Visiting Assistant Professor - Lawyering Program

University of Maryland, Baltimore; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative institution is seeking a dedicated Visiting Assistant Professor to join its Lawyering Program. This full-time role offers the opportunity to teach and mentor first-year law students in essential lawyering skills through a simulation-based curriculum. The position emphasizes collaboration with faculty and hands-on instruction, ensuring students develop critical legal analysis and advocacy skills. With a supportive environment and a commitment to diversity, this role is perfect for those passionate about legal education and student success. Join a vibrant community in downtown Baltimore, close to major legal and cultural hubs.

Benefits

Conference Travel Support

Health Benefits

Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives

Qualifications

• J.D. degree with high academic achievement from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Three years of legal practice experience, including judicial clerkship.

Responsibilities

• Teach two sections of Lawyering I and Lawyering II each semester.
• Design and deliver the Lawyering curriculum and assist with student mentorship.

Skills

Legal Analysis

Teaching Lawyering Skills

Curriculum Development

Student Mentorship

Education

J.D. Degree

Job description

Job Description

The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, located in Baltimore, seeks applicants for a full-time, non-tenure-track Visiting Assistant Professor position. This will be a one-year appointment, from July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026. The Visiting Assistant Professor will teach Lawyering courses and assist the Lawyering faculty director with oversight of the program, including curriculum development and mentorship of other faculty teaching in the program, and co-teaching and mentoring student writing fellows in the program.

The Lawyering Curriculum

The Lawyering program forms an integral part of the first-year JD curriculum and gives students a strong foundation in the lawyering skills essential to practicing in today's legal profession. In the Lawyering program, students act in the role of attorneys engaged in simulated cases that incorporate topics drawn from other foundational law school courses. They review case files, develop a factual record, interact with simulated clients, opposing counsel, lawyers, and judges. Students present effective legal analyses in a variety of formats, including privileged internal documents, professional communications, formal court submissions, and oral arguments. By participating in this simulation-based program, students not only learn critical lawyering skills but develop their understanding of legal doctrines, principles, and theories underlying the practice of law, consistent with Maryland Carey Law's tradition of integrating doctrine, theory, and practice.

All first-year students enroll in Lawyering I in the fall semester and Lawyering II in the spring semester, and all Lawyering sections use the same simulated case files. During the fall semester, students focus primarily on objective (predictive) analysis. Students prepare legal office memoranda that analyze key legal issues. In addition, they gain exposure to several corresponding lawyering skills that may include drafting client letters and professional emails, conducting a client interview, negotiating a settlement agreement, and drafting or revising contracts. In the spring semester, students shift focus from objective analysis to persuasive argumentation (advocacy). Students continue to develop their legal analytical skills but adapt their analysis for adversarial documents filed with a court, such as memoranda supporting trial court motions and appellate court briefs. The first-year program culminates with mock appellate oral arguments.

Essential Duties

• Provide academic instruction in support of courses associated with the Lawyering Program.
• Teach two sections of Lawyering I (3 credits) in the Fall semester and two sections of Lawyering II (3 credits) in the Spring semester to approximately 30-35 students each semester (about fifteen students per section). This includes teaching the course, providing extensive written feedback on student drafts and final submissions throughout the semester, holding office hours and individual conferences with students throughout the semester, assessing student performance, and assigning grades.
• In collaboration with the faculty Director of Lawyering, design and deliver the Lawyering curriculum, including the drafting of simulation problems and related teaching materials for Lawyering I and Lawyering II.
• Assist in the oversight and support of the law school's Lawyering Program, including teaching and supervision of student writing fellows, supporting the Legal Writing Center, and training and mentorship of graduate teaching fellows and adjuncts teaching in the program.

Law school campus: Maryland Carey Law is advantageously located in downtown Baltimore near multiple courthouses, government agencies, prominent law and financial firms, nonprofit organizations, major-league sports facilities, theaters, and fine arts. The law school campus is also easily accessible within the greater Washington DC-Baltimore metropolitan region, close to I-95 and only 40 minutes from Washington by Amtrak or commuter rail.



Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• J.D. degree with a record of high academic achievement from an ABA-accredited law school.

• At least three years of legal practice experience, one of which may include a judicial clerkship.

• At least three years of law school teaching experience, with preferred experience teaching legal analysis and writing or lawyering skills

Applications accepted online only at https://www.umaryland.edu/jobs/ (search "lawyering").

Interested applicants should submit: (a) cover letter; (b) resume with three listed references; and (c) teaching evaluations.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 25, 2025, though applications will be considered on a rolling basis and remain open until filled.

START DATE: July 1, 2025

Salary range: $120,000-$130,000 for the year, plus benefits, with conference travel and registration support up to $2,000.

UMB is committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce and is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, ancestry or national origin, sex, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, marital status, protected veteran's status, or any other legally protected classification.

If you anticipate needing a reasonable accommodation for a disability under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), during any part of the employment process, please submit a UMB Job Applicant Accommodation Request.

You may also contact [e-mail]. Please note that only inquiries concerning an ADA request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator. Read the UMB Notice of Non-Discrimination for more information.