"Clinical Professor and Co-Director, Children's Rights Clinic"

Clinical Professor and Co-Director, Children's Rights Clinic

College/School/Unit: School of Law
Department:
Posted: Feb 9, 2026
Apply By: Open until filled

Description

The Professor will supervise student representation of clients and be responsible for meeting regularly, mentoring, and advising the students. The Professor will have ultimate responsibility for directing the course of the students' cases and for ensuring that the clinic's clients are adequately and professionally represented. For some matters, this will largely entail supervising student work. For other matters, the Professor will be more directly involved in the representation. In addition, the Professor will partner with Professor Strauch, the clinic co-director, in all aspects of the clinic's work, such as helping teach a weekly clinic class, assisting with the selection of clinic cases, and participating in activities of the clinical program.

We expect the clinical professor to work closely with students on all aspects of their work, and responsibilities include:

• Meeting regularly with student-attorneys and supervising their work;
• Attending all court appearances with student-attorneys;
• Assisting with teaching in the classroom component of the clinic;
• Implementing the clinic guidelines and policies related to supervision and representation; and
• Participating in other meetings and activities of the clinical program.

Clinical faculty positions at Texas Law are nine-month appointments with nine-month pay starting at $147,596, depending on experience. Additionally, the successful candidate will typically work during the summer (through an additional full-time appointment) to shepherd cases through the summer months and/or supervise a student fellow in their work with clients. This position is full-time and non-tenure track, with an initial one-year appointment followed by three-year, rolling, presumptively renewable appointments.

The successful candidate will join a robust community of over 25 experienced faculty members who teach in the clinical program. The clinical faculty meet regularly to discuss best practices in clinical teaching, course design, and other relevant issues, and it is a collegial and supportive group.

About the Children's Rights Clinic

The Children's Rights Clinic has been representing child clients involved with Child Protective Services for nearly 50 years. The clinic is offered as a one-semester course, in the spring and fall semesters to second- and third-year law students. Students are licensed under the student practice rule to represent clients under the supervision of the clinic's professors. Students represent children in Travis County District Court as student attorneys ad litem in cases in which the state seeks orders requiring parents to participate in services, or involving custody or termination of parental rights based on allegations of abuse and neglect. Although the supervising attorneys sign pleadings drafted by the students and accompany the students to formal proceedings, the student attorneys sit "first chair" at hearings, mediations, and trial appearances, and they research and prepare cases as the primary attorneys. They also attend meetings, respond to emails, phone calls, and facilitate the legal positions of our child clients.

More information about the Children's Rights Clinic can be found here.

Qualifications

1. Member of Texas Bar or eligible to waive into Texas Bar;
2. At least seven to ten years of experience in Child Welfare practice;
3. Significant trial experience including bench and jury trials;
4. Familiarity with clinical teaching methods;
5. Experience supervising law students and/or junior attorneys;
6. Teaching experience (preferred).
7. Board Certified in Child Welfare Law or certified as a Child Welfare Law Specialist (preferred)

Application Instructions

To apply, submit a cover letter, resume, contact information for at least three professional references, and writing sample. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.