Postsecondary Law Teachers
Overview
Law teachers work at colleges and universities teaching future lawyers about different areas of law like criminal justice, business law, and constitutional rights. They create course materials, grade exams and papers, and help students plan their academic journey toward becoming lawyers or working in legal fields. Many also conduct research on legal issues and publish their findings in academic journals. These professors often work in flexible environments, collaborating with colleagues on curriculum development and serving on various academic committees.
Did you know?
Most positions require a J.D. degree with many preferring additional credentials like LL.M. or S.J.D., plus bar admission and often scholarly publications.
At a Glance
Median Wage
$126,883.43 Avg/yr
Growth
Stable
Top Skill
Operation and Control
Key Responsibilities
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Act as advisers to student organizations.
- Participate in campus and community events.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, papers, and oral presentations.
- Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as civil procedure, contracts, and torts.
- Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
- Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
- Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
- Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
- Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
- Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
- Assign cases for students to hear and try.
- Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Career Considerations
Advanced Legal Education Requirements
Most positions require a J.D. degree with many preferring additional credentials like LL.M. or S.J.D., plus bar admission and often scholarly publications.
Highly Competitive Job Market
The academic legal field has intense competition for tenure-track positions, with hundreds of qualified candidates competing for limited openings at law schools.
Practical Legal Experience Valued
Many American law schools prefer candidates with real-world legal practice experience to enhance classroom instruction and student preparation for the profession.