Associate Director

About the Role

The Associate Director participates in the development and implementation of a comprehensive academic and bar success program that partners with students and alumni from admission through bar passage. The role is primarily responsible for academic counseling for law students, planning and presenting academic skills workshops, and coaching alumni who are studying for the bar exam.

Responsibilities

• Academic Counseling:
  • Develops and implements academic success programming.
  • Identifies at-risk students and implements targeted interventions.
  • Provides initial academic advising to students pursuant to the College of Law’s Structured Curriculum policy.
  • Provides counseling to students seeking assistance with study techniques, exam preparation, and course selection.
  • Reviews student work product to provide analysis and feedback to help students improve skills and exam preparation strategies for law school success.
  • Develops and presents academic skills workshops for first-year students, focusing on time management, note taking, and preparing for classes and exams.
  • Manages and implements the Orange Edge program.
  • Supervises approximately 15 academic success fellows each calendar year in delivering mentoring and other academic support services to first-year students through peer-led study groups. Supervision includes assisting with the hiring, training, management, and approval of weekly payroll.
• Bar Preparation Counseling:
  • Meets with students in their final semester to begin developing an individualized approach to the bar exam.
  • Develops and presents bar preparation workshops for all students, providing information on long-range planning and the skills required to pass the bar exam.
  • Answers general student questions related to completing applications for admission.
  • Communicates with bar review companies to coordinate student services and programs.
  • Helps College of Law alumni to create individual study plans and strategies for passing the bar exam.
  • Coaches individual alumni as they prepare for the bar exam through regular meetings, reviewing sample bar exam essays, and providing feedback and analysis based on their performance.
• Administrative Tasks:
  • Maintains the Academic and Bar Success website.
  • Assists in planning and presenting at New Student Orientation.
  • Participates in campus-wide initiatives in collaboration with other student services offices at the College of Law to provide a comprehensive and meaningful academic experience for SU students.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• JD degree from an ABA accredited law school, required.
• Member of bar in good standing in any U.S. jurisdiction, required within 6 months of hire.
• Three years’ experience in legal academic support and bar preparation, preferred.
• Teaching or experience with student advising as related to academic issues, preferred.
• High level of organization, flexibility, sound judgment, and interpersonal skills, required.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills required.
• Large group and small group presentation ability, required.
• Legal practice experience, preferred.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality pursuant to FERPA and other regulations, required.
• Ability to conduct basic statistical analysis, preferred.
• Experience with SUCOL Academic Success program, preferred.
• Experience with the SUCOL Bar Preparation Program, preferred.

Skills

• Sound judgment and discretion sufficient to build relationships with students and colleagues that foster trust and cooperation.
• Ability to develop rapport with students in an individual counseling setting.
• Ability to complete tasks in an expeditious and courte manner.
• Ability to collaborate in order to build highly effective academic outcomes, while also promoting harmony within the office.
• Sufficiently strong minded so as to impart unambiguous directions to students who need motivation, both in law school and on the bar exam.
• Maintains a collaborative work environment and works well with others.
• Must establish and maintain positive working relationships within department and within the College of Law.
• Must be a dependable, responsible contributor committed to excellence and success.
• Flexibility to work outside the normal assigned schedule when requested.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings, and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and over 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors, 100 minors, and 200 advanced degree programs offered across the University’s 13 schools and colleges; over 15,000 undergraduates and over 6,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries.

About The Syracuse Area

Syracuse is a medium-sized city situated in the geographic center of New York State approximately 250 miles northwest of New York City. The metro-area population totals approximately 500,000. The area offers a low cost of living and provides many social, cultural, and recreational options, including parks, museums, festivals, professional regional theater, and premier shopping venues. Syracuse and Central New York present a wide range of seasonal recreation and attractions ranging from water skiing and snow skiing, hiking in the Adirondacks, touring the historic sites, visiting wineries along the Finger Lakes, and biking on trails along the Erie Canal.