I absolutely love my job. As a faculty member at the UNC School of Government, I get to work with smart, dedicated, fun colleagues; focus on a subject area I am passionate about; create wonderful relationships with the professionals I teach; and be part of an institution that has helped North Carolina for more than 90 years. The UNC School of Government is unique—there aren’t other schools like this in the country. The School provides public service to the state of North Carolina by helping local and state officials do their jobs and do them well. Faculty members do this in three main ways: advising, teaching, and writing. Our philosophy is to provide engaged scholarship, meaning we provide practical resources for regular use by the officials we serve. We are responsive to the issues that professionals identify through our teaching, writing, and advising. Amazingly, we get thanked daily.

Is this the type of job that sounds like something you, or someone you know, would not only enjoy but would be great at? If so, keep reading.

We have a new position for an assistant professor who will focus on decedents’ estates and trusts. The full posting is here.

This faculty member will focus on decedent estate administration and estate proceedings, trust and trust proceedings, and special proceedings. These proceedings are heard by elected and assistant clerks of superior court, who act as judges of probate here in North Carolina. As a result, this faculty member will work closely with clerks of superior court throughout the State by providing advice, creating and delivering courses, teaching in annual conferences, and authoring scholarship that includes contributions to the North Carolina Clerk of Superior Court Manual Series and posts on the School’s On the Civil Side blog. As a member of the North Carolina Judicial College faculty, this faculty member will collaborate with colleagues at the School and work in partnership with professionals at the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts.

Candidates must have a JD, a demonstrated commitment to public service, and a strong academic performance. Our preferred candidate has at least four years of experience practicing civil law. Bonus if you practice in estates/trusts. Licensure in North Carolina is not required. There is no expectation that a candidate will have published articles in law reviews or other journals.

I am not the only faculty member who loves her job. Check out this short video that features some of my colleagues talking about what it is like to work here.

If you’re interested in or are thinking about applying, please do so. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me or Meredith Smith (we are both members of the search committee) at sara@sog.unc.edu or meredith.smith@sog.unc.edu.