Associate Director of the Office of Public Interest Counseling

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please include a cover letter with application submission.

This is a hybrid role with at least 2x/onsite per week.

Department Summary

The UCLA School of Law Office of Public Interest Counseling (OPIC) seeks an experienced public interest lawyer and/or career counselor with a passion for advancing OPIC's mission to support future public interest advocates. The Office of Public Interest Counseling works closely with the David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy (an academic specialization program) and the Judge Rand Schrader Pro Bono Program. Together, these programs support public interest initiatives and nurture a strong public interest community at UCLA Law.
Position Summary

The UCLA School of Law Office of Public Interest Counseling (OPIC) seeks an experienced public interest lawyer and/or career counselor with a passion for advancing OPIC's mission to support future public interest advocates. The Office of Public Interest Counseling works closely with the David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy (an academic specialization program) and the Judge Rand Schrader Pro Bono Program. Together, these programs support public interest initiatives and nurture a strong public interest community at UCLA Law.

Under the general direction of the Executive Director of the David J Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy , the Associate Director will lead OPIC, including by providing academic and career counseling to UCLA Law students and alumni interested in pursuing any public interest opportunities. This includes and is not limited to advising students and alumni on course selections, semester-term externships, summer internships, post-graduate fellowships, funding opportunities, extracurricular activities, career fairs, networking opportunities, and more. The Associate Director will help plan and execute a variety of programs, events, and conferences for students and alumni exploring these opportunities, including the Annual Southern California Public Interest/ Sector Career Day, UCLA Law's post-graduate and summer fellowship programs, as well as regular events with guest speakers and/or discussions of topics of importance to future public interest lawyers. The Associate Director will lead and track progress towards meeting OPIC's counseling goals and develop supportive written materials and guides for students. The Associate Director will collaborate with UCLA Law's Office of Career Services and other UCLA Law programs, centers, departments, and specializations to best support students and alumni. The Associate Director will help strengthen and grow UCLA Law's relationships with public interest employers, public interest alumni, and other stakeholders. The Associate Director will collaborate with UCLA Law's public interest programs to broadly support UCLA Law's public interest students, including participating in fundraising for UCLA Law public interest programs, regularly evaluating existing systems and processes, and developing new initiatives as needed in response to changes in the public interest job landscape.

Salary & Compensation

*UCLA provides a full pay range. Actual salary offers consider factors, including budget, prior experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business considerations. Salary offers at the top of the range are not common. Visit UC Benefit package to discover benefits that start on day one, and UC Total Compensation Estimator to calculate the total compensation value with benefits.
Qualifications

• 5 or more years professional experience as an attorney in public interest practice and/or as a public interest career counselor. (Required)
• Advanced knowledge of current public interest practice, including diverse forms of public interest practice and public interest practice settings, career paths in public interest practice, and funding sources, especially for new attorneys. (Required)
• A true passion for advancing the work of the UCLA School of Law's public interest programs broadly and the Office of Public Interest Counseling specifically. (Required)
• Experience counseling, supervising, and/or mentoring law students working in a public interest capacity. (Required)
• Excellent writing skills. Superior editing, proofreading skills and attention to detail. Ability to prepare professional handbooks, handouts, articles and newsletters. (Required)
• Excellent oral communications skills to communicate effectively and diplomatically and present professional workshops, panels, presentations. (Required)
• Fluency in office technology (i.e., comfortable using basic office machinery; advanced skills in internet research; strong familiarity with videoconferencing platforms; proficiency in Office 365, Adobe Acrobat, Google Drive). Experience with Symplicity. (Required)
• Advanced ability to initiate activities independently and organize, prioritize and complete work in a timely manner despite deadlines and competing requests. (Required)
• Highly responsible, sound professional judgment and strong time management skills required; ability to maintain confidentiality and discern priorities. (Required)
• Demonstrated ability to organize and implement the logistical requirements of events and programs, including materials, information, and people in a systematic way to optimize efficiency. (Required)
• Skill in listening perceptively and conveying understanding, establishing rapport, gaining trust, motivating others, and stimulating people to effective action. (Required)
• Skill in interacting effectively with individuals or groups representing various social, cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds. (Required)

Education, Licenses, Certifications & Personal Affiliations

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience/training (Required)
• Juris Doctor (JD) Degree (Preferred)

Special Conditions for Employment

• Background Check: Continued employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background investigation.
• Live Scan Background Check: A Live Scan background check must be completed prior to the start of employment.
• Age Requirement: Candidate(s) must be 18 years or older to be eligible to be hired.
• Ability to work collaboratively as a member of a team and manage and maintain positive and proactive relationships with students, alumni, employers, law school faculty and staff, donors and community partners both remotely and in person. (Required)
• Occasional evening/weekend hours and accessibility. (Required)

Schedule

Monday - Friday | 8 a.m.-5 p.m. PST
Union/Policy Covered

SV-Stdt Svs & Adv Prof (SSAP)
Complete Position Description