Job Description

Full-time, Tenure-Track

Reports to: Dean of the Law School 

Location: South Royalton, VT

Salary: $90,000-119,000 + administrative stipend

Vermont Law and Graduate School is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and connectedness. We grow and learn better together with a diverse group of faculty, staff, and students. In recruiting for faculty and staff, we seek unique backgrounds to enrich and challenge our community. 

Position Summary: The Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) seeks an accomplished and visionary leader to serve as the Director of the Environmental Law Center and Associate Dean of Law School Environmental Programs. This dual-role position requires an individual with deep expertise in environmental law, a commitment to academic excellence, and a passion for fostering impactful community engagement. The successful candidate will oversee the environmental law curriculum; drive research, advocacy, policy, and other programmatic initiatives; teach within the environmental law program; oversee the nationally renowned summer program; and promote community engagement efforts related to environmental law. Additionally, the Director will work closely with the administration and the Associate Dean of the Maverick Lloyd School for the Environment to advance interdisciplinary and collaborative initiatives. The successful candidate could come from any of the diverse fields within environmental law: pollution, water, toxics, climate change, natural resources, biodiversity, land use, environmental justice, agriculture and food law, animal protection, sustainable finance and business, energy, or international and comparative environmental law, among others. This position can be coupled with a tenure-track appointment for a candidate with requisite experience.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Curriculum Oversight:

• Develop and continuously enhance the environmental law curriculum to ensure it reflects the latest developments in the field and meets the needs of students and the broader legal community.
• Collaborate with faculty to integrate innovative teaching methods and interdisciplinary approaches into the curriculum.
• Ensure alignment of the environmental law program with the strategic goals of VLGS and emerging trends in environmental policy and regulation.

Research and Other Programmatic Initiatives:

• Oversee and support research and other programmatic initiatives conducted by faculty, students, and affiliated scholars within the Environmental Law Center.
• Facilitate the development of high-impact research projects and publications that address critical environmental issues and contribute to legal scholarship.
• Seek and manage external funding opportunities to support research and other programmatic activities.

Teaching and Academic Leadership:

• Teach core and elective courses within the environmental law curriculum, bringing a dynamic and engaging approach to instruction.
• Help design and champion environmental clinic and experiential opportunities for environmental law students with clinic faculty and the Associate Dean for Experiential Learning.
• Mentor and advise students on academic and career matters, including guiding them through research projects and practical experiences.
• Provide leadership in environmental law faculty recruitment, development, and evaluation.

Summer Program Management:

• Oversee the operation and continuous improvement of the nationally renowned summer program in environmental law, ensuring its importance and effectiveness.
• Coordinate with faculty and external partners to deliver a comprehensive and impactful program that attracts diverse participants.

Community Engagement:

• Lead efforts to strengthen community engagement related to environmental law, including outreach activities, partnerships with local and national organizations, and public seminars.
• Foster relationships with alumni and other stakeholders, policymakers, and advocacy groups to enhance the Center’s influence and contribute to meaningful environmental policy discussions.

Administrative Responsibilities:

• Work closely with VLGS administration to align the Environmental Law Center’s activities with the School’s overall mission and strategic goals.
• Collaborate with the Associate Dean of the Maverick Lloyd School for the Environment to develop and implement interdisciplinary programs and initiatives.
• Oversee and manage programmatic budget.
• Manage and supervise Environmental Law Center staff. 
• Contribute to student recruitment efforts, including work with the Admissions Office and the Associate Dean for the Maverick Lloyd School for the Environment to promote graduate degree programs among law school applicants and students.
• Work with the development office to fundraise for Environmental Law Center initiatives. 

Additional Duties:

• Represent the Environmental Law Center and VLGS at conferences, workshops, public events, Board of Trustees Meetings, and Senior Leadership Meetings. 
• Contribute to institutional committees and working groups as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Dean of the Law School.

About Vermont Law and Graduate School

Vermont Law and Graduate School, a private, independent institution, is home to a law school that offers ABA-accredited residential and online hybrid JD programs and a graduate school that offers master’s degrees and certificates in multiple disciplines, including programs offered by the Maverick Lloyd School for the Environment, the Center for Justice Reform and other graduate-level programs emphasizing the intersection of environmental justice, social justice and public policy.

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