Entry Level Legislative Assistant Jobs in California

Position Title & Department:

5116

University of San Diego School of Law. Recognized for the excellence of its faculty, curriculum, and clinical programs.

The University of San Diego, an engaged and contemporary Catholic institution, was founded by the Diocese of San Diego and the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1949. Governed by an independent board of trustees since 1972, USD remains committed to a liberal arts education grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition and the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty. Inspired by this centuries old tradition of Catholic higher education, the University welcomes people of all faith traditions and any, or no, religious background. The future success of USD relies on the contributions of those who seek to foster the development of engaged global citizens and an earnest confrontation of humanity's urgent challenges.

The University of San Diego School of Law invites applications from academic entry-level and lateral candidates for the Price Professor of Public Interest Law, a full-time, clinical tenured, or tenure-track position beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year. We seek applications from candidates with scholarly distinction or promise and a commitment to excellence in teaching and policy advocacy.

The Price Professor of Public Interest Law serves as the Executive Director of the Centers for Public Interest Law. Those Centers include three academic and advocacy entities: the Consumer Protection Policy Center (CPPC), the Children's Advocacy Institute (CAI) and the Energy Policy Initiatives Center (EPIC).  Historically, the position has involved substantial academic writing, including major texts on child law (Child Rights and Remedies) and consumer rights law (Regulatory Law and the Public Interest). It also includes both academic articles and informational publications. The position has also involved extensive research, public education, legislative advocacy, and regulatory advocacy on a variety of public interest issues; impact litigation; community relations; and fundraising for the three Centers.

Each of the Centers has one or more courses, plus clinics.  The Centers each teach and study in their respective subject areas, track legal and other events relevant thereto, and participate in public education and advocacy.  The latter includes offices with staff serving as legislative counsel for CAI and CPPC in Sacramento and a third such office for CAI in Washington D.C.  The Centers have originated over 200 state and federal statutes, agency rulemaking across many issues, and appellate litigation with over 40 published holdings.

The Price Professor of Public Interest Law is to be a person with an established record of public interest law scholarship and/or advocacy, devoted to the principles of democratic accountability, fairness and equity in legal and political processes, and open government. The experience and interests of the person filling the chair should focus on concerns and groups that are diffuse and inherently unorganized, and hence under-represented in the legal and political process, including in particular consumers, the environment, children, and the dispossessed.

Background check:  Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.

Degree Verification Requirement: Persons offered employment in this position will be required to provide official education transcripts for degree verification purposes. 

Applicants must have a J.D. We welcome candidates with teaching and research interests in all areas of law, and we have a particular interest in applicants able to teach in public interest, regulatory, and consumer rights law.

BB Positions

$12,314-$18,471/month; Excellent Benefits
The University of San Diego offers a very competitive benefits package including; medical, dental, vision, a retirement contribution given to you by the University, and access to on-campus Fitness Centers.  Please visit the benefits section of our website to view all of the perks and benefits that USD has to offer.  USD: Human Resources: Benefits

The salary range provided in this posting reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position.  Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education and other factors including departmental budget.

For more information regarding CPIL's centers and institute:

The Energy Policy Initiatives Center (EPIC)'s website is at https://www.sandiego.edu/epic/. EPIC sponsors a "Symposium" every year with experts and high officials meeting annually to present papers and many are published in the nation's first law review on Global Warming, The San Diego Journal on Climate and Energy Law.  See https://www.sandiego.edu/law/academics/journals/jcel.

EPIC is run by an Administrative Director.   

The Consumer Protection Policy Center's (CPPC) website is at https://www.sandiego.edu/cppc/.  It publishes the nation's only direct reporter on the activities of a state's regulatory agencies written by students, edited by faculty and published by WestLaw.  See https://www.sandiego.edu/cppc/publications/law-reporter.php  For major reports, see https://sandiego.edu/cppc/publications/, for current initiatives, see https://www.sandiego.edu/cppc/current-initiatives/.

CPPC is headed by an Administrative Director.

The Children's Advocacy Institute's (CAI) website is at https://www.sandiego.edu/cai/.  CAI is headed by a professor and assisted by an Administrative Director.  The breadth of activity of CAI can be seen in its annual reports, the 35th and most recent such report is at https://catcher.sandiego.edu/itemsusdlaw/2023    The annual Children's Legislative Report Card, documenting state legislative performance, is at https://catcher.sandiego.edu/items/usdlaw/2023   CAI's record on impact litigation may be reviewed at https://sandiego.edu/cai/advocacy/litigation/ Perhaps its most important publication is the website on model state statutes relevant to child health, safety and protection, published with the Partnership for America's Children at https://childadvocacyexchange.org/ and based on years of student research into the most effective state laws and relevant empirical evidence.
The University of San Diego is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion and is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the campus community.
The University of San Diego is a smoking and tobacco-free campus. For more information, visit www.sandiego.edu/smokefree.