Assistant Professor - Entry-Level - School of Law

University of California-Berkeley; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 203,900 - 333,600; Full time

Job summary

University of California, Berkeley invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Law. Berkeley Law seeks scholars across diverse law areas with a commitment to teaching, research, and public service.

Candidates should demonstrate excellence in teaching and a track record of or potential for impactful scholarship. The position emphasizes equity, inclusion, and interdisciplinary learning, with a focus on developing leaders in law, government, and society.

Qualifications

• Must hold a J.D. or equivalent by date of application or have advanced to candidacy for a Ph.D. by date of application.
• If no J.D., Ph.D. must be conferred by start date.

Responsibilities

• Teach and mentor a diverse student body across a range of law topics.
• Develop and deliver rigorous courses in accordance with Berkeley Law’s programs and priorities.
• Contribute to scholarly research, mentorship, and service in line with the school’s public mission.

Skills

Teaching ability

Mentoring

Diversity & inclusion

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Public mission commitment

Education

J.D. or equivalent

Ph.D. candidacy/advanced to candidacy

Job description

Position Overview

Position title: Assistant Professor of Law

Salary range: $203,900 - $333,600 (9-month academic year salary). Off-scale salary and additional components of pay will be offered to meet competitive conditions.

Anticipated start: July 1, 2027

Application Window

Open date: July 13, 2026

Next review date: Friday, Sep 11, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Friday, Sep 11, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date.

Position Description

Berkeley Law is one of the nation’s great centers for legal education, exploring and pushing new intellectual boundaries while tackling urgent, real‑world issues. The law school has ambitious development goals and is committed to producing leaders in law, government, and society. We welcome applications from candidates across all areas of law, with particular interest in business law, environmental law, civil rights law, criminal law and procedure, evidence, health law, and national security law. Berkeley Law strives to educate responsible, effective, and forward-thinking advocates who serve the public through legal practice, public policy, academic scholarship, and related fields. In doing so, the school addresses society’s most pressing challenges by leveraging strengths in teaching and research to improve law, policy, and public institutions. The public mission emphasizes access, affordability, and empowering students from all backgrounds.

Berkeley Law is committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual-career couples and single parents. We are also interested in candidates who have had non-traditional career paths or taken time off for family reasons, or who have achieved excellence in careers outside academia.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications

• Candidates must either hold a J.D. or equivalent international degree by date of application, or hold or have advanced to candidacy status for a Ph.D., or equivalent international degree, by date of application.

Additional qualifications

• Candidates who do not hold a J.D. degree, but who have advanced to candidacy status for a Ph.D. or equivalent international degree, must have the Ph.D. or equivalent international degree conferred by the start date.

Preferred qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to teach at least one first-year (1L) required course.
• Demonstrated ability to teach and mentor students from diverse disciplinary, educational, and experiential backgrounds.
• Commitment to fostering an equitable, inclusive, and interdisciplinary learning environment.
• Demonstrated potential to contribute to the Law School’s public mission through excellence in scholarship, teaching, mentorship, and service.
• Advancing rigorous legal scholarship and intellectual inquiry.
• Preparing students in legal theory, doctrine, and practice while engaging broader political, social, and economic contexts.
• Addressing significant legal and societal challenges through research, teaching, and public engagement.

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae – Your most recently updated C.V.
• Statement of Teaching and Service – Describe your prior teaching experience and approach to teaching. Discuss mentoring experience and inclusive curriculum design. Outline future teaching interests.
• Research Agenda – Discuss your research agenda and future goals, current projects, and practices that enhance impact and excellence.
• Job Talk Paper or Recent Publication – Provide a recent sample of your scholarship.
• Authorization to Release Information Form – Institutional reference check will be completed only if selected.

Reference requirements

• 3 required (contact information only)

Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05431

Help contact: [e-mail]

About UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service, consistent with UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy (APM 210 1-d). The values are embedded in our Principles of Community, reflecting our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery, and innovation and our commitment to a better world. The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

For more information, please refer to the University of California’s Affiant Anti-discrimination in Employment Policy and the Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Conduct as necessary before submitting them.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

All applicants for Senate faculty positions must complete, sign, and upload an Authorization of Information Release form into AP Recruit. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization, the application will be considered incomplete.

As a condition of employment, the finalist must disclose any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-discrimination Policy
• APM – 035: Affectionate Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

Job Location

Berkeley, CA