Legal Fellow
- Employer
- Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
- Location
- Harrisburg, PA, PA
View more categoriesView less categories
- Faculty Jobs
- Professional Fields, Law & Legal Studies
- Position Type
- Postdoc
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Institution Type
- Four-Year Institution
Job Details
Introduction and Background
The Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (State System), was created pursuant to Act 188 of 1982, as amended, and contains 10 Universities located throughout the Commonwealth. The State System's Office of Legal Counsel provides legal services to the State System and its Universities. The Office of Legal Counsel is led by the Chief Counsel and employs a number of University Legal Counsel (ULC). The Office has established the position of Legal Fellow to assist the Chief Counsel and the ULC in serving the State System and its Universities.
The Legal Fellow position is a one-year position, with the option for a second year when it is mutually beneficial for both the Office of Legal Counsel and the Legal Fellow.
General Description
The Legal Fellow will perform entry-level professional legal work to support the Chief Counsel and ULC. The position is designed to provide important service to the attorneys who serve the State System and its Universities, while simultaneously providing the Fellow with valuable experience and skills in the practice of higher education law.
Responsibilities
The Legal Fellow will perform routine legal work and assist attorneys in the performance of varied legal assignments. Generally, the work will involve conducting legal research; drafting legal documents; reviewing documents; keeping and maintaining legal files; and performing other tasks as needed. Some specific examples of work include the following:
- Conducting legal research on a range of topics.
- Reviewing, summarizing, and reporting on legal developments in higher education.
- Conducting online research on various matters.
- Drafting legal documents, including memoranda; correspondence; portions of briefs and pleadings for court matters; and position statements in administrative agency matters.
- Reviewing documents for litigation and Right-to-Know Law requests.
- Reviewing contracts for compliance with legal requirements.
- Organizing and maintaining legal files.
In addition, the Legal Fellow will participate in the Office's regular staff meetings, during which a wide range of legal and administrative issues are discussed among the Chief Counsel and all ULC. The expectation also is that the Legal Fellow will be invited to participate in meetings involving ULC and State System and University clients.
The position is based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with some travel required. While this position is remote, occasional in-office availability in Harrisburg is required.Minimum QualificationsGraduation from a recognized college or university; graduation from a recognized law school with a J.D./LL.B. degree. Bar admission at the time of application is not required; however, it is expected that the Legal Fellow will be licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania or taking steps to become licensed in Pennsylvania by passing the bar exam within the first six months of employment. The Legal Fellow position is designed as an entry-level position. Thus, the expectation is that candidates will have two years or less of experience after law school graduation. Judicial clerkships will not be counted against that experience maximum.Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Anticipated Start Date: August 1, 2025
This position is Full-time but flexible during preparation for bar exam.
For consideration, please submit cover letter, resume, writing sample and transcript.Supplemental Information
Please note, this position is with the Office of the Chancellor at the PA State System of Higher Ed, not Kutztown University.
Applications & Resumes will be accepted until position is filled.
All applications for this position must be submitted via our online application/resume system ONLY. Please do not fax, mail, or e-mail any documentation.
Successful interview, reference checks, background clearances (PA Criminal, Child Abuse Clearance & FBI Clearance), and demonstration of ability are requisite qualifications for all positions.
The State System is very interested in hiring employees who have had extensive experience with diverse populations.We are an AA/EOE/member of the PA State System of Higher Education and actively solicits applications from women and minority candidates.Non-Discrimination StatementThe Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education prohibits any form of discrimination or harassment on the basis of sex, race, color, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, marital or family status, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, or disability in any decision regarding admissions, employment, or participation in a University program or activity in accordance with the letter and spirit of federal, state, and local non-discrimination and equal opportunity laws, such as Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and ADA Amendments Act, the Equal Pay Act, and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. For information regarding civil rights or grievance procedures and for inquiries concerning the application of Title IX and its implementing regulation, contact Christa Cobb, State System Title IX Coordinator, 2300 Vartan Way, Suite 207, Harrisburg, PA 17110; Phone: (717)720.4167; Email: CCobb@passhe.edu. Additionally, inquiries concerning Title IX and its implementing regulation can be made to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, Region III, The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East - Suite 505, Philadelphia, PA 19107; Phone: (215) 656-6010; Fax: (215) 656-6020.
Organization
Working at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Comprising five colleges - Visual and Performing Arts, Business, Education, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Graduate Studies - Kutztown University offers a diverse range of excellent academic programs to prepare individuals for successful careers.
Located on 325 acres in Kutztown (population:4,500), the university is 20 miles from both Reading and Allentown, 90 miles from Philadelphia and 100 miles from New York City. LVI International Airport is 25 minutes from campus. The campus is in a beautiful rural Pennsylvania Dutch community, an easy walk from the borough of Kutztown which has ample stores and shops to meet the needs of students.
Currently, 10,193 students are enrolled at the university from 26 states and 51 nations. About half of the undergraduates live in residence halls; the rest live at home or in nearby apartments. A well-rounded program of athletic, cultural, and social events and activities satisfies nearly every taste.
We have 330 full-time faculty members and boast a favorable 19:1 student-faculty ratio. Sixty percent of our faculty have doctorates, 39% earned master's degrees and 1% have bachelor's degrees.
Kutztown University is accredited by Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools (MSACS); professionally by the National Council of Teacher Education and National League of Nursing.
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a member of the State System of Higher Education. The Board of Governors oversees the State System which includes Pennsylvania's fourteen public universities. The Council of Trustees is the local governing body for Kutztown University. The Officers of Administration for the University are the President and members of the President's Cabinet.
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