Becoming A Law Teacher: What's The Timeline?

Becoming a law teacher is a nuanced process that requires a combination of education, experience, and skill. While the specific requirements may vary depending on the institution and location, there are generally well-defined paths to becoming a law teacher or professor. Here's an overview of the steps and considerations to help you understand how long it takes to become a law teacher:

1. Education: Obtaining a bachelor's degree is typically the first step towards becoming a law teacher. Aspiring law teachers often enroll in pre-law or related programs (e.g., political science, psychology, English, criminal justice, history, or philosophy) to build a solid foundation. This step usually takes three to four years.

2. Law School: After completing an undergraduate degree, the next step is to attend law school. Law school typically involves a three-year program where students learn about legislative processes, legal analysis, and interpretation. Passing the law school admission test (LSAT) is a prerequisite for enrolling in law school.

3. Clerkship and Legal Practice: Gaining practical experience through a clerkship and legal practice is valuable. Serving as a legal clerk under a judge provides experience in legal research, paperwork, and case management. Additionally, spending a few years practicing law helps develop industry knowledge and skills.

4. Advanced Degrees and Research: While not mandatory, pursuing advanced degrees, such as master's or doctoral programs, can enhance your credentials and make you a more competitive candidate for law teaching positions. These programs often involve research and publishing legal articles, contributing to the collective knowledge in the legal field.

5. Teaching Experience: Building teaching experience is crucial for aspiring law teachers. This can be achieved through adjunct teaching, clinical teaching, or fellowship programs that provide opportunities to develop teaching skills and gain exposure to the academic world.

6. Job Application and Interview Process: The final step is to apply for law teaching positions at universities or law schools. This process includes submitting applications, participating in interviews, and demonstrating your expertise, teaching abilities, and research accomplishments.

The entire process, from obtaining a bachelor's degree to securing a law teaching position, can vary depending on individual circumstances and the specific requirements of the institution. It typically takes a minimum of seven to eight years, including the time spent on education, gaining legal experience, and the job application process. However, it's important to note that the timeline may be longer for those who pursue advanced degrees or choose to gain extensive legal practice experience before entering the academic field.

Undergraduate degree

The first step to becoming a law professor is to earn a bachelor's degree. Aspiring law professors often enrol in a pre-law program, which typically takes three to four years to complete. While not all law schools require students to have a degree in pre-law, it may help prepare them for advanced classes on legal concepts. Here are some examples of alternative bachelor's degrees that aspiring law professors can obtain before attending law school:

• Political Science: A background in political science helps prospective law students understand the politics that often accompany laws and how the law applies to political systems.
• Psychology: Studying psychology can help students understand how people think and behave, which can improve their understanding of how and why legislators draft laws.
• English: A background in English can help a law student better understand the language of laws and legal documents.
• Criminal Justice: Learning about criminal justice can help students understand criminality and how the law applies to criminal activity.
• History: Studying history can help students understand the laws of the past and how they apply to the present.
• Philosophy: A background in philosophy can help students understand how lawmakers think and how different people interpret the law.

It's important to note that the specific requirements for becoming a law teacher may vary depending on the country, state, and individual institution. Therefore, it is always advisable to check the requirements of the specific law school or university you are interested in teaching at.

Law school

Classical Path

The Classical Path to becoming a law teacher starts with an exceptional academic performance in law school (e.g. graduating Order of the Coif), service on the law review, preferably in a senior editorial position (e.g. Articles Editor, Editor-in-Chief, etc.), followed by a prestigious judicial clerkship, at least on a U.S. Court of Appeals and, if possible, on the U.S. Supreme Court.

LLM/“Post-Doc”/VAP Path

The LLM/“Post-Doc”/VAP Path can require somewhat less by way of academic accomplishment and work experience than the Classical Path. This path might include a graduate law degree (an LL.M.), teaching legal research and writing at a top law school, or a position as a Visiting Assistant Professor or Fellow at one of the proliferating programs at top law schools that aim to serve as stepping stones to teaching careers.

Interdisciplinary Path

The Interdisciplinary Path involves pursuing graduate studies in another area of relevance to law—for example, history, economics, philosophy, sociology, or political science—typically earning a Ph.D.

Post-J.D. Training

Some students pursue an additional graduate degree in a law-related discipline to prepare for an academic career in the increasingly competitive market for law teachers. Post-J.D. fellowship programs aimed at bringing law graduates into teaching are also available.

Academic Fellows Program

In the Academic Fellows Program, emerging scholars teach legal research and writing during the first semester and are free to develop their scholarship in the second semester and during the summer. The program also has limited funding for graduates to spend one to six months in residence while working on their writing.

Clinical Teaching

In addition to tenure-track classroom teaching positions, there are increasing numbers of positions in clinical teaching. Clinical teaching involves close work with students and the chance to do real-world work with clients and to contribute to their practical and ethical education. The activities and responsibilities of clinical faculty members vary from school to school.

Clerkship

A clerkship is one of the most prestigious positions in legal circles. Serving as a law clerk can open up a wide range of opportunities in academia, law firm practice, and influential government work. Clerkships with federal or state judges tend to be more competitive than those with state-level trial court judges. However, because there are many more law graduates with high academic credentials than there are clerkship positions available, competition for judicial clerkships is always fierce.

In the US, judicial law clerks are usually recent law school graduates who performed at or near the top of their class and/or attended highly ranked law schools. Federal judges, especially those at the appellate level, often require that applicants for law clerk positions have experience with law review or moot court simulations in law school. The application process is highly competitive, with most federal judges receiving hundreds of applications for only one or two open positions in any given year.

Almost all federal judges have at least one law clerk; many have two or more. Associate Justices of the US Supreme Court are allowed four clerks. Although the Chief Justice is allowed to hire five clerks, Chief Justice Roberts usually hires only four. Generally, law clerks serve a term of one to two years; however, some federal judges hire a permanent law clerk. Such judges usually have one permanent law clerk and one or two law clerks who serve on a term basis.

The most prestigious clerkship is one with a US Supreme Court Justice; there are only 37 of these positions available every year. However, in recent times, securing a federal court of appeals clerkship with a federal judge has been a prerequisite to clerking on the Supreme Court. Therefore, the second most prestigious place to clerk is at one of the US courts of appeals. Clerkships with certain appellate judges, such as J. Michael Luttig, who have sent many clerks on to the Supreme Court, are especially difficult to obtain.

In addition to the US, several other countries have notable clerk systems, including Australia, Canada, Sweden, and Brazil. In some countries, judicial clerks are known by different names, such as judicial associates or judicial assistants.

Individuals who apply for law teaching jobs with experience as a judicial clerk are usually successful in getting the job. However, people usually prefer to choose a law teaching job when they are done paying off their law school loans. Getting a teaching job is not easy, and experience is a must. Take on an experience of 2 to 3 years of practice, but not more than that.

Legal practice

In the United States, the path to becoming a law teacher typically begins with earning a bachelor's degree, which usually takes four years of full-time study. Following this, aspiring law teachers must complete a Juris Doctor (JD) degree, which is the most common law degree and typically takes an additional three years to obtain.

During law school, individuals should aim to achieve exceptional academic performance, serve on a law review, and pursue internships or clerkships to build their resumes. Some may also choose to specialise in a particular area of law, such as constitutional law or commercial law.

After obtaining their JD, future law teachers often gain practical experience by working as lawyers. This can include working in law firms, government agencies, or non-profits. While not mandatory, this step can enhance an individual's understanding of the legal system and provide valuable insights that can be passed on to students.

Once individuals have gained sufficient knowledge and experience, they can begin applying for law teaching positions. The application process can be highly competitive and typically involves submitting resumes, cover letters, transcripts, and writing samples. Networking and establishing relationships with faculty members who can provide references are crucial steps in increasing one's chances of securing a law teaching position.

In addition to their academic and professional qualifications, aspiring law teachers should also develop strong teaching skills. This includes the ability to explain complex legal concepts in a clear and engaging manner, as well as the ability to facilitate class discussions and answer students' questions effectively.

While the specific requirements may vary depending on the institution and location, a combination of academic excellence, practical experience, and strong teaching abilities is generally necessary to become a law teacher in the field of legal practice.

Additional education

While a bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement to meet state education requirements for teachers, aspiring law professors often go on to obtain graduate degrees, such as master's or doctoral degrees. These degrees typically take between three and eight years to complete, depending on the specific program and degree being pursued. Obtaining a graduate degree can enhance your resume and demonstrate to prospective employers that you are a highly qualified and experienced candidate.

In addition to a graduate degree, some law professors choose to pursue post-J.D. training or fellowship programs specifically designed to prepare individuals for academic careers in law. These programs can provide individuals with teaching experience, research opportunities, and networking connections within the legal academy.

Another option for additional education is to pursue a graduate degree in a law-related discipline. This could include earning a master's or doctoral degree in a field such as history, economics, philosophy, sociology, or political science. This additional education can provide individuals with a deeper understanding of the law and its intersection with other areas of study, making them more well-rounded scholars and teachers.

It is also beneficial for aspiring law professors to have practical experience in the legal field. This can be achieved by working as a lawyer or legal professional for a few years before transitioning into teaching. This experience can provide valuable insights that can be passed on to students and help individuals develop their teaching and mentoring skills.

While not strictly educational, publishing legal research and articles in academic journals or other publications is an important aspect of becoming a law professor. This demonstrates your expertise in the field and establishes your credentials as a legal professional and researcher. Publishing research is often a crucial factor in securing a competitive law teaching position.

Frequently asked questions