Description:
Job Description:American University Washington College of Law is seeking applications for a Practitioner-in-Residence for AY 2026-2027 in the Janet R. Spragens Federal Tax Clinic. This is a term faculty appointment, with reappointment, starting November 23, 2026, through June 30, 2027. American University's in-house, “live-client” Clinical Program, comprising eleven (11) in-house clinics and serving nearly 200 students per year, is respected for its leadership in scholarship, development of clinical methodology, contributions to increasing access to justice for under-served clients and breadth of offerings.
The Tax Clinic provides legal representation, education, and advocacy for low-income individuals with disputes against the Internal Revenue Service. Cases include audits, administrative appeals, refund claims, collection disputes, and other matters before the IRS or before a federal court. The Clinic also provides community education and engages in systemic advocacy efforts. The overarching goals are to protect and advance the legal rights of low-income individuals in the tax system, and to improve the equity of the tax system.
The Practitioner-in-Residence Program, created in 1998, is a program designed to train lawyers or entry-level clinicians interested in becoming clinical teachers in the practice and theory of clinical legal education. Many graduates of the Practitioner-in-Residence program have gone on to tenure-track or other long-term teaching positions at other law schools. Practitioners supervise student casework, co-teach weekly clinic seminars and case rounds, and engage in course planning and preparation with the faculty member who directs the clinic that they teach in. They also teach a course outside of the clinical curriculum after their first year of teaching. The Practitioner-in-Residence Program provides training in clinical theory and methodology and assists Practitioners in the development of their scholarship.
Minimum qualifications include a JD degree, outstanding academic record, three years' experience as a lawyer (or equivalent work experience) and membership in a state bar. The annualized salary for the position is $90,000.
Applications that include a curriculum vitae and cover letter should be submitted online via Workday. Please contact Erica Devine, Faculty Affairs Manager, at edevine@american.edu if you have any general questions regarding the application process and contact Professor Christine Speidel, Director of the Janet R. Spragens Federal Tax Clinic, at cspeidel@wcl.american.edu,
for any other questions about the position. The position will remain open until filled.