Ast/Asc/Full Prof Fixed Term

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Job no: 1088155
Work type: Faculty/Academic Staff
Major Administrative Unit / College: College Of Law
Department: Coll Of Law Clinics, Centers Institutes 40001142
Sub Area: FAS- Fac./Acad Staff
Salary: Salary Commensurate with Experience
Location: East Lansing
Categories: Administrative/Business/Professional, Education/Training, Fixed Term Faculty, Full Time (90-100%), Union

Working/Functional Title

Ast/Asc/Full Prof Fixed Term

Position Summary

The College of Law is seeking to hire a director for the Public Defender Clinic. This position will be full-time, 12-month, fixed-term assistant/associate/full professor and will manage the Clinics operations and funding, perform and supervise casework and outreach, and teach the Clinic seminar.

Duties of the positions will include recruiting students and reviewing their applications, designing, teaching, and supervising students enrolled in the clinics, as well as promoting the clinics. These positions also actively engage is service at the college and university, as well as in national organizations.

The Public Defender Clinic will provide students opportunities to represent indigent defendants in criminal matters in an academically rigorous program. This includes representation in preconviction appellate matters which tend to involve short records and novel legal issues that have already been litigated and decided by a trial judge. Students work will engage in legal analysis, appellate writing, and oral argument. They will have opportunities to interact with clients, strategize with trial counsel, and appear in trial courts on ancillary matters, providing a holistic experience and systemic exposure. The Public Defender Clinic Director will also secure funding to support the clinics activities.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Other -JD or equivalent in Law

Minimum Requirements

Required qualifications include:

• J.D. or equivalent degree;
• Admission to practice before the highest court of any state with the ability to be admitted to the State Bar of Michigan;
• At least five years of law-related professional experience after law school;
• Significant experience representing indigent clients with a particular emphasis on criminal appellate litigation;
• Familiarity with the appointment of counsel in Michigan criminal appeals;
• Experience securing funding for indigent criminal defense.

Desired Qualifications

Substantial teaching experience with clinical courses.

Required Application Materials

The search committee is committed to respecting and maintaining confidentiality. Application materials must include:

• Cover Letter;
• Current Curriculum Vitae or Resume;
• At least three professional references including full name, title, telephone number, and email address.

Special Instructions

MSU Law has two faculty postings available; please apply to both to be considered for both.

Applications will be reviewed as needed.

Website

www.law.msu.edu

Department Statement

Michigan State University College of Law dates to 1891 when it opened as Detroit College of Law in Detroit, Michigan. It moved to its current East Lansing location in 1995 and remained a private institution until 2020 when it became a fully integrated college of Michigan State University. Today, MSU Law has more than 650 students, 55 faculty members, 50 staff members, five librarians, and a world-wide network of some 11,500 alumni. MSU Law operates seven legal clinics overseen by nationally recognized faculty that provide students an opportunity to work on actual legal cases. Additionally, it offers some of nations leading law programs in new and emerging legal education, including Intellectual Property and Trial Advocacy, Indigenous Law and Policy Center, the Lori E. Talsky Center for Human Rights of Women and Children, Conservation Law Center, and Animal Legal and Historical Web Center. MSU College of Law, is poised to become the states preeminent law school, preparing a community of lawyer-leaders to serve communities in Michigan and beyond. It is committed to providing a legal education that is taught by leading scholars in their fields, includes best-in-class experiential opportunities, and helps students graduate without excessive debt.

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

Advertised: Oct 16, 2025 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Jan 29, 2027 Eastern Standard Time