Visiting Professor of Law, Environmental Justice Clinic and Environmental Advocacy Clinic

Vermont Law and Graduate School seeks a Visiting Professor of Law for its Environmental Justice and Advocacy Clinics. The role involves developing legal strategies for environmental justice, supervising student clinicians, and engaging in community lawyering. Candidates must be licensed attorneys with experience in environmental justice, civil rights, and community organizing. The position starts in Fall '24, with a flexible start date, and emphasizes a commitment to racial justice and inclusive teaching practices.
About the position

Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS), a national leader in environmental law and restorative justice, invites applications for a Visiting Professor of Law to join our Environmental Justice Clinic (EJC) and our Environmental Advocacy Clinic (EAC) for a one- or two-year visitorship. The primary home of the visitorship will be the EJC. Founded in 2019, VLGS's EJC works in partnership with community organizations, tribal nations, coalitions, and other stakeholders to support multi-strategy campaigns to combat environmental racism and advance community health and human rights. The faculty member will support the EJC's work to (1) develop and implement legal, administrative, and policy strategies to address the disproportionate impacts of environmental pollution and land dispossession on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and low-income communities (2) contribute to intersectional organizing to push for climate justice and a just transition, and (3) engage in research and advocacy to support new law and policy on environmental justice. The visitor will join a vibrant and supportive clinical community at VLGS. The visitor's duties include managing multiple complex legal matters, including some litigation and coalition work, and coordinating work with community partners, students, co-counsel, and technical experts effectively without extensive supervision; supervising student clinicians; contributing to the development of clinical seminar materials and teaching foundational radical lawyering skills and frameworks, such as community lawyering, movement lawyering, trauma-informed lawyering, and principles of human rights. The visitor will report to the Director of the Environmental Justice Clinic and play a supporting role in meeting the EJC's goals and objectives. A portion of the visitor's time will also be spent providing support to the EAC. Founded in 2003, the EAC maintains a docket of student-centered litigation and advocacy matters addressing important environmental and natural resources issues. The visitor's duties in the EAC will include responsibility for managing one or more litigation or advocacy matters and supervision of assigned student clinicians, as directed by EAC faculty working in coordination with the Director of the EJC. The ideal candidate will be available to start in time for the Fall '24 semester, though the precise start date is flexible. The candidate must be a licensed attorney with at least three years of experience, with particular weight given to experience in environmental justice law and policy, civil rights law, human rights law, and environmental and natural resources litigation, and experience with community-based and movement lawyering practices. Community organizing or other non-legal advocacy experience will also be taken into consideration. Clinical teaching experience or other evidence of ability to successfully mentor new attorneys will be highly valued, and candidates should demonstrate evidence of or potential for strong, innovative, and engaged teaching. Candidates should also have a demonstrated commitment to racial justice and an understanding of and appreciation for inclusive teaching practices, including the ability to work with students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds, identities, and viewpoints. Visiting professors do not have service obligations but are encouraged to engage with other professionals and the public to contribute to the intellectual exchange of ideas, improve the law, and educate the public about the law, with an eye towards social justice. VLGS is in South Royalton, Vermont, a small town on the bank of the beautiful White River. Less than thirty minutes away lie the amenities of the adjacent communities of Hanover, NH (home to Dartmouth College) and Lebanon, NH. Burlington, VT, Boston, MA, and Montreal, QC, are all within a three-hour drive.

Responsibilities
• Manage multiple complex legal matters, including litigation and coalition work.
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• Coordinate work with community partners, students, co-counsel, and technical experts without extensive supervision.
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• Supervise student clinicians in the Environmental Justice Clinic.
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• Contribute to the development of clinical seminar materials.
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• Teach foundational radical lawyering skills and frameworks, such as community lawyering, movement lawyering, trauma-informed lawyering, and principles of human rights.
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• Support the Environmental Advocacy Clinic by managing litigation or advocacy matters and supervising assigned student clinicians.

Requirements
• Licensed attorney with at least three years of experience.
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• Experience in environmental justice law and policy, civil rights law, human rights law, and environmental and natural resources litigation.
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• Experience with community-based and movement lawyering practices.
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• Community organizing or other non-legal advocacy experience is preferred.
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• Clinical teaching experience or evidence of ability to mentor new attorneys is highly valued.
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• Demonstrated commitment to racial justice and inclusive teaching practices.

Nice-to-haves
• Experience in teaching or mentoring diverse groups of students.
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• Innovative and engaged teaching methods.

Benefits
• Salary range of $85,000 - $90,000 for the position.
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• Opportunity to engage with a vibrant and supportive clinical community.
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• Flexibility in start date for the Fall '24 semester.