Salary Range:
Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications
Job Summary:
SMU Dedman School of Law seeks two (2) Law Fellows for the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center starting in the Fall of 2019.
The position will assist the Director in managing the Center's research and advocacy projects. Under the Director's supervision, the Law Fellow will maintain a strong substantive focus on a targeted national reform initiative. The Law Fellow will also support the Center's other projects and assist in Center programming. This position will help to build a dynamic, cutting-edge institution that promises to have a nationwide impact.
The position is a one-year appointment with the opportunity for an additional year of service.
Mission of the Deason Center
The Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center (“Deason Center”) promotes criminal justice reform by conducting, supporting, and disseminating data-driven criminal justice research. The Deason Center publishes and promotes criminal justice reform scholarship in academic journals and public policy fora. The Center prioritizes research designs and scholarly projects with utility across multiple jurisdictions. The Center also supports and encourages the criminal justice scholarship of SMU Law faculty.
Our Stats and Stories Model for Criminal Justice Reform
The Deason Center promotes criminal justice reform with a Stats and Stories model. The Stats: We collect, analyze, and assess the hard data that drive smart, sane, and sensible criminal justice reform. The Stories: We uncover, recount, and amplify the stories of people who live, work, and struggle in our criminal justice system. Together, these Stats and Stories make a compelling case for compassionate criminal justice reform. Individual stories. Institutional solutions.
Research and Scholarship
The Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center (“Deason Center”) conducts, supports, and disseminates data-driven criminal justice research that has practical implications for criminal justice reform. The Deason Center publishes and promotes criminal justice reform scholarship in academic journals and public policy fora. The Center prioritizes research designs and scholarly projects that have utility across multiple jurisdictions. The Center also supports and encourages the criminal justice scholarship of SMU Law faculty.
Education and Outreach
Through conferences, symposia, colloquia, roundtables, and working groups, the Deason Center fosters collaborations between scholars, criminal justice researchers and criminal justice stakeholders. The Deason Center educates students at SMU Dedman School of Law and SMU about criminal justice issues and provides academic and experiential opportunities for student learning.
Public Service
Consistent with its research agenda, the Deason Center helps criminal justice stakeholders develop and implement best practices. In support of its research and educational mission, and in recognition of the public service obligation that all lawyers owe to the legal system, the Deason Center will, on a limited basis, engage in direct representation that advances a criminal justice reform agenda.
Essential Functions:
Advocacy Agenda: Working with the Director, the Law Fellow will help to identify and convene a team of criminal justice experts who are committed to the goals of the target project. The Law Fellow will have primary responsibility for coordinating the target project team as it develops an advocacy agenda that includes stakeholder reforms, legislation, and litigation.
Research: The Law Fellow will help to identify and resolve outstanding legal issues and data questions related to the target project. The Law Fellow will prepare issue summaries and white papers appropriate for distribution to criminal justice stakeholders and advocacy partners.
Communications and Policy Implementation: With the Director's assistance, and with support of the national target project team, the Law Fellow will draft policy papers, proposed legislation, and implementation plans for criminal justice stakeholders. The Law Fellow will communicate with stakeholders and will document and report stakeholder implementation outcomes.
Litigation: The Law Fellow will help coordinate the target project's national litigation team. Working with the Director, the Law Fellow will draft model pleadings. The Law Fellow will also monitor litigation progress and support litigation team members. Under the supervision of the Director or her designee, the Law Fellow may also participate directly in target project litigation.
Center Support: The Law Fellow will assist the Director in researching and managing additional Center projects.
Programming: The Law Fellow will assist in the Center's Coordinator in implementing the Center's academic programming, including lectures, guest speakers or student programs such as dinner-and-a-movie or lunch-and-learn events. The Fellow will also assist in the planning and execution of symposia, meetings, conferences or other professional gatherings.
Position may require travel to advocacy, implementation, and litigation sites.
Education and Experience:
J.D. is required. J.D. Bar admission (or admission-pending) preferred.
New law graduates are eligible for this position. Preferred candidates will be 2018 graduates.
Additional educational or professional experience in criminal justice or a related field is a plus.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build relationships with a wide range of constituencies. Must also demonstrate a commitment to criminal justice reform.
Candidate must demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively in writing. Must also demonstrate a strong focus on attention to detail.
Candidate must demonstrate strong problem solving skills with the ability think collaboratively, and strategically. Must also possess the ability to work independently and take initiative, as well as to be a team player who works well on projects as a member of a group.
Candidate must possess strong organizational, planning and time management skills with the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment . Must also possess strong project management and analytical skills.
Candidate must have a working knowledge in Microsoft Office.
Physical/Environmental Demands:
Carry/lift 25 lbs.
Stand
Sit for long periods of time
Deadline to Apply:
The position is open until filled.