Becoming A Constitutional Law Professor: Steps To Success

Becoming a constitutional law professor is a challenging endeavour, with few new professors being hired each year. However, with a strong academic background and expertise in a specific field of law, there are several paths to take. The classical path involves graduating from a top law school, performing exceptionally well academically, joining a law review, publishing articles, clerking for a judge, practising at a top law firm, and obtaining recommendations from professors. Alternatively, the post-doc route includes earning strong grades, serving on a law journal, writing legal research articles, obtaining an advanced law degree, and teaching legal research. The interdisciplinary approach combines a law degree with a graduate degree in a related discipline, publishing in law journals, and maintaining relationships with law school professors. Lastly, establishing oneself as an expert practitioner involves gaining substantial practical experience, publishing articles in practice journals, becoming a legal commentator, and teaching as an adjunct professor.

Get a law degree from a top law school

Getting a law degree from a top law school is an important step in becoming a constitutional law professor. Here are some key considerations:

School Reputation and Regional Considerations

The reputation and ranking of the law school you attend are significant factors in becoming a law professor. Most law professors obtain their law degrees from prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, or the University of Chicago. These schools carry significant weight and can open doors to coveted teaching positions. Additionally, some law schools have greater regional prominence. For instance, if you aspire to teach at a southern law school, a degree from Emory, Duke, or Vanderbilt could enhance your prospects. Similarly, for teaching positions on the west coast, adding Berkeley and UCLA to your list of target schools may be advantageous.

Academic Performance and Class Rank

While the prestige of the law school is essential, your academic performance and class rank are also critical. Aim to be in the top 5% of your class, as this will increase your chances of being noticed by potential employers. Even at lower-ranked law schools, being in the top 25% of your class is typically the minimum requirement for those aspiring to become law professors.

Law Review and Editorial Positions

Joining the law review and holding a senior editorial position during your third year, such as editor-in-chief, is an important aspect of the classical path to becoming a law professor. The main law review at your law school is the most crucial, as it demonstrates your commitment to legal scholarship. Serving in a senior editorial role allows you to showcase your leadership skills and expertise in a particular field of law.

Publishing Legal Articles

Publishing legal articles, both during and after your time in law school, is a significant step in establishing yourself as a future law professor. Aim to publish at least one article in a reputable law journal while still in law school. This demonstrates your ability to produce high-quality scholarly work. Additionally, consider writing articles about core areas of law, such as contracts or criminal law, as new law professors often teach these first-year classes. Tenure-track law professor positions often require publishing articles in law journals, so building a strong portfolio of publications is essential.

Clerkships and Legal Practice

After graduating from law school, consider clerking for prestigious judges, ideally at the US Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court. These positions provide valuable experience and enhance your resume. Subsequently, gaining legal practice experience at a renowned law firm, preferably a nationally recognized "white-shoe" firm, will add to your credentials. However, maintain a balance between legal practice and academic pursuits, as law schools generally favour scholarly achievements over extensive legal trade experience.

In summary, obtaining a law degree from a top law school is a crucial step in becoming a constitutional law professor. It opens doors to various opportunities, enhances your credentials, and provides a strong foundation for a successful career in academia.

Perform well academically

Performing well academically is crucial if you want to become a constitutional law professor. Here are some detailed tips to help you excel in your academic pursuits:

Choose a Reputable Law School:

Select a top-tier law school for your legal education. The most prominent law professors typically hold degrees from institutions like Harvard, Yale, Stanford, or the University of Chicago. These schools carry significant weight and can open doors to prestigious academic careers.

Aim for Top Grades:

Strive for exceptional academic performance during your time in law school. Aim to be in the top 5% of your class. The higher your class rank, the more noticeable you'll be to potential employers. If your law school is lower-ranked, you'll need to compensate by achieving an even higher class rank.

Join a Law Review:

Participate in your law school's most prominent law review and aim for a senior editorial position. Being the editor-in-chief is ideal, but if you can't attain that role, aim for a department or process leadership position, such as articles editor.

Publish Your Work:

Publish at least one article during your time in law school. Work on a student note and aim to get it published. Additionally, start writing another article in a similar area of law to establish yourself as an expert in that field. Continue publishing articles after graduating to build your reputation as a legal scholar.

Seek Recommendations:

Cultivate relationships with your law school professors, especially those who understand your research and scholarship interests. You'll need strong recommendations from professors when applying for law professor positions. Ensure you have at least 3-4 references, with at least 2 of them being from the school where you graduated.

Consider a Post-Doc Route:

If your grades and class rank are not at the very top, consider the post-doc route. This path involves getting another degree after your law degree, which can make up for slightly lower academic performance. Even on this route, strong grades are still essential for admittance into competitive post-doc programs.

Serve on Editorial Boards:

While on the post-doc route, seek opportunities to serve on the editorial board of a law journal. This demonstrates your interest in legal scholarship. Although serving on the editorial board is important, publishing articles should be your primary focus.

Practice Law:

Consider gaining some legal practice experience, ideally at a nationally renowned law firm. This can provide valuable context for your academic pursuits and enhance your overall profile. However, be mindful that too much practice experience could detract from your academic focus.

Remember, performing well academically is just one aspect of becoming a constitutional law professor. Combining strong academics with other paths, such as the post-doc route or interdisciplinary approach, can increase your chances of success.

Join a law review in a senior position

Joining a law review in a senior position is a crucial step in becoming a constitutional law professor. Here are some detailed instructions and considerations for aspiring professors:

The Importance of Law Review Membership

The "Classical Path" to becoming a law professor involves exceptional academic performance, including service on a law review, preferably in a senior editorial role. While most law schools have multiple journals, membership in the main law review is considered the most prestigious and impactful.

Senior Editorial Positions

Holding a senior position in the law review, such as Editor-in-Chief, is highly desirable. This demonstrates leadership and expertise in legal scholarship. If you can't secure the top spot, aim for a department or process leadership role, such as Articles Editor.

Benefits of Law Review Membership

Law review membership offers an opportunity to publish your work. As a senior member, you can write and submit a student note for publication. It is advantageous to have your note published, as it showcases your writing skills and expertise.

Building Expertise

Consider writing about a core area of law, such as contracts or criminal law, as new law professors often teach these first-year classes. Alternatively, focus on an area of law you're passionate about and aim to establish yourself as an expert in that field.

Other Considerations

In addition to law review membership, other factors are considered in law professor appointments, such as academic writing portfolios, areas of expertise, practice experience, and teaching ability. Recommendations from professors who understand your research interests are also highly valuable.

While law review membership is a significant step, don't forget to focus on other aspects of your academic and professional development to enhance your credentials and increase your chances of becoming a constitutional law professor.

Gain practical experience

Gaining practical experience is a crucial step on your journey to becoming a constitutional law professor. Here are some strategies to help you achieve this:

• Substantial Practice After Law School: Aim for substantial practical experience by becoming an expert in a specific legal niche. Consider the type of law you want to teach; for example, if you aspire to teach criminal law, working as a defence attorney can provide relevant experience. While the prestige of the law firm you work for is important on the classical path, it matters less if you're aiming to become a professor based on your practical experience.
• Publish in Practice Journals and Academic Journals: Boost your reputation as an expert by publishing articles in practice journals and academic journals. Law schools may not view practice journals as highly, but they can still strengthen your profile if you're pursuing a professor position based on your experience. Aim to publish articles regularly, demonstrating your commitment to scholarship.
• Build a Reputation as a Legal Commentator: Contact your local news stations and offer your expertise as a legal commentator. This will help you gain name recognition and establish yourself as a trusted source in your field. You can also explore starting a blog or submitting articles to local news outlets.
• Teach as an Adjunct Professor: Enhance your expertise and gain valuable teaching experience by working as an adjunct professor. Adjunct professors typically teach one class per semester in their specialised area of practice, such as entertainment or environmental law. This allows you to build your teaching skills while maintaining your legal practice.
• Network with Law Professors: Reach out and build relationships with law professors, especially those teaching in your area of practice or a related field. Offer to share your industry insights with their students or collaborate on relevant projects. These connections can provide valuable recommendations and support your transition into academia.
• Maintain a Balance: While gaining practical experience is essential, remember that law schools favour academic scholarship. Avoid spending too many years in practice, as it may reduce your chances of becoming a professor. Aim to find a balance between your legal practice and your scholarly pursuits.

Publish articles in journals

Publishing articles in journals is a crucial step in becoming a constitutional law professor. It is important to establish yourself as a scholar in the field and get your work recognised by the academic community. Here are some tips to help you publish articles in journals:

• Start writing early: Don't wait until you have completed your law degree to start writing. Begin by writing a student note as part of your law review staff role and aim to get it published. This will help you build a reputation and establish expertise in your chosen area of law.
• Choose reputable journals: Aim to publish in well-known, peer-reviewed journals within the legal field. These publications will carry more weight and impress hiring committees.
• Write about relevant, timely topics: Look for emerging trends, hot-button issues, or areas where federal circuits are divided. These topics will not only make for compelling articles but also increase the likelihood of your work being cited by other scholars and judges.
• Collaborate with professors: Reach out to law professors, especially those in your area of interest, and seek their guidance. They can provide valuable advice, feedback, and connections to help you get your articles published.
• Maintain consistent publication: Don't just aim for one article; strive for multiple publications over time. This demonstrates your commitment to legal scholarship and keeps your name in the academic sphere.
• Ensure quality over quantity: While publishing regularly is important, focus on producing high-quality work. Shoddy or poorly written articles can do more harm than good to your reputation and may detract from the impact of your better pieces.
• Consider interdisciplinary journals: If you have a background or interest in another discipline, such as economics or philosophy, explore interdisciplinary journals that intersect with law. This can help you showcase the breadth of your expertise and appeal to a wider audience.

Frequently asked questions