Law Professor

What does a Law Professor do?

A Law Professor teaches courses in their field of specialization and related subjects, engaging students through an inclusive, student-focused pedagogy. In a specialized program, that field may be an emerging area such as comparative cyber property law, where the professor helps prepare students for evolving areas of digital and cyber law.

Beyond teaching, the role develops curriculum, mentors and advises students, conducts and publishes scholarly research, and contributes to the school through committee and outreach work. It is a faculty role within the higher education sector, typically in a close-knit, collaborative academic environment.

What does the Law Professor focus on?

Key responsibilities of a Law Professor

• Teach courses in the area of specialization and related subjects, engaging students through inclusive, student-focused pedagogy.
• Develop curriculum to address emerging trends in the field, maintaining the academic rigor and relevance the institution is known for.

• Conduct and publish research in niche areas of the field, contributing to the school's reputation as a leader in legal specialization.
• Mentor and advise students on academic paths and professional development, creating a supportive learning environment.

• Collaborate with faculty across disciplines on innovative projects and participate in departmental and institutional meetings.
• Serve on committees and support the school's outreach efforts to strengthen its mission and visibility within the academic and legal communities.

What qualifications does the role require?

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school; an LL.M. or S.J.D. in a related field is highly preferred.
• Practical experience in the field and active bar admission preferred.

• Demonstrated excellence in teaching, with a commitment to dynamic and inclusive pedagogy.
• A strong publication record or potential for impactful research in the relevant field of law.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with dedication to a positive and rigorous academic environment.

Why is the Law Professor role important?

Law professors prepare the next generation of attorneys and shape legal scholarship. In specialized and emerging fields such as cyber and digital property law, their teaching and research help define how a new area of law is understood, taught, and practiced.

Because the role blends classroom teaching, scholarship, and service, the strongest professors pair genuine subject-matter authority with a real commitment to teaching. In a niche field, the right hire can put an institution on the map as a leader in that specialization.

A hiring note from Excelon

Related sample job descriptions

What does a Law Professor earn?

In Excelon Associates' law faculty searches, offers have typically landed between $95,000 and $125,000 per year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics groups these roles under law teachers, postsecondary (SOC 25-1112), which carried a median annual wage of $127,360 in May 2023. That figure reflects the whole tenure ladder at every law school; Excelon's range covers assistant through associate rank at teaching-focused schools, where offers cluster below the national median that research universities pull upward.

Rank, tenure track, and subject area move the number. Doctrinal hires in high-demand fields such as business law and intellectual property price above the middle, clinical and legal writing faculty below it, and lateral candidates with strong scholarship or bar leadership can push past the posted band. Nine-month contracts with summer research stipends complicate direct comparisons, so we benchmark on total academic year value.