Variable Hours Officer, Specialist Career Adviser

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Temporary
• Hours Per Week: 20
• Salary Range: $60.00 - $60.00 an hour

Position Summary

The Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers (PI/PS) at Columbia Law School provides career services, programming, and specialized opportunities to students and graduates interested in exploring public interest, government, and human rights careers. PI/PS is one of the largest and most specialized public interest advising centers at any U.S. law school and leads conversations on campus about cutting-edge racial and social justice issues and other intersections of law and justice. PI/PS also oversees the Law School's pro bono program, Human Rights Internship Program, and the Max Berger '71 Public Interest/Public Service Fellows Program. Please visit https://www.law.columbia.edu/about/departments/PIPS and https://www.law.columbia.edu/careers/public-interest to learn more.

The Variable Hours Officer - Specialist Career Adviser at PI/PS assists with management, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive public interest professional development program for Columbia Law School students (JDs and LL.Ms) regarding public interest legal careers. The incumbent educates, counsels, and assists Columbia Law students regarding their careers through individual counseling and a program of guest lecturers, panels, workshops and other activities. The majority of the incumbent's time focuses on advising and supporting 1L JDs pursuing summer internships and careers in public interest, as well as upper class students interested in immigration, education, gender justice, LGBTQ, and other areas of public interest lawyering. The incumbent will also advise LL.M.s who are interested in domestic public interest work.

The position is a flexible part-time (20 hours/week) role that requires one day onsite each week.

Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the Dean of the PI/PS Office, the Specialist Career Adviser:

1. Counsels and assists individual students (JDs and LL.Ms) interested in learning about public interest work broadly, including those who want to pursue public interest work for summer or term-time internships or postgraduate positions - with the majority of time focused on 1L JDs. Counseling includes curricular advising, roadmapping students' engagement with public interest opportunities at CLS, as well as summer internship and career advising and support. Reviews and provides comments on resumes and cover letters sent through the PI/PS office resume portal.
2. Advises and supports all students interested in immigration, education, gender justice, LGBTQ and/or non-litigation lawyering approaches, through counseling, employer outreach, application review, fellowship support and programming.
3. Establishes and maintains strategic relationships with organizations and individuals in immigration practice and other areas, including but not limited to outreach to those that may provide Columbia Law School students with internships or job opportunities.
4. Works with other PI/PS advisers in the development, presentation, and evaluation of a comprehensive cycle of programs on public interest professional development and related issues for students, which include speakers, panels, workshops, webinars, and web content. Assists with development of printed and web-based materials and publications, webinars, videos, and other resources to educate, train, and support students interested in public interest careers. Participates in PI/PS subcommittees and admitted students' programming.
5. Collaborates with other PI/PS advisers, Law School student and affinity groups, Law School Centers, and other stakeholders to present programs, workshops, reading groups, or other opportunities or support to students interested in social justice issues.
6. Performs additional responsibilities as assigned and requested.

Minimum Qualifications

• J.D. required.
• Experience in public interest/public service advocacy required.
• Five years of professional experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• Experience with immigration, education, gender justice, LGBTQ and/or non-litigation lawyering approaches preferred but not required. Experience as a counselor for, or manager of, a law-related public interest hiring program, fellowship program, internship program, law school advising program or pro bono program preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working successfully with students or constituents of diverse races, ethnicities, religions, orientations, abilities, cultural backgrounds, and diverse perspectives required.
• Interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion and an eagerness to prioritize these values within all aspects of the work.
• Superior research, oral and written communication skills (including public speaking), outstanding interpersonal and organizational skills, and computer literacy required.
• Ability to design and manage own projects with minimal supervision, to be organized and a self-starter, be part of a diverse and collegial team, to work under pressure, and to balance competing responsibilities necessary.
• Availability for occasional evening and weekend work is required.
• Must be able to work with diverse constituencies and support an inclusive work environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.