What makes a strong tenure-track candidate?
Until recently, the conventional wisdom was that strong candidates must have attended a selective law school, earned a high GPA, served on a law review, and perhaps had a post-graduate judicial clerkship. Although these credentials remain meaningful, the most significant qualification for a tenure-track position today is demonstrated scholarly ability. This generally translates to having at least one well-crafted, polished publication before entering the law teaching market.
For those who did not write or publish while in law school, this prerequisite may appear to create an insurmountable barrier. It is impossible to turn back the clock. But it is possible to develop a scholarly profile even after graduating from law school, and there are a variety of ways to do so. Three such pathways are earning an advanced degree(s), gaining a law teaching fellowship or Visiting Assistant Professorship (VAP), or writing and publishing while working.
The most common advanced degree held by law faculty is a Ph.D. One source found that 60% of entry-level hires in the 2023-2024 hiring cycle has an advanced degree, an increase from about 26% of the candidates in 2011.*
A fellowship/VAP is a one- or two-year position in which the full-time fellow or visiting assistant professor (VAP) can write in a scholarly environment, gain teaching experience, and obtain a better understanding of the work life of law professors. One source found that 75% of entry-level faculty hired in the 2023-2024 cycle had a fellowship.*
Working and writing at the same time is required for candidates who do not have an advanced degree nor a fellowship or VAP. Practical experience as a working lawyer can be beneficial to some types of positions.
Qualifications of Entry-Level Hires, 2011 – 2018
*These data, which are self-reported by recently hired law faculty or, in some cases, their schools, were collected by Professor Sarah B. Lawsky for PrawfsBlawg. Professor Lawsky’s report is also provided as a downloadable spreadsheet. These data include “information for tenure-track, clinical, or legal writing full-time entry level hires.”