Job Details

Visiting Practice Professor of Law

Position Number: 6862684
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Position Type: Law and Legal Studies

Visiting Practice Professor of Law

Location: Philadelphia PA
Open Date: Jan 16, 2026
Deadline:

THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA CAREY LAW SCHOOL invites applicants for the position of Visiting Practice Professor of Law for its Civil Practice Clinic. The Civil Practice Clinic (CPC) is Penn Carey Law's oldest in-house, live client clinic. The visiting position will be for one year teaching the clinic during the 2026-2027 academic year. It enjoys a long and distinguished history of providing high-quality legal assistance to indigent clients in a broad range of civil litigation matters in state and federal courts and administrative agencies, while promoting the professional development of students who serve as front-line lawyers for their clients.

The Visiting Practice Professor will direct all of CPC's activities, including course planning, teaching, supervising and mentoring law students, representing clients, and coordinating with other providers of civil legal assistance in the local community. The Visiting Practice Professor of Law will teach CPC students in developing and enhancing core lawyering competencies including client interviewing, case planning, client counseling, fact development, problem solving, legal research and writing, ethical decision-making, negotiation, and trial presentation skills. Students are certified by state and federal courts to engage in all aspects of lawyering under faculty supervision, and they provide legal assistance individually and in teams on matters affecting low-income clients such as housing, consumer, employment, public benefits, civil rights, and civil asset forfeiture. Students also participate in weekly "case rounds" discussions of their cases where they engage collaboratively in problem solving on difficult substantive and ethical issues that arise in litigation.

Qualifications
The successful applicant will begin as soon as practicable with the goal of joining in June 2026 to begin teaching in the Fall 2026 semester. Review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. The position will conclude on June 30, 2027.

Applicants should be licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania or be eligible to obtain timely authorization to practice under Pennsylvania's bar admission rules, and have 5+ years of experience in civil litigation, a strong commitment to promoting access to justice, and a demonstrated interest in nurturing student development and learning. The successful applicant will possess excellent organizational, communication, and advocacy skills and will be someone who works well independently and as a member of a team. A record of strong academic achievement, commitment to serving low-income communities, and intellectual engagement with the law are essential. Teaching experience (or a passion for teaching), creativity, and strategic thinking are highly valued. Review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Application Instructions
Please apply via Interfolio.

Materials required to apply: cover letter, resume, and three references.

Please refer questions to Karen Crater at kcrater@law.upenn.edu.

To apply, visit https://apply.interfolio.com/180196

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.