Director of the Clayton Center for Entrepreneurial Law and Professor of Law, Fall 2025

THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE COLLEGE OF LAW invites applications from business law scholars and teachers for the position of Director of the Clayton Center for Entrepreneurial Law and Professor of Law to commence no later than August 1, 2025.

Established through the generosity of James L. Clayton—a 1964 graduate of the College of Law and the founder of Clayton Homes, Inc. (now a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway)—the Clayton Center’s mission is to provide unparalleled business law training for law students, to contribute meaningfully to business law scholarship, and to facilitate conversations among business law scholars through sponsored programming and other opportunities. The Director of the Clayton Center reports directly to the Dean and will play a critical role in preserving the core components of the Center’s curriculum and programs and in developing and executing an ambitious and innovative vision for the Center’s future.

The Clayton Center offers a Concentration in Business Transactions to J.D. students interested in careers in business law, whether transactional or litigation oriented. The Concentration includes three pathways for developing competencies and skills in various areas of business law practice. Many of the courses in the upper-division curriculum—available to all J.D. students and required in the concentration—provide hands-on lawyering experience in simulation-based courses and live client representation, including through field placements and the College’s Transactional Law Clinic. The Director will work to expand and revise curricula, as needed, and will recruit qualified adjunct faculty to teach a number of simulation-based courses. The Director will also collaborate with corporate partners to augment field placement and/or internship opportunities in the business law area.

In addition, the Director oversees the planning and execution of an annual business law conference sponsored by the Center, as well as publication of Transactions: The Tennessee Journal of Business Law, a scholarly journal that affords upper-level students the opportunity to develop as writers and editors. The Director also organizes and offers various high-quality continuing legal education programs for practicing attorneys, with the financial backing of the Center, and supports a visiting professorship, designed to attract established business law practitioners who are interested in transitioning to academia.

Other Responsibilities Include

• Regularly and systematically assessing the efficacy of the courses that comprise the Concentration in Business Transactions and other business law offerings throughout the College of Law curriculum, including surveying graduates about the value of the Concentration and collaborating with key stakeholders to determine changes needed to meet the needs of modern law practice.
• Work with the College’s Communications team to effectively promote and market the Center’s mission and activities, as well as the College of Law’s overall business law program, especially the accomplishments of our faculty, students, and alumni.
• Develop new programming designed to educate students about important and emerging issues related to business law and careers in law and business.
  
  

The Knoxville campus of the University of Tennessee is seeking candidates who have the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the diversity and intercultural goals of the University. In furtherance of the University’s and the College’s fundamental commitment to diversity, we strongly encourage applications from people of color, women, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ people, veterans, and others whose background, life experiences, viewpoints, or philosophy would contribute to the diversity of our faculty, curriculum, and programs.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is an R1, land-grant university located in Knoxville, Tennessee. Knoxville is the third largest city in the state with a metropolitan area population of over 869,000 people. The City of Knoxville is a hidden gem with a beautiful and walkable downtown, varied nightlife, active neighborhoods, and eclectic shopping and restaurants. UTK is located within easy driving distance to Asheville, Nashville, Atlanta, and the Great Smoky Mountains.

This will be a twelve-month academic appointment. Candidates must hold a J.D. or equivalent law degree, be accomplished teachers, and maintain a distinguished record of scholarship and service. In addition, the ideal candidate will have significant professional and teaching experience, as well as strong connections to business law academics, practitioners, and business professionals. While the position focuses on business law generally, we have specific teaching needs in Bankruptcy, Contracts, and Secured Transactions.

Applications must be submitted through Interfolio (apply.interfolio.com/147825). Applicants should submit a letter of interest, a CV, and the names and contact information for three references. While applications will be considered on a rolling basis, applicants should submit their materials no later than August 15, 2024, for best consideration. For questions, please contact Professor Michelle Kwon, Chair of the Faculty Appointments Committee, at mkwon2@utk.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university. Requests for accommodations of a disability should be directed to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Accessibility, 1840 Melrose Avenue Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-3560 or eoa@utk.edu or (865)974-2498. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Investigation & Resolution 216 Business Incubator Building 2450 EJ. Chapman Drive Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 or (865)974-0717 or investigations@utk.edu.