Closing Date: 1st November, 2025
Description:
Position Summary:The UIC Department of Medicine seeks to hire a two-year postdoctoral research associate to serve as a clinical legal fellow to begin in Spring 2026 or sooner. The associate will provide civil legal services and teach and supervise law student externs in a new medical-legal partnership, Health Education and Advocacy through Law (UI HEAL).
Patients referred by UI Health providers face complex, civil legal needs, many of which negatively impact their health and well-being. UI HEAL seeks to improve the health of patients in Chicago by expanding the patient/family interprofessional health care team to include lawyers, who bring legal interventions to improve patient health and well-being. It achieves this purpose by providing legal services to patients, promoting upstream policy change, and conducting interprofessional trainings for UIC health professions students, medical trainees, attending physicians, and other healthcare providers, and law students.
Description of the Position:
UI HEAL is hiring a full-time clinical teaching fellow / postdoctoral research associate for two years beginning in Spring 2026 or sooner. The fellowship is ideal for an attorney interested in serving clients and developing teaching and supervisory abilities in the context of a medical-legal partnership. The fellow will (i) engage in direct legal representation and policy work to advocate for patients with health-harming legal needs, (ii) supervise law and medical students in casework, (iii) share responsibility for designing and conducting interprofessional trainings, (iv) share in the administrative and case handling responsibilities of the medical-legal partnership, and (v) collaborate in seeking future funding for UI HEAL. The fellow will work closely with the UI HEAL Director.
The salary range for this position is $70,000 - $80,000, commensurate with experience. Benefits eligible positions include a comprehensive benefits package which offers: Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability & AD&D insurance; a defined benefit pension plan; paid leaves such as Vacation, Holiday and Sick; tuition waivers for employees and dependents. Visit https://www.hr.uillinois.edu/benefits for a complete list of Employee Benefits.
Minimum Qualifications:
- A JD degree received within the last five years
- Law school or post-JD experience providing civil legal services to low-income families
- Admission to the Illinois Bar and good standing
- Demonstrated commitment to economic and racial justice
- Strong communication, presentation, and organizational skills
- Ability to read, analyze, and interpret legal sources and regulations
- Ability to work as part of an interdisciplinary team.
- A client-centered lawyering orientation, including sensitivity to client needs, cultural nuances, and confidentiality.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Prior experience with medical or other health care settings or subject matter
- Prior experience in public benefits, disability, housing, advanced care planning, guardianship, immigration, family law and/or health law
- Spanish language fluency
- Familiarity with legal case management software
