Stanton Fellow, First Amendment Clinic - Cornell Law School

Founded in 1887, Cornell Law School is a top-tier law school, currently ranked 13th by U.S. News & World Report. We offer a 3-year JD program for about 200 students per class, a one-year LLM program for about 90 students from countries throughout the world, and a doctoral (JSD) program for about 2-3 new students per year. Cornell Law School has 41 tenured and tenure-track faculty, including 20 with chaired faculty positions; and 15 clinical professors in the Lawyering Program and in clinics at the local, national, and international level. Our faculty is consistently ranked among the top in the country for scholarly productivity and influence and has pre-eminence in many areas, including quantitative and qualitative empirical legal studies, international and comparative law, and robust doctrinal scholarship in core fields. Our school is committed to being recognized as the leader among law schools at combining inspiring theoretical, doctrinal, and experiential teaching with cutting-edge scholarship in a supportive, intellectually rich community, so that our graduates can achieve excellence in all facets of the legal profession.

Reporting to the Director of the First Amendment Clinic at Cornell Law School, the Stanton Fellow will collaborate with the Director, Adjunct instructors, and the Managing Attorney of our Local Journalism Project to support the management and activities of the Clinic, which formally launched in the spring semester of 2019 and has already become one of the nation's leading clinics of its kind.

The Clinic focuses on two core objectives: (1) litigating and supporting cases and other legal proceedings that further the cause of free speech generally, and through its innovative Local Journalism Project, aid and defend journalists and media outlets in their news-gathering functions; and (2) cultivating diverse lawyers who are educated about the freedom of speech principles embodied in the First Amendment and prepared to pursue careers defending such principles.

Responsibilities include the following:

• Provide supervision to students in the Clinic, including feedback, mentoring, and training.
• Manage ongoing cases, ensuring that the work is done in a timely and professional manner.
• Assist with the organization and teaching of the Clinic, focusing on substantive knowledge of First Amendment doctrine and the litigation process, as well as effective legal writing, advocacy, and client relations skills.
• Help organize, and participate in the teaching of, each semester's First Amendment "Bootcamp".
• Help develop the focus of cases the Clinic will work on that challenge restrictions on clients’ rights to freely speak, publish, assemble and petition.
• Help oversee our Panel of Participating Attorneys, an innovative effort to partner with Clinic alumni as co-counsel on appropriate matters.
• Help hire for and supervise Interns for the Clinic's annual summer program.
• Collaborate with the Director and other staff on programming to bring free speech issues to the broader Law School and University communities.
• Help maintain relationships within the legal and journalism community, including law firms and advocacy organizations that focus on free speech and related fields, First Amendment clinics at other law schools, and regional (New York and surrounding states) news platforms and journalists.

This is a full-time position for a two-year term, and is benefits eligible. The successful candidate will be expected to start on July 1, 2024, although some flexibility may be available, through August 12, 2024.

Qualifications:

The Stanton Fellow must be a law graduate, with significant litigation experience and a background in constitutional law. A clerkship or clerkships and prior work in the media industry are desirable, but not required. The Stanton Fellow must either be admitted to the practice of law in New York, prepared to take the New York bar exam prior to beginning the Fellowship, or be admitted on written motion after hiring.

To Apply:

Please submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, three references, a writing sample (should be an unedited or slightly edited brief or bench memo), and other significant supporting materials to https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/26850 . To ensure maximum consideration, please submit all application materials by February 15, 2024. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given to early applicants.

The anticipated starting salary for this position is $70,000-$75,000.

Questions may be referred to Liz Flint ([email protected] ).

Pay Range:

$56,484.00 - $80,000.00

Pay Ranges:

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience.
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.
• Academic Discipline (faculty pay ranges reflects 9-month annual salary)
• Unique applicable skills.

Familiarize yourself with Cornell's COVID-19 workplace guidance as well as the university's COVID-19 services and information .

Employment Assistance:

For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email [email protected] .

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell University's Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at [email protected] .

Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing [email protected] .

Notice to Applicants:

Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here . This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.

EEO Statement:

Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, and we do not tolerate discrimination based on any protected characteristic, including race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex/gender, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law. 

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff to all identities and backgrounds. We encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.

2023-12-12