Rutgers Law School (RLS) seeks an experienced and strategic candidate with a track record of setting and achieving bar passage and student success goals to join our faculty, lead our bar study efforts, and enhance our Academic Success Department. The Associate Dean for Bar Exam Success must be creative and organized and should possess excellent teaching, analytical, quantitative, and collaborative skills. The successful candidate must commit to advancing student success from matriculation through bar admission. The Associate Dean for Bar Exam Success will be a non-tenure track faculty member and report to the Dean with dotted lines to the Vice Dean (Newark) and Vice Dean (Camden) and work closely with the faculty and administration. The Associate Dean will design, implement, and manage programming to improve and then maintain bar passage rates at or above those at peer institutions. The Associate Dean will also review and coordinate with the Academic Success Department on academic success programming at RLS. The Associate Dean will determine and execute data-informed decisions that facilitate bar passage and student success goals. The Associate Dean will also manage contractual relationships with vendors related to bar studies and develop and teach courses focused on bar passage.
Bar Exam Success
- Design, implement, and manage a state-of-the-art strategy and program in Newark and Camden to increase and maintain bar passage rates.
- Teach or supervise the teaching of bar preparation courses in both locations.
- Support faculty in preparing students to pass the bar exam on their first attempt.
- Conduct and lead data analysis to assess bar passage rates and student success or failure on the bar exam, including observing and responding to empirical correlations and long-term trends among RLS students and the national community of bar takers.
- Identify bar preparation products and student support services, whether provided externally or developed internally, to address areas of concern identified by data analysis or other means.
- Coordinate implementation of any agreements with bar providers designed to support students’ successful preparation for first-time bar exam passage.
- Work with faculty and students to effectively integrate newly developed or acquired bar preparation products and student support services.
- Offer training and provide supervision to full-time and part-time faculty to administer additional bar preparation teaching and bar support services.
- Offer training and supervise students in bar preparation, including through a summer bar preparation course.
- Complete the annual ABA Bar Passage Questionnaire and other bar passage surveys in conjunction with the RLS leadership team.
- Stay current on developments regarding bar passage.
- In conjunction with our Academic Success Department:
- Develop and implement comprehensive programs and workshops to help transition students into law school, promote their academic success, and increase their likelihood of first-time bar passage.
- Develop program goals and data-driven mechanisms for evaluating RLS’s success in achieving those goals.
- Work with the faculty to ensure periodic review and evaluation of the program of legal education that incorporates data and analyses related to academic and bar passage success.
- Attend and participate in faculty and leadership team meetings.
- Serve on faculty committees that seek to advance the goals of RLS and the Bar Exam Success and Academic Success programs and courses.
- Manage the Bar Exam Success program budget.
- Current or prior admission to the bar of at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
- A minimum of 4 years of law-related experience, post-law school graduation.
- Experience in law school academic support or bar exam advising.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a diverse population of students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
- Ability to foster a cooperative work environment and to manage others.
- Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with data, empirical analysis, and software applications.
Certifications/Licenses
- J.D. from an ABA-approved law school with strong academic credentials.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- At least 5 years of prior law school teaching experience preferred, preferably related to bar preparation or academic support.
- Prior experience directing a law school bar preparation or academic support program preferred.
- Knowledge of advising and counseling techniques within a legal or higher education setting.
- Expectation to travel to and serve students on both campuses in an equitable manner. Some evening hours are expected.
