DONALD GAINES MURRAY LAWYERING TEACHING FELLOWS PROGRAM - The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, located in Baltimore, seeks applicants for several full-time, non-tenure-track Visiting Assistant Professor positions to teach in our innovative first-year Lawyering Donald Gaines Murray Teaching Fellows Program. The positions are envisioned as a two-year commitment. It will be a one-year contractual appointment as a Visiting Assistant Professor beginning July 1, 2022, with the expectation of reappointment based on satisfactory performance. There is a possibility of reappointment for a third year.
The Murray Lawyering Teaching Fellows Program is designed to provide teaching experience and scholarly mentorship for law school graduates with legal practice experience, to prepare for careers in legal academia. The program is named for Donald Gaines Murray, who was the first African American student to graduate from the University of Maryland School of Law, after he (represented by Thurgood Marshall) successfully sued to abolish racial segregation at the school in the case University v. Murray , 169 Md. 478 (1936). Mr. Murray went on to be a successful appellate lawyer, arguing many civil rights cases for the NAACP.
The Lawyering Curriculum
The Lawyering course sequence provides students with a strong foundation in the analytical, oral and written communication, and professional skills essential in the legal profession. Consistent with Maryland Carey Law's tradition of integrating doctrine, theory, and practice, the Lawyering curriculum places students in the role of attorneys in the context of simulated cases involving doctrinal subject matter from their other first-year courses.
All of the Lawyering sections use the same simulated case file to teach fundamental legal analysis and written communication skills in an integrated practice-based context. The topics covered in Lawyering I include: sources of law; analysis of case law and statutes; effective legal writing; client interviewing; fact investigation and case development; problem solving; and professionalism. Acting in a simulated attorney role, students prepare legal documents, with emphasis on client correspondence and legal memoranda that analyze the applicable law and recommend a strategic course of action.
Building upon the analytical, writing, and other lawyering skills learned in the first semester, the Spring Lawyering II course develops students' persuasive written and oral advocacy skills by placing them in the role of an advocate in a simulated case. In the course of their representation, students research and analyze legal issues, develop a theory of the case, draft motions and persuasive briefs, and present oral arguments to mock judges. Lawyering II also introduces students to other practical lawyering skills, including negotiation.
Visiting Assistant Professor Responsibilities: The successful applicants will teach Lawyering I (3 credits) in the Fall semester and Lawyering II (3 credits) in the Spring semester to approximately 30 students each semester. In addition to course design, class preparation, and teaching, the successful applicants will be expected to provide extensive written feedback on student drafts throughout the semester and to hold individual conferences with students at least once during the semester.
Teaching and Scholarship Mentorship: Lawyering Murray Fellows will receive mentorship for their teaching and scholarship, to prepare for potential careers in legal academia. Murray Fellows will actively participate in Maryland Carey Law's junior faculty workshop, where they present and receive feedback on their scholarship and also provide feedback to other fellows and early career legal scholars. In addition, Murray Fellows are encouraged to participate in the law school's vibrant academic community, including events and scholarly workshops.
Murray Fellows will have access to the resources of the law school's Thurgood Marshall Law Library for teaching and scholarly support, will be able to hire a student research assistant to assist with scholarship, and will have support for conference registration and travel up to $2,000.
Law school campus: Maryland Carey Law is advantageously located in downtown Baltimore near multiple courthouses, government agencies, prominent law and financial firms, major-league sports facilities, and nonprofit organizations. The law school campus also is easily accessible within the greater Washington DC-Baltimore metropolitan region, close to I-95 and only 40 minutes from Washington by Amtrak or commuter rail.
Qualifications
M inimum Qualifications:
- J.D. degree with a record of high academic achievement from an ABA-accredited law school.
- At least three years of legal practice experience, one of which may include a judicial clerkship.
- Excellent legal writing skills and outstanding interpersonal skills.
- Prior law school teaching experience preferred.
Applications accepted online only at https://www.umaryland.edu/jobs/ (search "lawyering").
Interested applicants should submit (a) cover letter, (b) resume with three listed references, (c) teaching evaluations; (d) a writing sample, which has not been materially edited by a third party and which can be a scholarly publication or a substantial legal practice document, such as a brief; and (e) a scholarly agenda.
APPLICATION DEADLINE : February 1, 2022, though applications will be considered on a rolling basis starting in mid-December; positions open until filled
START DATE: July 1, 2022
Salary will be $75,000 per year, plus benefits, with conference travel and registration support up to $2,000.
UMB requires all faculty, staff, and students to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Exemptions for medical or religious reasons will be processed through Human Resources.
Maryland Carey Law is committed to providing opportunities to individuals underrepresented in the legal academy. Minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Join our diverse workforce and help us make a difference in our community and the world. The University of Maryland, Baltimore is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
