Associate Director, Access to Justice Institute
FLSA Status: Exempt
Months Per Year: 12
Hours Per Week: 37.5
Entry Salary Range: $65,000 to $72,000 Annually
Seattle University will be one of the most innovative and progressive Jesuit and Catholic universities in the world, educating with excellence at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels. We embrace an intersectional framework for defining diversity in its broadest sense, including differences in gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, generational history, culture, socioeconomic class, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship status, political perspectives, geographic origin and physical ability. Seattle University strives to be a welcome, open and safe campus climate for all who learn, live and work at Seattle University. Position Description
Seattle University has an exciting, dynamic opportunity for an Associate Director of the Access to Justice Institute to join our community.
The Associate Director will serve as an integral part of the Access to Justice Institute (ATJI) team to accomplish the goal of inspiring law students to make a lifelong commitment to equal justice for marginalized and/or underserved communities. The Associate Director will report to the Assistant Dean of the Access to Justice Institute.
Seattle University School of Law educates ethical lawyers who distinguish themselves through their outstanding professional skills and their dedication to law in the service of justice. Faculty, students, and staff form a vibrant, diverse, and collaborative community that promotes leadership for a just and humane world. The Law School’s commitment to academic distinction is grounded in its Jesuit Catholic tradition, one that encourages open inquiry, thoughtful reflection, and concern for personal growth. Innovation, creativity, and technological sophistication characterize our rigorous educational program, which prepares lawyers for a wide range of successful and rewarding careers in law, business, and public service.
ATJI serves as the law school’s social justice hub by inspiring, promoting and supporting anti-racist initiatives. This also includes work that is transformative with the goal of dismantling oppressive systems and achieving justice for marginalized and underserved communities; bridgebuilding between academics and action to help eliminate unfair and oppressive systems and practices; community-building with those individuals and community groups who share a commitment to justice for all; and leadership development and capacity building of the next generation of social justice lawyers. Together with the ATJI team, the Associate Director is a vital team member who will strive to accomplish the goal of inspiring law students, wherever their career paths take them, to make a lifelong commitment to equal justice for marginalized or underserved communities. In collaboration with the Assistant Dean of ATJI, develop a strategic plan and oversee activities and trainings that drive the mission to provide community engagement opportunities for students.
The Associate Director shall:
Respond to inquiries by legal services providers, pro bono counsel, community agencies, courts, government agencies, faculty, SU Law Clinic or any other public interest entity by assisting them with communication to students about existing opportunities (e.g., draft volunteer opportunity announcements for review, serving as a filter for applicants, facilitating opportunities for the organization to make presentations). Conduct outreach so that students know about the opportunities (e.g., ensure opportunities are published in ATJI communications, and encourage Center for Professional Development and relevant faculty members to share opportunities with their students). Follow up with students who take advantage of the opportunities to find out about their experience. Engage in community outreach with legal service providers to maintain and build new relationships, keep abreast of strategic advocacy focus areas, and assess the current legal climate.
Develop and oversee Partnership Projects (ongoing volunteer social justice opportunities facilitated by ATJI in partnership with an organization) by collaborating with legal services providers, pro bono counsel, community agencies, courts, government agencies, faculty, Seattle U Law Clinic or any other public interest entity. Development and oversight involves: reaching out to potential partners and identifying how law students could help them; designing opportunities for student participation, in collaboration with the partner organization and, when appropriate, law student organizations with a goal of providing opportunities requiring varied commitment levels for student participation; recruiting student leaders and volunteers; organizing necessary trainings; and providing oversight and guided reflection to ensure quality work by students and quality experiences for the students.
Share leadership and provide coverage with the Assistant Dean for the Moderate Means Program staff attorney when they are unavailable.
Mentor and supervise students and student organization leaders who engage in social justice projects by providing technical support (i.e., legal expertise, ethics), guidance (i.e., connections to community, how to collaborate trainings), and capacity to build leadership skills. This includes: work with the Public Interest Law Foundation to host several events including the Evening with Equal Justice; track student hours for the Pro Bono Pledge and ensure accurate reporting to the Dean’s Office for graduation; and promote the Pro Bono Pledge, encouraging participation by all students.
Organize, oversee, and/or support ongoing social justice events, trainings, symposia, and series. Develop new programming that serves the primary mission of ATJI.
Collaborate with law school departments to advance the law school mission. Some examples include: Lifelong Commitment to Social Justice, work with Center for Professional Development by cross-referring and meeting with students to connect them to volunteer and networking opportunities; collaborative programming, including public interest career road-mapping and post- graduate fellowship outreach; Bridging Academics to Action by working with faculty to identify and develop service-learning opportunities, connecting them to the equal justice community and the work of ATJI; development of opportunities for active engagement work with the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality and the Ronald A Peterson Law Clinic on collaborative projects to advance respective goals and to provide more opportunities for students to engage the justice community; build Law Student Community and Leaders for Justice by working with Office of Admission staff to assist with cultivating public interest minded applicants and selecting the Scholars for Justice; team with the Office of Alumni Relations to encourage pro bono opportunities for our students and alumni community; and collaborate with external law school public interest administrators and equal justice and pro bono organizations, groups, and alliances to advance the mutual equal justice mission (examples of these groups include Access to Justice Board’s Law School Relations Committee, WSBA Pro Bono and Legal Aid Committee, and the Seattle Area Pro Bono Group).
This position also includes significant diversity, equity, and inclusion work. The applicant should have or be willing to receive training in anti-racist initiatives. Specific duties include: developing, recommending, and implementing a range of programming that support the school’s intention to cultivate an environment that is inclusive, pluralistic and diverse; programming includes initiatives that support the integration of all students into the law school community; sensitivity and cultural competence training, regular community discussions, diversity receptions, alumni networking and celebrations; service on various law school committees dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion; creation of opportunities to discuss and address issues of inclusion and equity in and outside the classroom; provide support, counseling and referrals to JD students on issues concerning equity, inclusion, and diversity; advise students from a wide variety of diverse backgrounds, with a special focus on developing relationships with and working through concerns of students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, including racial, gender, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation or identity, socioeconomic, and political. Serve as the point of contact for reports of bias incidents or other identity-based discrimination within the School of Law. Liaise with the Seattle University Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
Promote and support the Seattle University LIFT SU action plan for inclusive excellence, racial equity and antiracism through recruitment and retention of BIPOC faculty, staff, and students, bias prevention and capacity and infrastructure building across campus.
Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
The position requires a J.D. from an ABA approved institution with three to five years of public interest legal experience as an attorney.
Candidates must have a License to practice law in Washington or be willing to obtain a Washington license. Candidates must have a demonstrated commitment to social justice. Candidates must have a demonstrated commitment to inclusion, diversity and cross-difference competence as a justice imperative, and a commitment to the university’s mission, vision, and values.
Candidates must be able to work collaboratively and work both in teams and independently. Candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills, and the ability to comfortably speak in front of large and small groups.
Candidates must have competency with Microsoft Office products and some familiarity and experience with social media tools. Candidates must be system-thinkers, be well organized, able to work on multiple projects at the same time, be able to prioritize and manage work projects, and enjoy a team oriented approach to projects.
Candidates must be creative, enjoy working with a diverse community, and have a sense of humor.
Experience working at a law school or with law students, including having first-hand knowledge of working in a law school setting as well as having experience supervising law students in their legal work is preferred.
Experience with developing or participating in professional leadership development programming is preferred.
Experience with event and/or training/CLE planning and oversight is preferred.
Benefits at a Glance Consistent with its fundamental Jesuits value, Seattle University offers a wide range of benefits designed to care for the whole person. Choose from three different medical plans, a dental and vision insurance programs. Protect your income with life, short & long-term disability coverage, and plan for your future with a 5% employer contribution for retirement benefits. You may also take advantage of 100% tuition remission benefits for the employee and dependents, a subsidized transportation benefit, a wellness program with an onsite fitness facility, and a wide variety of campus events. Enjoy a generous holiday schedule, including a paid Christmas break closure, vacation and paid sick leave, and paid community service leave. For more information explore the Benefits website at: https://www.seattleu.edu/hr/benefits/
Application Instructions
Please submit a cover letter, a resume, and at least three professional references. Job postings are open until filled, unless otherwise specified.