This just in:
The University of California Hastings College of the Law is seeking candidates for a Visiting Assistant Professor position in the Institute for Innovation Law. We are now accepting applications for a two-year appointment that will begin July 1, 2016. Applications will be accepted immediately and review will continue until the position is filled. Please send a cover letter and c.v. to Andrew Cordova (cordovaandrew@uchastings.edu) to apply. This new position is designed for scholars interested in pursuing academic careers in areas related to the work of the Institute for Innovation Law. Visiting Assistant Professors enjoy faculty access to the resources and services of UC Hastings, including a faculty research account, access to all faculty colloquia, and participation in junior faculty works-in-progress colloquia. UC Hastings does not have a formal program for teaching market entry. This position is funded for two academic years.
The Visiting Assistant Professor will be expected to assume administrative duties as the Program Manager for the Startup Legal Garage, the flagship program at the Institute for Innovation Law. Additional responsibilities will include teaching in the Intellectual Property curriculum at UC Hastings as needed. All applicants must have practiced law in a large law firm for at least five years with some Intellectual Property experience and have some project management experience in a startup setting. Teaching experience and judicial clerkship experience are preferred. The successful applicant should not yet have held a full-time tenure-track appointment.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
As Program Manager of the Startup Legal Garage, work will include but not be limited to supporting the activities of the Startup Legal Garage under the direction of its Director. The Program Manager also will provide support of the Startup Legal Garage’s general activities and initiatives. Typical duties and responsibilities consist of, but are not limited to, the following:
Helping to develop and manage the startup community outreach initiative;
Helping to develop and manage the law firm partner outreach initiative;
Coordinating the operation of the Startup Legal Garage programmatic activities with the classroom, law firm partners, and clients;
Helping with filings and requirements for potential and current funders;
Drafting legal writing and conducting research on a variety of topical legal matters for the Startup Legal Garage.
The Startup Legal Garage offices follow an open floor plan with up to ten faculty and staff members working at one table. The successful applicant must be comfortable working in that open environment. No separate office will be provided. In addition, the Visiting Assistant Professor will teach classes in the Intellectual Property Curriculum as necessary, including such subjects as patents, trade secrets, copyright, and trademark. This Visiting Assistant Professor will have a temporary contract position beginning July 1, 2016 and ending June 30, 2018.
This is a great opportunity – you'll have the opportunity to work with awesome people like Robin Feldman, Abe Cable and Alice Armitage.
Well, critics, here is a worthwhile innovation – where are the congratulations to Hastings for Startup Garage and supporting the next generation of research on law and innovation??
You've done it, anon! (Isn't that "Anon"?) You are now officially a factless, miscreant loony, who thinks that some law school reforms are necessary! Welcome!
Now, care to tell us what this means: "This new position is designed for scholars interested in pursuing academic careers in areas related to the work of the Institute for Innovation Law."
Define "Innovation Law" please. And, how does "Innovation Law" operate in an Institute? (hint: does this "Institute" have a director, co-director, assistant directors, etc. etc. ad nauseum?") What is the budget here? How is that budget spent?
Tell us the reason " ten faculty and staff members" will be required.
Tell us what sort of meaningful experience relevant to this position will be held by a person who has "practiced law in a large law firm for at least five years with some Intellectual Property experience and have some project management experience in a startup setting [with] Teaching experience and judicial clerkship experience … ."
Please address the equity, prospects and risks associated with a "This Visiting Assistant Professor [with] … a temporary contract position beginning July 1, 2016 and ending June 30, 2018" and contrast that position with the likely contribution and rewards obtained by the "ten faculty members" sitting at that table.
Finally, you might want to chime in with the likely job prospects for Hastings grads that will come out of this, and how wide those benefits will be spread.
Thanks!
Reading this announcement, several anomalies sort of stick out, e.g., one of the duties will be "Drafting legal writing" … yes, just like people with "some Intellectual Property experience" in a "large law firm" do …