Clinical Professor & Director, First Amendment Clinic - Cornell Law School

Clinical Professor & Director, First Amendment Clinic - Cornell Law School

The position opens July 2027 and is full‑time (100% FTE) and will be based in Ithaca, New York.

Cornell Law School, founded in 1887, is a leading law school with a strong focus on experiential learning. The First Amendment Clinic, launched in 2018, teaches students the principles of free speech while vigorously defending clients’ First Amendment rights.

Responsibilities

• Teach or co‑teach the clinic, imparting essential knowledge of First Amendment doctrine and helping students and fellows develop litigation skills, including legal writing, advocacy, and client relations.
• Shape the focus of cases on the clinic docket in collaboration with the faculty steering committee and develop relationships with law firms, advocacy organizations, and other First Amendment clinics to generate new, varied, and impactful cases.
• Organize programming to bring free‑speech issues to the broader law‑school and university communities, sensitizing stakeholders to the role of free speech in a representative democracy.
• Oversee relationships with outside funders, including preparing periodic reports in accordance with funder requirements and maintaining existing relationships while seeking to grow the clinic’s support base.
• Manage the clinic’s financial resources, creating, monitoring, and reporting on the budget in collaboration with the Clinical Programs administrative manager.

Qualifications

• JD and admission to the New York bar (or eligibility for admission on motion to the New York bar).
• A minimum of five years of relevant experience, excellent pedagogical and client‑management skills, and the ability to work collaboratively in a fast‑paced environment.
• Prior significant litigation experience and, preferably, clinical teaching experience.
• A track record of forming positive professional relationships.

Pay Range

$84,000–$237,300

EEO Statement

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world‑class education and career opportunities. No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy‑related conditions, age, creed, religion, disability, criminal history, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, domestic‑violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.