Position Description The University of Washington School of Law seeks a Visiting or Acting Assistant Professor and Residential Legal Fellow at the Center for an Informed Public with a focus on the legal and policy aspects of misinformation--an emerging area of study with high potential for broad-based impact. Areas of interest include free speech, platform liability, content moderation, antitrust, criminal and civil fraud, and national security. In addition to conducting original research, the candidate would teach in an area of interest and institutional need (e.g. business law, criminal law, property, or patent law) and participate in the intellectual and social life of the interdisciplinary Center.
Candidates from an academic setting will be considered for a visiting title while others will be considered for an acting title. Akin to a traditional law school "VAP" program, the Visiting/Acting Assistant Professor will gain both teaching experience and the opportunity to devote substantial time to research, writing, and other scholarly pursuits. There will be an opportunity to present work-in-progress to the School of Law and the Center and to receive feedback and mentoring from faculty members in preparation for the academic job market. Course loads and teaching schedules for the Visiting/Acting Assistant Professor will be devised with sensitivity to the timing of the job market process.
About the School of Law: As one of the nation's oldest and leading public law schools, we meld a traditional focus on the rule of law with a modern approach to solving problems and advancing social justice. We actively encourage students to explore their passions and equip them with the intellectual tools and hands-on legal experience they need to be practice-ready lawyers able to work in any field they choose. Our location in Seattle--a vibrant hotbed of technology, innovation, progressive policymaking, philanthropy and more--provides a real-world learning environment as well as programs and partnerships to support future lawyers and professionals.
This is a non-tenure, full-time, 12-month (for Visiting title) or 9-month service period (for Acting title) position. It's not promotion-eligible. The anticipated start date is September 2024.
The base salary range for this position will be $85,000 - $100,000 annual, commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination.
About the Center for an Informed Public: The mission of the Center is to study and resist strategic misinformation, promote an informed society, and strengthen democratic discourse. An interdisciplinary effort led by the Information School, Human Centered Design & Engineering, and the School of Law, the Center has assembled world-class researchers, labs, thought leaders, and practitioners to translate research about misinformation and disinformation into policy, technology design, curriculum development, and public engagement. The nonpartisan Center brings together diverse voices from across industry, government, nonprofits, other institutions, as well as those from communities and populations typically underrepresented in research and practice in this field.
The University of Washington School of Law holds to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Multi-culturalism, and Anti-racism as fundamental values. This work is an ongoing effort engaging the entire UW Law community. Candidates are encouraged to examine our Diversity web page and review the Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Multi-culturalism, and Anti-Racism see .
Qualifications * JD, LLM, or PhD in Law Juris Doctor (J.D.) and 3 or more years of demonstrable interest in studying and addressing misinformation.
Instructions 1. A detailed cover letter describing qualifications for the position, including academic preparation, professional experience, teaching, and research.
2. Curriculum vitae
3. The names and contact information of 3 individuals who can provide a reference. (Please do not send letters of recommendation at this time; the School of Law will contact references as needed)
4. Diversity statement - this should include a statement of past and planned contributions to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status.
Benefits Information A summary of benefits associated with this title/rank can be found at . Appointees solely employed and paid directly by a non-UW entity are not UW employees and are not eligible for UW or Washington State employee benefits.
Commitment to Diversity The University of Washington is committed to building diversity among its faculty, librarian, staff, and student communities, and articulates that commitment in the UW Diversity Blueprint (/). Additionally, the University's Faculty Code recognizes faculty efforts in research, teaching and/or service that address diversity and equal opportunity as important contributions to a faculty member's academic profile and responsibilities ().
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Disability Services To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at or .
