Open Rank Clinical Professor - Legal Practice Program

Search #499734 | Full-time | School of Law, Hartford, CT

About the Role

The University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Law seeks candidates for an open-rank clinical faculty position in its Legal Practice Program (“LP Program”), beginning in the fall of 2027. Appointment may be made at the rank of Assistant, Associate, or Full Clinical Professor of Law.

The LP Program at UConn School of Law is an integrated seven-credit first-year program that provides experiential training in legal writing, legal research, oral advocacy, interviewing, counseling, negotiation, and professional identity formation. This position affords the opportunity to:

• Teach Legal Practice during the fall and spring semesters.
• Design and refine curriculum, simulations, assignments, and assessments that advance students’ lawyering skills.
• Mentor students as they develop as legal professionals.

Faculty teach through a combination of classroom instruction and simulated client representations, culminating in an innovative spring-semester skills capstone. The program encourages thoughtful integration of emerging technologies—including legal research platforms and generative artificial intelligence—to enhance student learning while cultivating ethical judgment and professional responsibility needed to use these tools effectively in legal practice.

Although LP faculty collaborate closely on curriculum design and program development, each faculty member exercises substantial autonomy in organizing and teaching their course, selecting instructional approaches, and developing classroom materials consistent with program learning outcomes.

About UConn School of Law

UConn School of Law is a top-ranked public law school in the Northeast, offering a professional education and scholarly environment of the highest quality. The School is committed to building and supporting a vibrant, multicultural, and diverse community of students, faculty, and staff. Its beautiful Gothic Revival campus is located in the West End of Hartford, a few miles from the state capitol and courts, as well as the headquarters of leading insurance companies and other major corporations.

The School has both day and evening divisions and offers the JD (Juris Doctor) degree, LLM (Master of Laws) degrees, and the SJD (Doctor of Laws) degree, as well as several dual degree programs. The UConn Law faculty includes leading scholars, experienced practitioners, and internationally known experts in a wide range of fields. The Law School hosts three student journals, over forty student organizations, extensive clinical and public service opportunities, and one of the largest law libraries in the world.

Minimum Qualifications

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Excellent legal research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated excellence in written and oral communication.
• At least three years of legal practice experience.
• A demonstrated commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace, legal academy, and/or profession.

Preferred Qualifications

• Record of excellence in teaching legal writing, legal skills, or experiential courses.
• Significant experience in legal writing, client interviewing, counseling, negotiation, and oral advocacy.
• Demonstrated commitment to evidence-based teaching and learning, including a willingness to develop and refine pedagogy.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous curricular improvement and innovation in legal education.
• Experience using or teaching with legal technology, including electronic research platforms, practice technologies, and/or generative AI tools, and a commitment to helping students develop the skills and ethical judgment necessary to use these technologies effectively, ethically, and professionally.
• National or regional engagement with organizations related to legal writing, experiential education, legal pedagogy, or the legal profession.

Appointment Terms

This is a full-time, non-tenure-track position that is eligible for five-year, presumptively renewable long-term contracts. The initial appointment will be for one year (for those on track toward a long-term contract) or five years (for those appointed with a long-term contract) depending on experience. Renewals will be based on performance.