Department
Law Career Services
About the Department
The University of Chicago Law School occupies a unique niche among this country's premier law schools. Located on a residential campus in one of America's great cities, Chicago offers a rigorous and interdisciplinary professional education that blends the study of law with the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. Students, faculty, and staff form a small, tightly knit community devoted to the life of the mind.
Job Summary
The Director of Public Service and Pro Bono leads the planning, development, and implementation of programs, counseling, resources, and career activities for students and alumni interested in pursuing public service activities and careers, as well as pro bono service. This full-time position reports to the Associate Dean for Career Services.
Responsibilities
- Develops and implements comprehensive public sector career counseling, programming, and job search services for law students and alumni in various stages of their education and professional development.
- Advises and counsels students and alumni on their career development, choices, and opportunities with primary emphasis on public sector and public interest.
- Supports the work and goals of the Office of Career Services generally, including providing career counseling and advising, coaching, interview preparation, and programming services for students and alumni.
- Provides detailed information and guidance on application procedures for summer, school-year, and post-graduate positions, including post-graduate fellowships and government honors programs.
- Supports, administers, and develops public service initiatives to increase student support and to meet the Law School’s public service goals.
- Coordinates and promotes the Law School’s Postgraduate Public Service Fellowship Program.
- Supervises the Associate Director of Public Service and Pro Bono.
- Oversees the Pro Bono Service Initiative and works closely with the Associate Director of Public Service and Pro Bono to encourage student participation.
- Works closely with the Senior Director of International Programs in the career-related aspects of their work.
- Assesses and regularly develops and updates public sector resources, including in the career resource center, on the Law School’s website, in the Office of Career Services (OCS) Job Search Guide, in Symplicity, and in other communications.
- Supervises the maintenance of the public service career listserv and drafts frequent informational materials for dissemination to this listserv group.
- Oversees information dissemination and student registration for public service job fairs and events.
- Develops and provides public service career programming as needed, such as information sessions and speaker panels on public service, pro bono, and other related topics. Assesses and evaluates the effectiveness of programming and workshops.
- Evaluates the operation, administration, and budgetary impact of the public service program.
- Participates in alumni and other community fund development efforts that support the Law School’s public service programs.
- Works closely with the Director of Financial Aid in the administration of all public interest funding programs for students and graduates, including summer funding and loan repayment assistance programs.
- Advises CLF (Chicago Law Foundation), PILS (Public Interest Law Society), and other student organizations as requested on public sector programming, initiatives, and funding.
- Serves as a staff liaison to the faculty Public Interest Law Committee.
- Attends Admitted Students events, including Entering Students Dinner and Day in the Life events.
- Serves as the Law School’s representative to Equal Justice Works, the Public Service Peer Group, and the Chicago Area Law Schools’ Public Service Committee; engages with NALP, PSJD, and other organizations; and represents the Law School and the Office of Career Services to other internal and external audiences.
- Cultivates and expands employer relations and publicity to increase public sector employment and fellowship opportunities for students, including by attending public service career conferences, networking events, and career fairs, and promoting these events to students when applicable.
- Partners with the Senior Associate Director of Employer Recruitment Programs and others in OCS to recruit and maintain relationships with public sector employers for job postings and participation in the Public Service Interview Program (PSIP).
- Assists in the execution of interview programs, including PSIP.
- Tracks student employment statistics for those entering the public sector, maintains records to assist the Career Services team in providing comprehensive services to students and alumni in fulfilling internal and external reporting obligations, and provides information as needed for other data requests that arise.
- Conducts complex job search and career management related large lectures, hands-on workshops, special events, training programs, and one-on-one career coaching sessions. Acts as a lead resource for and directs students to other career resources as needed.
- Analyzes markets and trends as they relate to job searches. Assesses student feedback and evaluations and collaborates with other career services staff members, student organizations, or other staff to determine program offerings and innovations.
- Performs other related work as needed.
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Certifications:
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Preferred Qualifications
Education:
Experience:
5+ years of legal practice experience and/or experience in a career advising or counseling role.
Serving as a mentor or supervisor to law students or lawyers.
Familiarity with the post-graduate fellowship application and interview process.
Technical Skills or Knowledge:
Excellent computer skills including a proficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, internet research, and databases.
Preferred Competencies
A demonstrated high level of initiative, and the desire to work closely with students and help them use their legal training to serve others.
Excellent coaching, organizational, interpersonal, and verbal/written communication skills, including strong public speaking and presentation skills.
Demonstrated competency in developing efficient and effective solutions to diverse and complex problems.
Juggle multiple tasks and deadlines, take initiative, and work independently and as a team member.
Work collaboratively within a team and take a team approach to interpersonal interactions and problem solving.
Exercise considerable judgement and discretion and respect the confidentiality of counseling and institutional information.
Build relationships with all constituents.
Perform efficiently and with a positive outlook even when under stress.
Strong attention to detail, including close reading and editing.
Working Conditions
This position is available for partially remote work based on the business needs of the Law School.
Work occasional evening, weekend and early morning hours.
Travel as needed.
Application Documents
Resume/CV (required)
Cover letter (required)
When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.
Job Family
Student Affairs & Services
Role Impact
Individual Contributor
Scheduled Weekly Hours
37.5
Drug Test Required
No
Health Screen Required
No
Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
No
Pay Rate Type
Salary
FLSA Status
Exempt
Pay Range
$97,000.00 - $107,000.00
The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.
Benefits Eligible
Yes
The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in theBenefits Guidebook.
Posting Statement
The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.
Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.
All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.
The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.
