and support of student-run initiatives.
  • Identify funding opportunities for programs and resource development at the Public Interest Center.
  • Steward donors to the Center on a meaningful and on-going basis.

Work closely with the Communications Department to effectuate strategies to communicate the uniqueness of Penn Law’s public interest programming.

Serve an important role as a member of the LawSchool’s Senior Staff,

  • Work collaboratively to contribute innovative ideas to the Dean on ways to achieve the ambitious goals of Penn Law.
  • Provide annual reports to the faculty and to the LawSchool’s Alumni Boards upon request.

Candidate Talents:

The successful candidate will hold an advanced degree, J.D. preferred, and have a minimum of five years of increasing administrative responsibility in public interest law, preferably in a higher academic setting. Experience and involvement in the national public interest community is strongly preferred. Strong track record as an innovator in programming and resource development in public interest lawyering.

We seek candidates who have established track records as collaborators in the workplace, within the immediate department and within the larger institution, as well as records as strong and motivational managers. The successful candidate will demonstrate a creative bent and will be capable of representing Penn Law proudly in all manner of public and internal forums.

To apply, send a cover letter and resume or c.v. to:

Jo-Ann Verrier, Vice Dean for Administrative Services University of Pennsylvania Law School 3400 Chestnut StreetPhiladelphia, PA19104-6204