Job Description
RE: PCL DEAN JOB DESCRIPTION
The People’s College of Law seeks an exceptional individual to become the dean of its School of Law. This position is a paid position and Full-Time time.
The next dean should be an innovative thinker and approachable leader who welcomes the opportunity to articulate a vision for the growth of the law school that builds on its 48‐year history of preparing social justice lawyers.
The People’s College of Law, PCL was founded in 1974 as a non‐profit 501(c)3 under the name The Guild Law School. The school exists to bring legal resources to under‐represented communities and to train legal advocates dedicated to securing progressive social change and justice in society. Centrally located near Los Angeles’ famed MacArthur Park, PCL is close to public research universities, close to state and federal courts, major corporate headquarters, and a community historically underrepresented by, and with limited access to, legal representation.
SCOPE OF WORK
Working with the California State Bar to ensure PCL is in compliance with the Guidelines for Unaccredited Law School Rules. Reporting to the Executive Committee of our Community Board of Directors and working closely with the school Administrator, the Dean is the School of Law’s chief academic, advancement, and administrative officer, with overall responsibility for its academic programs, operating budget, personnel management, strategic planning, public relations, and fundraising. The Dean is also the School of Law’s principal representative to the College, alumni, and the legal community.
The next dean will be presented with the opportunity not only to propel PCL to higher levels of prominence and distinction but also to stabilize and grow the school’s academic programs. The Dean’s leadership skills will be essential to taking on the following opportunities and challenges:
• Developing and executing a comprehensive and proactive strategic plan for the School of Law that meets the challenges of a highly competitive market and aligns with the broader objectives of the College’s strategic plan;
• Nurturing and expanding interdisciplinary relationships between PCL and other College programs; • Garnering additional private and public resources that will enable the School of Law to make continued advances in its programs and facilities, as well as the caliber of its faculty and students; • Taking aggressive steps to better anticipate the needs of the external legal community in order to cultivate stronger relationships and forge collaborative partnerships in a city that is experiencing growth and transformation; • Maintaining and enhancing PCL’s strong sense of community among its principal constituents, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, other schools, and College administration; • Continuously improving student outcomes—including bar passage, job placement, and other quantitative and qualitative measures—and maintaining and enhancing the school’s student‐centered environment; and • Advancing the law school’s commitment to social justice, access to justice, and equality before the law.
THE PEOPLE’S COLLEGE OF LAW
The People’s College of Law School of Law was officially founded in 1974, making it the oldest law School with a specific focus on social justice in the nation.
FACULTY
PCLS’s diverse, collegial, and internationally accomplished faculty is currently, and has always been, all‐volunteer; there are currently 12 adjunct professors.
PCL alumni and faculty make policy as well as write about it. They are active leaders in national organizations engaged in the study and application of the law, such as the American Bar Association, and the National Lawyers Guild.
There is a burgeoning, but sophisticated, faculty development process that includes peer and student evaluations, as well as regular faculty workshops, focused on teaching.
STUDENTS & ALUMNI
The PCL student body currently consists of approximately 25 students, the majority from non‐traditional educational backgrounds prior to attendance at PCL. The quality and diversity of the student body are key components of the educational experience at PCL. The school is proud of the supportive environment it provides to all students, including women, minority students, older students, LGBTQ students, and students from nontraditional backgrounds. Admissions are selective, with an ~40% acceptance rate, and are conducted on a rolling basis.
PCL’s alumni serve as judges, commissioners, politicians, and public interest leaders. A strong network of 120 alumni affords excellent career prospects for PCL’s graduates in private practice, academia, business, government, and public interest.
CURRICULUM
The School of Law offers the Juris Doctor (JD) degree as a four (4) year part‐time study program. As an unaccredited institution, our students must take, and pass, the CalBar’s First Year Law Student Examination after completion of their first year; consequently, special course offerings designed to prepare our students for the rigors of the exam are offered during the first year of study.
LIBRARY
Di Suvero Law Library The School of Law has recently renovated our library, which houses approximately 2,000 volumes. The library serves as the "laboratory" for the work of both students and faculty and is an important information center for practicing lawyers and for scholars from other disciplines. A recent 2021 endowment from the Estate of Hank Di Suvero, a PCL founder, paid for the repair of the library roof, damaged by fire a few years ago.
STAFF
The School of Law enjoys a highly experienced and dedicated Administrator. A search for a new Administrator is happening concurrently with our search for a new dean. The Administrator will serve as a valuable resource for the incoming dean.
QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS
PCL seeks a visionary dean with exceptional leadership credentials to meet the opportunities and challenges outlined above and to lead the law school into the future. The position requires an individual who can lead effectively and manage a small but complex school in the California regulatory environment.
Candidates will preferably have credentials appropriate for a tenured appointment at the rank of professor.
LEADERSHIP
Senior‐level experience with responsibility for strategic management of personnel, programs, and resources is strongly desired. Willingness to engage in institutional advancement is critical; demonstrated experience is preferable. The ideal candidate will provide a strategic vision to inspire and lead PCL to a new level of stability and community relevance, leveraging the strengths of PCL’s faculty and programs. The ideal candidate will also demonstrate:
• A commitment to innovation in legal education and broad knowledge of the legal profession and emerging trends in the practice of law and social justice; • Strong fundraising skills, including the ability to engage alumni, foundations, the legal community, and other donors in the school’s mission; • The entrepreneurial ability to recognize and develop opportunities to enhance revenues from contracts, grants, non‐J.D. programs, and other sources in light of the changing market for legal education; • The ability to lead fiscally conservative budgeting in conjunction with planned enrollment growth; • A commitment to fostering the College’s core values of diversity and inclusion at PCL and in the legal profession; and • Outstanding interpersonal skills, leadership skills, emotional intelligence, personal ethics, and professional integrity.
IMPORTANT
A complete application will include a letter of interest and a current CV. Candidate materials will be reviewed on an ongoing basis up to the application deadline of October 1, 2022. All correspondence will be held in strict confidence. The anticipated start date is as soon as possible. The People’s College of Law values equality of opportunity, human dignity, and diversity.
Company Description
The People’s College of Law Since its founding in 1974, the People’s College of Law also known as the Guild Law School has established itself as a leader in the field of social justice education.