Legal Writing Faculty Appointment and Contracts
Legal Writing Faculty Appointment and Contracts
Background
The Law School Faculty previously approved the concept of long term contracts for Legal Writing Faculty. A proposed procedure was drafted but never approved at a time when the University had no provision for such contracts. The University now has a policy that allows the granting of 2 or 3 year contracts to lecturers. The following incorporates that policy and outlines the hiring, contract, and evaluative criteria for the Legal Writing Faculty.
Hiring
Legal Writing faculty are hired as Lecturer III as that status is defined by UNM (See Faculty Handbook §2.3.2, reproduced below). The hiring committee shall include at least one senior member of the full time legal writing faculty. Hiring criteria will take into account the demands of the lecturer position and the qualities of a successful Legal Writing teacher as outlined in the evaluative criteria below. The Dean shall make the final hiring decision, taking into account the recommendations of the hiring committee along with other relevant information.
Initial Contract
The initial contract is for one year. During that first year the Legal Writing Director will provide instruction and guidance and will review class teaching and grading. The Director will regularly consult with the Dean about the performance of the new hire. The Dean will make decisions about contract renewal in accordance with University guidelines for non-tenure track hires (See Faculty Handbook §3.1, reproduced below) and considering the ability of the employee to meet the demands of the legal writing lecturer position (see evaluative criteria set forth below).
Subsequent Contracts – one year
Following the employee’s first year, if the Dean’s decision is to rehire the employee, renewal contracts will be for one year and will be issued and renewed in accordance with university policies for continuing non-tenure track appointments (See §3.1(a)) below. The Dean will conduct an annual review of the employee using the evaluative criteria listed below, and will consult with the Legal Writing Director as necessary.
Long Term Contracts
Contracts for longer than one year may be awarded pursuant to and in accordance with UNM policy. (See Faculty handbook §3.4.2, reproduced below) The decision to award two or three year contracts resides with the Dean and will be based on the Dean’s annual performance review (using the below criteria) along with consultation with the Legal Writing Director. If a contract for greater than one year is awarded, the Dean will continue to conduct annual reviews with the employee (using the below criteria) during the term of the contract. These interim reviews along with any necessary consultation with the Director will be considered by the Dean when deciding the term of renewal contract.
Evaluative Criteria
In making contract decisions the Dean will consider the lecturer’s continued effectiveness in the following:
- Classroom teaching including both preparation and delivery of class material as well as focus
- Problem design including appropriateness and effectiveness in achieving teaching goals of the problem
- Grading and assessment of student work
- Quality, method, and amount of feedback provided to students
- Student guidance and conferences
- Participation, cooperation, and collaboration in the Legal Writing Program and its development
- Knowledge and understanding of practice related legal writing and the skills required for its successful execution
- Display of professionalism and general collegiality
In addition to the above, the Dean will also consider the guidance offered by the ABA Sourcebook on Legal Writing and its suggestions for effective legal writing instruction.
While the focus of evaluations will be on teaching, the Dean will also encourage the employee’s growth in other areas, including scholarship, service, and participation in legal writing organizations and conferences as well as development of advanced legal writing courses.
