Attorneys in Residence
(AiR) Program
Show clients your commitment to providing cost-effective, high quality legal services by participating in the Attorneys in Residence (AiR) Program.
Law firms have experienced increasing pressure to provide clear value to their clients while simultaneously managing costs. At the same time, hiring for new law school graduates has declined because employers perceive that the cost of legal training is too high. Inspired by the medical residency model, UC Law SF’s Attorneys in Residence (AiR) Program seeks to address these trends by: (1) creating an economically-viable business model for private sector employers that do not typically hire entry-level attorneys to identify and hire new legal talent, and (2) expanding full-time post-graduate professional opportunities for recent UC Law SF graduates, helping to train the next generation of lawyers.
Why AiR?
The AiR Program is primarily aimed at small/mid-size law firms, in-house legal departments, and other private sector employers who have not traditionally hired entry-level attorneys. This Program allows employers to test-drive entry-level talent at a reasonable price and potentially grow their legal team without taking on a financial commitment beyond the twelve-month term. Employers not only benefit from the cost-effective legal assistance from AiR attorney fellows, but may discover bright, motivated, high quality legal talent they may not have considered through traditional hiring practices.
Reasonable Cost
Participating employers determine compensation for their AiR attorney fellows. Depending on the employer’s practice and profile, we recommend a potential annual salary range of $65,000-$90,000. Benefits, while at the employer’s discretion, are encouraged.
Limited Length
Employment through the AiR Program is a twelve-month term. Employers are not expected to make permanent offers at the end of the fellowship, though they may do so.
Tailored Recruiting, Simplified Hiring
UC Law SF will work with participating employers to ensure that the AiR attorney fellow recruitment process is streamlined and tailored to their needs. We will work with you to: (1) design the job description and hiring criteria to fit your organization’s culture and needs, (2) determine appropriate compensation, and (3) facilitate the recruitment of qualified candidates for your consideration.
Recruiting for the AiR Program is flexible. Employers can recruit as early as the summer or wait until after bar results. We do ask that AiR attorney fellows are hired and working by the February after graduation.
Advancing Legal Careers with Substantive Work, Mentorship, and Training
The AiR Program is not a substitute for current first-year associate hiring, but rather a unique, innovative program designed to foster opportunities that do not currently exist. We expect AiR attorney fellows to gain a year of substantive post-graduate experience in one or more legal practice areas and benefit from enhanced employment and training opportunities through the AiR Program. To that end, we ask that sponsoring employers provide substantive legal work, appropriate supervision, and meaningful feedback.
The work performed by AiR attorney fellows is entirely up to the employer, but we highly recommend employers outline their own expectations as to the type of work anticipated, the experiences the AiR attorney fellow is likely to gain during the fellowship, as well as recommendations on obtaining regular and meaningful feedback. UC Law SF is happy to assist employers with this piece of the Program upon request.
Ongoing Support from UC Law SF
UC Law SF will facilitate regular meetings with the AiR attorney fellows focusing on their continued professional growth and discussing their experiences with the AiR Program. We also will continue to serve as a resource for sponsoring employers throughout the fellowship, as much as the employers would like the assistance. UC Law SF is currently developing ongoing legal education opportunities for AiR attorney fellows, as well.
Get in touch with us and post an AiR opportunity today!
To further explore how the AiR Program can work for your firm or business, contact Fairuz Abdullah, Director for Employer Relations, at (415) 581-8867 or abdullah@uclawsf.edu.