Clinical Faculty - Director of Academic Achievement & Bar Success

The University of St. Thomas School of Law invites applications for a Director of Academic Achievement & Bar Success.

The Director of Academic Achievement & Bar Success will be a Clinical Faculty member whose primary responsibilities are to teach at least one credit-bearing course in each semester aimed at supporting at-risk students, support and advance students’ academic development, equip all JD graduates for success on the bar exam, and assist candidates with the bar application process. The Director will work with faculty and staff (including the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the Assistant Director of Academic Achievement & Bar Success, the Registrar, and the Career and Professional Development Office (CPD)) to: develop and present programming for all JD students concerning academic success and bar readiness; provide tailored academic support to students with a focus on at-risk students including advising, coaching, instruction, and referrals to resources; offer bar-related advising and support to individual students on matters such as character and fitness concerns or course selection; and track and analyze relevant data related to bar passage and other academic success metrics.  The Director will not be eligible for tenure but will be eligible for renewable contracts.  The Director will be a member of the full-time faculty and will have voting rights on most faculty issues, other than those relating to hiring or promotion of tenure-track faculty.  The Director may be asked to serve on School of Law committees and is invited to participate as appropriate in workshops and School of Law events. The Director will not be expected to produce academic scholarship, though they will receive library support if they choose to do so.

For more information on the department visit the School of Law website and to learn more about working at St. Thomas visit life as a faculty member at St. Thomas.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Develop and Coordinate Bar-Related and Academic Success Programming

• Support the law school’s transition to the NextGen Bar, including educating students and faculty about changes and best practices to promote student success.
• Develop and present programming, both live and online, to inform all JD students, at appropriate times in their law school career, about important bar-related issues such as bar exam elements, knowledge and skills necessary for exam success, character and fitness issues, and strategic considerations around bar application and preparation.
• Teach at least one credit-bearing course in each semester aimed at supporting at-risk students (current courses include Professional Responsibility – Skills Intensive in the fall and 3L Intro to Exam Skills in the spring) and a non-credit bearing course to all students during 1L Orientation week.
• Collaborate with other units to prepare and present 3L fall workshops with the Minnesota Board of Law Examiners, the JD Compass kickoff, and externship information session.
• Establish and maintain relationships with commercial bar exam providers, manage the providers presence on campus and become familiar with commercial products.
• Be attentive to best practices and scholarship regarding academic support and bar preparation, particularly regarding the NextGen Bar, and integrate best practices.
• Promote strategies to address barriers to academic success with a focus on first- generation students, at-risk groups, and those with identified learning challenges.
• Supervise the Assistant Director of Academic Achievement & Bar Success.

Tailored Support for Individual Students

• Coordinate with faculty, the Registrar, CPD, the Director of Academic Advising, and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to identify at-risk students and develop strategies for providing individualized support from these sources
• Provide academic success coaching to JD students, especially for those near or below thresholds for academic probation, or who present risk factors correlated to lower bar passage rates.
• Develop and implement individualized Bar Success Plans to address barriers, refer students to appropriate support resources, and assist students to develop core study, legal analysis, and exam-writing skills.
• Provide strategic advising to individual JD students about bar application, including but not limited to: character and fitness concerns and process; professional considerations with respect to the location and timing of bar application; and advance planning for the financial and time commitments required for bar success.
• Lead bar pass efforts with all recent graduates to ensure all bar takers complete a commercial program, thereby increasing the likelihood of bar passage, and provide assistance in addressing barriers that may interfere with bar preparation.
• Provide midterm support to students, with a focus on the most at-risk students.

Data Tracking, Analysis, and Follow-up

• Coordinate with the Registrar, CPD, the Director of Academic Advising, and the Student Services Suite Coordinator to maintain bar passage records for institutional reporting and analysis, including annual ABA accreditation-related survey.
• Analyze JD student data to identify risk factors and review risk factors with students.
• Coordinate with commercial bar preparation vendors to track graduates’ registration with and progress through commercial bar preparation courses; ensure each student has retained a commercial provider.
• Coordinate with faculty, administration, and commercial bar preparation to collect and analyze data on graduates’ success on the bar exam and its specific components, to provide a feedback loop to strengths and opportunities for growth in the law school curriculum and preparation for the bar.

• JD Degree from an ABA-accredited law school
• Three or more years of relevant or transferable experience
• Bar membership in a US jurisdiction (may be inactive)
• Demonstrated effective oral and written communication with both individuals and large groups
• Interpersonal skills relevant to individualized academic counseling and coaching
• Knowledge of learning and teaching strategies for law students and other adult learners
• Experience working with, and demonstrated commitment to supporting, diverse population of students
• Commitment to the School of Law’s mission

Salary & Benefits

The University of St. Thomas offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits program, which includes:

• Tuition remission benefits for employees, spouses, and dependents upon eligibility
• A generous employer retirement contribution upon eligibility
• Medical, dental, and vision options
• Employer-paid disability, life, and AD&D benefits
• Paid parental leave benefits

Salary Range: $90,000 to $110,000

The University of St. Thomas has provided a salary range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The specific salary offered will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.

The University of St. Thomas embraces belonging and equal opportunity for all. Our convictions of dignity, diversity and personal attention call us to embody and champion an inclusive environment.  The University is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer (EEO).  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, or other protected characteristic.  This commitment to inclusion and equal opportunity is consistent with our mission: Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good.  A successful candidate will possess a commitment to the ideals of this mission.

Established in 1885, the University of St. Thomas is located in the major metropolitan area of Minneapolis-St. Paul, and is Minnesota’s largest private university. Its 9,000 students pursue degrees in a wide range of liberal arts, professional, and graduate programs.

Official job posting is available at https://www.stthomas.edu/jobs/.