Academia is a career path that interests many law students. Traditionally, law graduates who have served on the editorial board of their school’s Law Review and have completed a federal judicial clerkship fill law faculty positions. However, due in part to the increasing emphasis on clinical programs in law school curricula and the expanding use of adjunct professors, law faculty are now drawn from a broader pool, and include full-time practicing attorneys.
Additional career possibilities in the realm of academia include legal writing instructor or law librarian. Some undergraduate institutions also hire law graduates to teach courses such as political science or legal history. These positions may require a masters or Ph.D. in addition to a J.D. Universities and colleges also employ law school graduates in a variety of administrative posts, such as assistant dean, director of admission, or director of career services. Lastly, most universities and colleges employ attorneys to represent the institution in a variety of matters including personnel, contracts, real estate and tax issues.