The Careers in Law Teaching program provides students and graduates interested in an academic career with valuable tools, contacts, and experiences to prepare them for the highly competitive market of law school teaching. Professors work with students and graduates to develop their individual research agenda and scholarship in preparation for an academic career.
Anyone with an interest in a career in legal academia—no matter how fully formed—can take advantage of the Careers in Law Teaching program.
Learn more about the program's core components:
The Legal Scholarship Practicum is a year-long seminar offered to 2Ls and 3Ls who wish to engage in extensive legal academic research, writing, and workshopping. The goal of the Practicum is the production of a publishable law review article by the time of graduation.
In addition to taking the 2-credit year-long seminar, Practicum participants must commit to 2-3 credits of supervised research in the Fall semester of each year they take the Practicum. These credits are supervised by a faculty member identified by the student in consultation with the Practicum instructor. They furnish each participant with sufficient time and feedback to present a substantial work-in-progress during the Spring semester.
Rising 2Ls and 3Ls who wish to apply to the Legal Scholarship Practicum should send a short statement of interest, transcript, and CV to the Practicum’s instructor and the Careers in Law Teaching Program Coordinator, Elizabeth Williams ([email protected]). The instructor for the coming 2024-2025 academic year is Professor Jeremy Kessler ([email protected]). Application materials are due by August 15. Admission is capped at twelve students.
Mentorship by a member of the faculty and support in entering Ph.D. studies if such a path makes sense for the individual J.D. student. Mentorship and Ph.D. support is coordinated by the Careers in Law Teaching Committee. Any J.D. student may request the Committee's support in finding a suitable mentor.
Careers in Law Teaching Roundtables throughout the Spring semester at which CLS faculty discuss different pathways to legal academia, and different dimensions of legal academic research and writing.
Financial support for empirical research, whether qualitative or quantitative, and participation in academic conferences. Applications for research and conference funding are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Careers in Law Teaching Committee.
Rising 2Ls and 3Ls seeking research and conference funding or mentorship support should email the Careers in Law Teaching Program Coordinator, Elizabeth Williams ([email protected]). Funding applications should include a short description of the nature of the research or conference participation, a budget, and a timeline.
The annual selection of two Academic Scholars from the incoming J.D. class. In addition to automatic admission to the Legal Scholarship Practicum and an annual research and conference stipend, Academic Scholar receive a half-tuition grant for all three years of the J.D. program.
Incoming 1Ls can indicate their interest in the program on their J.D. application. Additional application materials are required. See here for specific details and deadlines.
Open to incoming 1Ls only
Ongoing support for CLS alumni entering the law teaching market, including a CLS Candidate Guide circulated to all accredited law schools, and a Moot Workshop in late August or early September of each academic year.
Meet our Columbia Law School alumni and affiliate candidates on the teaching market in 2023-2024.
CLS alumni who wish to appear in the CLS Candidate Guide and to participate in the Moot Workshop should email the Careers in Law Teaching Program Coordinator, Elizabeth Williams ([email protected].)