Your entry into the market for legal academics begins by registering with the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) approximately one year prior to when you would like to begin your teaching career. For example, those interested in teaching in beginning the academic year 2008-09 would register with AALS in the summer of 2007. The AALS provides a clearinghouse for all candidates interested in pursing teaching careers in law school and all schools interested in hiring. You register as a candidate by completing an online registration form known as the Faculty Appointment Registry form (FAR form). Your information is then provided via an online database (the Faculty Appointments Registry or FAR) to all AALS member schools. The law schools use the FAR to select whom they wish to interview at the AALS Faculty Recruitment Conference held in Washington, D.C. in November (Thursday, October 25 to Saturday, October 27, 2007). More information can be found at www.aals.org/frs/frc.
Registration materials are available from AALS in June. Typically there are three deadlines for submitting your registration materials that correlate with the availability of the FAR to the law schools. The first deadline is usually in late July or early August. It is very important that you meet the first deadline to ensure that your information is provided to the law schools in the first distribution. If you submit after the first deadline, you may find that many schools have already selected interview candidates and filled their conference interview schedule.
The AALS registration or FAR form is similar to a resume, but requires you to follow a standardized form that does not allow for much variation. Because this one page form is what a law school will use to determine whether they want to meet with you at the hiring conference, you want to make sure it is accurate, contains no errors, and includes the most important information about your candidacy.
In addition to registering with AALS, you might also consider sending separate applications to those schools in which you have a particular interest. These materials should be sent no later than August. You should send a cover letter indicating your interest in the school, along with a law school transcript, an academic resume, list of references, and a writing sample. The materials should be addressed to the chair of the appointments committee. The Academic Careers Program maintains a list with the names of the chairs of appointments committees at many law schools. Please contact us for assistance. You should also respond to listings contained in the AALS Placement Bulletin, which you will receive after registering with the AALS.
Tips from former candidates:
“Network as much as possible. I know of at least two schools that recruited their hires outside of the AALS process, which means largely through internal recommendations and contacts.”
“Once you have a polished draft your job market paper, send it out to people in your field (a good guide is the people you cite). This is a useful way of getting your work out to people who might be interested in what you have to write. I got an interview at a school (and eventually a job offer) because a professor to whom I had sent my paper really liked it. He then recommended the hiring committee to give me an interview in DC. “
“If there is a working paper series in your school that might be suitable for your paper, consider participating.”
“Attend conferences in your area. Again, this is another way to meet people in different schools and to tell them about your work. Talking about your work in a more relaxed setting is also good practice for the hiring market.”
“In addition to completing the FAR form, be liberal in sending out packages with your papers and materials out to schools. I sent out about over 30 packages. You never know what will catch the committee's eye.
