Becoming a law professor varies by location and market. In the UK, a law degree and passion for teaching is enough, while in the US and Canada, significant prior experience is required. UK professors teach full-time, while North American professors are part-time specialists. Entry-level professors teach foundation courses, while established experts are sought after for professor positions. Networking and proposing course ideas can help in the US and Canada.
The process of becoming a law professor is very different depending on where you live and the market you want to enter. In the UK, you can become a law professor with little more than a law background and a passion for teaching. The job is almost always full-time, and speakers are expected to dedicate their careers to educating future attorneys and lawyers. In the United States and Canada, however, it is usually only possible to become a law professor with significant prior experience – and even then, the job is typically only available on a part-time basis. Typically, North American lecturers are expected to be on-the-job specialists who lend a few hours a week to teach advanced students.
Much of the difference in process is due to the difference in the job description. In the UK, teaching is a legal career of someone who teaches full-time at a university. For the US and Canadian markets, this same person is called a professor or assistant professor. US and Canadian law schools have professorships, but these are generally reserved for subject matter experts. Professors in this scenario are more like part-time law professors or adjunct professors, generally teaching no more than one course at a time while continuing to practice. The job requirements for each position are very different.
To become a law professor in the UK or Ireland, you should normally have a degree in law, some experience practicing as a barrister or barrister, and a passion for teaching law students. Universities usually post open positions in the late summer or early fall, a year before the position actually becomes available. Prospective professors should watch different university publications and apply for jobs that seem attractive.
For the most part, law professors start out as entry-level professors. They usually teach an elective or two in their area of specialization, but spend most of their time on general and foundation courses. Each progressive year of service generally leads to more flexibility, job security, and course adaptation.
The process of becoming a law professor in the United States and Canada is markedly different. Teachers in these settings generally must be established experts in their fields, often with 10 or more years of nationally or otherwise recognized experience. Schools often contact desirable experts directly about potential law professor positions, and lecture papers are rarely published externally.
Likewise, there are ways to become a law professor in the US and Canada without an invitation. Networking with law school deans at legal and fundraising events is one way to get your name out there. It is also possible to contact schools directly about speaking positions, but you will need to be prepared with a course proposal and an articulate explanation of how your expertise will further the law school’s mission.
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