Clinical Teaching Fellowship

BROOKLYN LAW SCHOOL

Clinical Teaching Fellowship – Disability and Civil Rights Clinic

Brooklyn Law School is hiring a Clinical Teaching fellow/supervising attorney for a two-year fellowship beginning in July 1,2023, with Brooklyn Law School’s option to extend the fellowship for the third year at it’s discretion. The Fellow will co-teach the Disability and Civil Rights with Professor Prianka Nair.

The Disability and Civil Rights Clinic was launched in 2015 and is an in-house clinic that functions as a small probono law firm representing low-income New Yorkers and their families in a variety of civil legal matters, including public benefits, access to health care, special education, parental rights, alternatives to guardianship and discrimination in access to programs and services. The Clinic is committed to providing legal representation to underserved communities and conducts outreach and education efforts to achieve this end. Through direct legal services, affirmative litigation, public policy reform, community education and coalition building, the Disability and Civil Rights Clinic engages in various forms of advocacy to make the greatest impact on the community.

Job responsibilities:

The Clinical Fellow will supervise students working on a variety of cases/projects undertaken by the Clinic. These could include guardian adlitemappointments for 17-A guardianship proceedings; filing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) motions in appellate court on behalf of parents with intellectual disabilities; filing administrative appeals before the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities; asserting ADA and Section 504 claims in requests for reasonable accommodations to private entities in federal court and to government agencies; testifying before administrative agencies in response to proposed rulemaking; presenting to community groups on issues of disability rights; and preparing “Know Your Rights” materials and training. With student teams, the supervising attorney will explore ways to work collaboratively with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, foster relationships and networks and approach lawyering from a movement building perspective.

The Fellow will co-teach the weekly clinic seminar which addresses a combination of substantive law, practical skill development and reflection. Substantive law topics include guardianship and supported decision making, disability justice, supervision/surveillance by the state and critical race/feminist analysis. Additionally, the supervision of student work includes interviewing and investigation, drafting pleadings, negotiating with opposing counsel and conducting evidentiary hearings. At each stage, the Clinic encourages deep examination of existing practice and radical possibilities for lawyers working with people who experience discrimination and ableism with respect to every part of their lives.

The Fellow will be a part of a vibrant group of clinical faculty members who teach in the eight in-house clinics and direct our externships at BLS, and will be welcomed into all aspects of the law school community, including faculty workshops, events and supporting student pro bono organizations and activities. Fellows interested in developing their own legal scholarship will be welcomed into the junior faculty workshop and small faculty writing groups.

The Clinic is grant supported and is currently funded until June 30, 2026.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will be admitted to practice in New York and will have at least five years of public interest or disability law experience, a keen interest in working with students and clinic teaching and a dedication to exploring new, innovative approaches to disability law. This is a full-time position with competitive salary within the range of $105 000 - $120 000 (depending on experience), and benefits.

How to apply:

We will begin accepting applications immediately. Applications will be accepted until June 2nd. To apply, send a cover letter and resume as one PDF to prianka.nair@brooklaw.edu with the subject line “DCRC Clinical Fellow.”

Please share this announcement with all of your networks.

###

Brooklyn Law School is an equal opportunity institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. BLS does not discriminate on the bases of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, personal appearance, income, veteran status, an individual’s genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws in its programs and activities.