So You Want to Be a Law Professor: An Unofficial and Incomplete Guide to Pursuing a Law Teaching Career

Abstract

You’ve reached this guide because you are interested in becoming a law professor. Included are some resources I’ve collected over the years with tips and information.

All career paths are unique, and nothing on this page should be considered the definitive guide on how to become a law professor. I am a law professor at a U.S. law school, and I have gone through various phases of the U.S. legal academic job market, from practitioner writing on the side, to research fellow, to VAP, to entry-level candidate, to lateral candidate. I graduated with a U.S. J.D. and practiced for a few years before starting the academic track. All of the above are factors that shaped my candidacy on the job market/s, and my advice is solely based on what I know, from my personal experiences and those of friends I know in the field.

It is my hope that highlighting these resources and tips can clear up some of the mystery around the hiring process, particularly for those who are less well-connected and who may not know the “hidden curriculum” of legal academia.