Assistant Director of Public Interest and Judicial Clerkship Advising

About the Opportunity

JOB SUMMARY

Northeastern University School of Law is nationally recognized for its leadership in public interest legal education. The law school also has a longstanding commitment to increasing the number of students who obtain post-graduate judicial clerkships and to expand the geographic reach of both clerkships and semester-long judicial co-ops. The Assistant Director of Public Interest and Judicial Clerkship Advising (“Assistant Director”) plays a central role in advancing both of these goals.

The Assistant Director will function as an integral member of the Center for Co-op and Career Development team, serving as a primary advisor and programming contributor on the Public Interest and Government Advising team, while also serving as the office’s point person for all judicial co-op and post-graduate clerkship advising, programming, and employer outreach. In the judicial clerkship capacity, the Assistant Director will conduct regular outreach to a wide range of judges, including judges who are School of Law alumni/ae, judges who regularly hire Northeastern Law students for co-op or post-graduate positions, and judges in new geographic areas we are seeking to target.

This is a dual-focus role that requires genuine depth in public interest law and the judicial clerkship landscape. The ideal candidate brings experience in public interest or government legal work, a strong advising presence, and the ability to build and maintain meaningful relationships with employers, courts, and the broader legal community.

The Assistant Director, in consultation with the Assistant Dean and Director of Public Interest and Government, will also work collaboratively with the faculty-led Clerkship Committee. This includes attending all Clerkship Committee meetings, providing updates on the co-op and clerkship hiring cycles, and contributing to special projects designed to advance the law school’s clerkship goals.

The School of Law’s Center for Co-op and Career Development is both a student services office and an employer relations office. As such, there are occasionally evening and weekend events that require staffing. The Assistant Director is expected to work as needed during evening and weekend events in order to support student networking and employer outreach. As members of the Advising Team, all Assistant Directors also participate in occasional events for prospective and admitted students.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Qualifications:

• J.D. and at least 3 years of legal work experience, including experience in public interest, government, or judicial settings

• Demonstrated ability to work with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, with a genuine interest in serving as a resource to a diverse student body

• Strong attention to detail, problem solving skills, exceptional organizational skills with the ability to organize time and priorities, including multiple tasks and deadline pressures

• Strong customer service orientation

• Technological proficiency

• Ability to attend and participate in occasional night and weekend to support student and employer engagement activities as needed

Preferred Qualifications:

• Post-graduate judicial clerkship experience

• Experience in career counseling, student advising, student mentoring, or student services preferred.

KeyResponsibilities&Accountabilities

Public Interest and Government Advising and Programming (50%)

Serve as a full member of the Public Interest and Government team, providing comprehensive co-op and post-graduate advising to students pursuing public interest and government careers. This includes advising students on co-op selection and post-graduate job search strategy across a broad range of public interest and government sectors; reviewing resumes and cover letters; conducting mock interviews; and providing guidance on short-and long-term career planning. Contribute to public interest and government programming and student communications, bringing knowledge of the field to support the team’s broader programming efforts. Maintain updated knowledge of hiring trends across public interest and government sectors in order to provide current, relevant advising.

Judicial Outreach (25%)

Expand co-op and post-graduate clerkship opportunities through strategic outreach to judges in sought-after courts, districts, and regions. Maintain and strengthen relationships with existing co-op judges, with School of Law alumni/ae judges, and with Northeastern Law graduates who have recently clerked. In consultation with the Director of Public Interest and Government and the Assistant Dean, develop and implement a strategic outreach plan for expanding the School of Law’s reach to judges – and to our alumni/ae law clerks – in certain districts and regions.

Judicial Clerkship and Co-op Advising (15%)

Serve as the office’s primary advisor for law students interested in judicial co-ops and post-graduate judicial clerkships. This includes individual assessments with students about whether clerking is a good match for their skills and interests; reviewing resumes, cover letters, proposed judge lists; and offering strategic guidance on geographic reach, court type and level and other elements of the application including letters of recommendation, transcripts, and writing samples. Advise students on the offers and acceptances process across federal and state courts. As part of the Advising process, take lead responsibility for ensuring that the law school’s written materials regarding clerkships and working for the judiciary are comprehensive and current.

Judicial Clerkship and Co-op Programming (10%)

Design and deliver a year-round series of judicial co-op and clerkship programs to meet the needs of all levels of the student body, from 1Ls exploring judicial internships to upper-level students seeking post-graduate clerkships. Maintain current and substantive knowledge of judicial hiring trends, changes in the clerkship landscape, and developments across federal and state courts, and translate that knowledge into timely, relevant programming and student-facing communications that keep students informed and well-positioned to compete. Identify external programs and resources that expand students’ exposure to opportunities and inform their application strategy.

Documents to Submit:

Please submit a resume, cover letter, and a list of 3 references in a single PDF file.

Northeastern University will not provide H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, or any other type of employment visa sponsorship for the successful applicant to this position, now or in the future. Furthermore, the successful applicant must be able to maintain valid work authorization in the United States throughout the entire appointment without Northeastern University’s sponsorship for a visa.

Position Type

Student Services

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type:

109S

Expected Hiring Range:

$67,855.00 - $95,845.00

With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.