We are looking for a Director of Bar Success to join our team at LMU Law in Knoxville, Tennessee. This position includes faculty governance rights and the opportunity to apply for a multi-year appointment. Based upon the applicant’s level of experience and preference, there may be a tenure-track option or an option for a multi-year contract at the time of hiring. The salary is competitive and recognizes the value that the Director brings to the law school. Plus, Knoxville has a reasonable cost of living and is a great place to live.
What the Director Will Do
The position of Director of Bar Success includes faculty and administrative responsibilities in the following six areas:
1) Teaching bar success (and potentially academic success) courses,
2) Providing leadership among the academic and bar success faculty in course design and development of bar success courses,
3) Coordinating the post-graduate supplemental bar success program,
4) Working with a third-party bar review provider to ensure seamless incorporation of materials in (1) and (2) and tracking and support of graduates in (3),
5) Training and development of doctrinal faculty, both generally and individually, with regard to best practices in developing bar-like assessments and rubrics, and
6) Taking a lead role in curricular development of bar success classes and bar skills across the curriculum, particularly in light of the NextGen bar exam.
Expectations Grounded in Reality
It is well-recognized that bar prep faculty get credit when bar results go up, and too much blame when they dip. At LMU Law, our administration and faculty recognize that bar success is a school-wide responsibility. Our Dean personally has been doing much of the Director job during our search. He actually knows what it takes, its limits, and that there are a number of other important variables contributing to bar success. LMU Law’s faculty is universally committed to the success of our graduates on the bar exam and understands that the law school’s bar passage rate is the product of our collective efforts as an institution. We seek a dedicated, creative, effective Director to guide our faculty and keep us informed on trends and best practices in bar success, particularly during this era of transition to the NextGen bar exam and alternative paths to law licensure. However, we also want to provide some assurance that the bar passage rate is not the only, or main, measure of your success. Our aim is to define success in this role more holistically and provide the security you need to do your job well.
How to Apply
Requirements for the position include a J.D. degree; prior experience teaching in academic or bar success programs, such as first-year academic success, MPT skills-based, and upper-level bar preparation courses; prior experience working directly with graduates who are preparing for the bar exam; familiarity with relevant ABA Standards; and bar membership in any U.S. jurisdiction (can be inactive). The preferred candidate will have prior experience coordinating a law school’s bar preparation program; law school advising, counseling, or tutoring experience; and a personal record of strong academic achievement. We are committed to diversity and actively seek applications from members of groups traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession. Inquiries may be directed to Prof. Syd Beckman, Chair of the Faculty Recruitment Committee, at Sydney.Beckman@lmunet.edu.
