Food and Agriculture LLM Fellow

Vermont Law and Graduate School; Royalton (VT); On-site; USD 34,000 - 46,000; Part time

Job summary

Vermont Law and Graduate School seeks a part-time Food and Agriculture LLM Fellow to contribute legal research and policy materials within CAFS. The Fellow will pursue an LLM while working about 20 hours weekly on campus, advancing accessible resources for the food system and government stakeholders.

Reporting to the CAFS Director, the fellow will supervise JD and master’s students and present at national conferences, collaborating across teams to develop memos, briefs, and case studies during

Qualifications

• JD from ABA-accredited law school.
• 1–3 years of legislative, legal, or policy experience, including judicial clerkships.
• Strong legal research, writing, interpersonal, and communications skills.
• Commitment to sustainable agriculture and local/regional food systems.
• Ability to think systemically and develop analysis and recommendations.
• Ability to interact with diverse backgrounds.
• Self-motivated, entrepreneurial spirit; ability to work independently and in a team.
• Admission to (or enrolled in) the LLM in Food and Agriculture Law program.
• Admission to Vermont Bar within first year.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal and policy research and analysis, contributing to CAFS projects.
• Review and analyze local and state laws related to food systems and procurement.
• Supervise JD and master’s students on CAFS projects; review and provide feedback.
• Conduct outreach and present CAFS work at national conferences and events.
• Collaborate with internal and external advisors to design and disseminate resources.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Interpersonal skills

Communications

Systemic thinking

Diversity & inclusion

Independent & team work

Admitted to Vermont Bar within 1 year

Education

JD from ABA-accredited law school

Job description

Food and Agriculture LLM Fellow

Part-time, exempt, 20 hours/week

On-campus

$40,0000 / year

Reports to: CAFS Director

Vermont Law and Graduate School is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and connectedness. We grow and learn better together with a diverse group of faculty, staff, and students. In recruiting for faculty and staff, we seek unique backgrounds to enrich and challenge our community.

Position Summary:

In addition to pursuing the LLM degree at Vermont Law and Graduate School, the Food and Agriculture LLM Fellow will work part-time at the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems (CAFS). The Fellow will contribute research and develop materials that provide approachable legal and policy information to individuals and entities across the food system, including government officials. The Fellow will maintain an average of 20 hours per week at CAFS throughout the duration of the fellowship.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct legal and policy research and analysis to contribute substantively to existing areas of work, in collaboration with the Center’s staff and faculty. CAFS current areas of work include: Food Governance and Regulation, Environment and Natural Resources, Farms and Food Businesses, Farm and Food Workers, Local and Regional Food Systems, and Food Safety and Consumer Protection. The Fellow’s work may include updating existing web resources with new information and/or developing new case studies, memos, fact sheets, policy issue briefs, and reports.
• Research, review, and analyze local and state laws and regulations related to local and regional food systems, institutional procurement, local food retail, and urban agriculture. This includes identification, coding, and summary of local and state government laws and regulations appropriate for inclusion in the Center’s searchable policy databases, focusing primarily on recently enacted legislation. Further research into local policies and their implementation may include follow-up interviews with local stakeholders and observers and additional primary research.
• Supervise JD and master’s students on projects including those in the Food and Agriculture Clinic, or student research assistants; review, provide feedback on, and approve documents prepared by students including memos, reports, policy briefs, webinars, and other oral presentations; and hold individual conferences with students as appropriate.
• Conduct outreach and present on the Center’s work at national conferences, trainings, and events.
• Collaborate and consult with internal colleagues and external peer advisors to help design and disseminate legal and policy resources.

Requirements

Required Education, Skills, and Experience:

• JD from an ABA-accredited law school;
• One to three years of relevant legislative, legal, or policy experience, including judicial clerkships (experience or interest in transactional law preferred);
• Strong legal research, writing, interpersonal, and communications skills;
• Demonstrated commitment to sustainable agriculture and local/regional food systems (work in food and agriculture settings preferred);
• Ability to think systemically and develop analysis and recommendations based on thorough research.
• Ability to effectively interact, collaborate, and develop meaningful relationships with people of various cultural, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds, among others.
• Self-motivated, creative, entrepreneurial spirit and ability and desire to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Admission to (or currently enrolled in) the LLM in Food and Agriculture Law program at Vermont Law and Graduate School (application for LLM admission can occur concurrently with application for CAFS Fellow position); and
• Admission to Vermont Bar (can be obtained within first year of position).

Other Requirements:

• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and deadlines and reorganize under pressure.
• Ability to work independently and within a team.
• Ability to shift focus quickly as needed to meet other priorities and needs.
• Primary work is done sitting and/or standing at a desk.
• Repetitive motion (keyboard, mouse, etc.).
• Ability to perform all essential functions of the job with or without basic accommodations.
• Must be able to work legally within the United States without sponsorship.

As part of our commitment to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, candidates who meet the qualifications for this position and who require accommodations to apply should contact Human Resources at [e-mail]. Vermont Law and Graduate School strives to raise the bar for being an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, place of birth, marital status, disability, veteran's status, HIV status, pregnancy, genetic information, health insurance status, and crime victim status.