Pgh Entrepreneurship Support Opportunity

The Pitt Law School, where I teach, is dipping its toes in the waters of local entrepreneurship. Here is a job posting that recently went live at the University:

The University of Pittsburgh School of Law seeks an individual to develop and direct a program in Law and Entrepreneurship at the School. The program, which will seek to prepare law students to advise entrepreneurs effectively and to increase the level of quality legal services received by entrepreneurial start-ups in Pittsburgh, will include both academic and nonacademic components. Reporting to the Dean of the School, the individual, in the program development stage, will engage in needs assessment relating to existing representation of entrepreneurs locally and will develop relationships and partnerships within the local entrepreneurial community, practicing bar, funders and local university communities. In the program development stage, individual will engage in needs assessment relating to existing representation of entrepreneurs locally and will develop relationships and partnerships within the local entrepreneurial community, practicing bar, funders and local university communities.

The Program Director will work with faculty at the School of Law and the Dean to develop the academic component of the Program, which is anticipated to include both classroom instruction elements and clinical or quasi-clinical learning elements permitting law students to work hands-on with start-up ventures under attorney or faculty supervision. As the program develops, the potential exists for the incumbent to actively teach a portion of the developed classroom, clinical or quasi-clinical learning elements of the program. As part of the non-academic component of the Program, the Director will plan and coordinate one or more events or public programs annually relating to Law and Entrepreneurship. In coordination with development staff, the Program Director will also determine opportunities for future funding and prepare proposals for funding to support the long-term viability of the Program. For this position, the School of Law seeks an individual with a J.D. and 2-5 years experience practicing law in the areas of intellectual property law, technology commercialization, corporate law, corporate finance, and/or advising start-ups. Individual will demonstrate initiative, creativity, entrepreneurial thinking, administrative skills, and a vision of the roles that law and entrepreneurship programming can play in preparing law students to practice and in supporting regional economic growth. The individual must both be able to work independently with little supervision and be able to deal effectively with a wide range of persons, including entrepreneurs, attorneys, students, and faculty. This position is currently funded for a one-year period beginning on the date of hire.

All applications must be made through the University’s “PittSource” website; the following Quicklink will take people directly to this position posting: www.pittsource.com/applicants/Central?quickFind=60490

If you are interested in this position and have questions, please feel free to get in touch with me. I'm not the one doing the hiring, but I may have some role as the process goes forward.