Occupation · SOC 25-1112
Law Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in law. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
235 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingReading ComprehensionLearning StrategiesActive ListeningInstructingWritingCritical ThinkingActive LearningJudgment and Decision MakingComplex Problem SolvingMonitoringSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisSocial PerceptivenessPersuasionCoordinationTime ManagementNegotiationService OrientationManagement of Personnel ResourcesMathematicsOperations AnalysisTechnology DesignProgrammingScienceQuality Control AnalysisOperations MonitoringManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesTroubleshootingRepairingOperation and ControlInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Law and GovernmentEnglish LanguageEducation and TrainingComputers and ElectronicsCommunications and MediaCustomer and Personal ServiceAdministration and ManagementSociology and AnthropologyPhilosophy and TheologyPsychologyAdministrativeMathematicsEconomics and AccountingPersonnel and Human ResourcesHistory and ArcheologyPublic Safety and SecuritySales and MarketingTherapy and CounselingGeographyForeign LanguageTelecommunicationsEngineering and TechnologyMedicine and DentistryDesignFine ArtsProduction and ProcessingTransportationBiologyMechanicalBuilding and ConstructionPhysicsChemistryFood Production
Technology & tools
ACD Systems CanvasAbacusNext HotDocsBlackboard LearnCT Summation iBlazeCalendar and scheduling softwareCenter for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction CALI AuthorCenter for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction CALI ClasscasterCollaborative editing softwareCollateral Consequences CalculatorCourse management system softwareDOC CopDesire2Learn LMS softwareEmail softwareExamSoft Exam IntelligenceGoogle DocsImage scanning softwareLearning management system LMSLexisNexisLexisNexis CaseMapMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft PublisherMicrosoft WordPanoptoPiazzaSakai CLEThomson Reuters WestlawThomson Reuters WestlawNext LitigatorWeb browser softwareiParadigms Turnitin
Representative tasks
Training and Teaching OthersGetting InformationInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeCoaching and Developing OthersThinking CreativelyAnalyzing Data or InformationOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesWorking with ComputersEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDocumenting/Recording InformationProcessing InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersScheduling Work and ActivitiesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsAssisting and Caring for OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming Administrative ActivitiesCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesSelling or Influencing OthersStaffing Organizational UnitsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesControlling Machines and ProcessesDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentHandling and Moving ObjectsOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Course syllabi and handouts — draft and organize under faculty mentorship for an introductory law course at a law school or university.Assigned readings and legal texts — identify and comprehend key doctrinal themes with guidance from senior faculty in a postsecondary setting.Classroom discussions on foundational legal topics — facilitate with structured prompts and close supervision in an entry-level teaching assignment.Student attendance records and grade logs — maintain accurately using institutional systems under administrative direction at a law school.Lecture content on basic subjects such as contracts or torts — prepare and deliver to small undergraduate or first-year law student audiences with oversight.Legal scholarship and professional journals — read and summarize current developments to support awareness of field trends under senior guidance.Student written assignments — evaluate using provided rubrics and grading criteria with review by a supervising faculty member.Legal management and word processing software — use to draft course documents and organize student records in a law school environment.Homework assignments and practice problems — compile and distribute to students following established course design templates.Professional development activities such as faculty workshops — participate in under departmental direction to build foundational pedagogical skills.
developing
Lecture series on subjects such as civil procedure or constitutional law — prepare and deliver independently to undergraduate or graduate law students with minimal oversight.Classroom examination materials — compile, administer, and grade routinely, applying consistent assessment standards across law school course sections.Seminar discussions on legal doctrine and case analysis — initiate and moderate with growing confidence, adapting facilitation style to student cohort needs.Student papers and oral presentations — evaluate and provide substantive written feedback using self-developed criteria in a postsecondary law program.Current legal literature and professional conference proceedings — review regularly and integrate relevant developments into course content updates.Introductory research projects — conduct in a defined area of legal scholarship and prepare manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals.Institutional grading and records systems — manage student academic data accurately and in compliance with university policy across multiple course sections.Document management and information retrieval software — use proficiently to organize legal research materials and course resources in a law school context.Course design materials including syllabi and reading schedules — revise based on student performance data and evolving disciplinary standards.Collegial dialogue with fellow faculty — engage in to share teaching strategies and coordinate on curriculum development within a law school department.
proficient
Advanced law courses spanning subjects such as administrative law, evidence, and jurisprudence — design, teach, and continuously refine for graduate and professional law students with full autonomy.Complex student performance issues including academic integrity concerns — assess and resolve independently, applying institutional policy and professional judgment at a law school.Socratic and other active-learning discussion methods — deploy skillfully across diverse classroom settings to develop students' critical legal reasoning in a postsecondary environment.Original legal scholarship — conduct, write, and publish in peer-reviewed journals, edited volumes, or electronic media, advancing knowledge in a specialized area of law.Comprehensive examination systems — design, validate, and administer across an entire course portfolio, ensuring alignment with program learning outcomes at a law school.Emerging legal developments — synthesize rapidly and incorporate into lectures, clinic supervision, and course materials to maintain curricular currency in a postsecondary setting.Interdisciplinary teaching collaborations — coordinate with colleagues from other departments to deliver integrated courses that address law, policy, and social context.Web-based and computer-assisted instructional tools — select, configure, and deploy to enhance student engagement and accessibility in hybrid or online law courses.Student oral advocacy and moot court performance — observe, critique, and coach with expert feedback to build professional legal communication skills in a law school program.Faculty governance and curriculum committees — participate in substantively, contributing independent expertise to shape program standards and course offerings.
advanced
Institutional law school curriculum — lead comprehensive review and redesign efforts, setting pedagogical direction and learning outcome standards across the full degree program.Junior faculty and teaching fellows — mentor and formally evaluate, modeling best practices in legal pedagogy, scholarship, and professional ethics to develop the next generation of law teachers.Major original legal scholarship — produce and disseminate through flagship law reviews, academic books, and national conferences, shaping the trajectory of a legal discipline.Strategic research agenda — establish for a law school center or institute, securing external grants, directing research teams, and translating findings into policy influence.Accreditation and program assessment processes — lead at the institutional level, designing evaluation frameworks and preparing comprehensive self-studies for oversight bodies such as the ABA.National and international professional organizations — represent the institution by holding leadership roles, organizing conferences, and influencing disciplinary standards in legal education.Cross-institutional academic partnerships and dual-degree programs — negotiate and structure to expand educational pathways and advance the law school's scholarly reputation.Faculty hiring and tenure review processes — chair, applying rigorous and equitable evaluation criteria to build an intellectually diverse and productive law faculty.Innovative instructional technology and pedagogy initiatives — champion and implement at scale, driving adoption of evidence-based teaching practices across a postsecondary law program.Public legal discourse and policy debate — engage authoritatively through testimony, media commentary, and advisory roles, translating scholarly expertise into real-world legal and legislative impact.
Also known as
29 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Adjunct InstructorAdjunct Law ProfessorAdjunct ProfessorAssistant ProfessorAssociate ProfessorBusiness Law InstructorBusiness Law ProfessorClinical Law ProfessorCollege Faculty MemberCollege ProfessorConstitutional Law ProfessorContracts Law ProfessorCriminal Law ProfessorEnvironmental Law ProfessorFaculty MemberInstructorLabor Law ProfessorLaw Adjunct ProfessorLaw InstructorLaw LecturerLaw ProfessorLegal Writing ProfessorMedia Law Faculty MemberParalegal InstructorProfessorTeacherTorts Law ProfessorU.S. Law Instructor (United States Law Instructor)University Faculty Member