Visiting Associate Professor

The University of Missouri School of Law is seeking a Visiting Associate Professor to teach in the 1L legal research and writing program (LRW) for the 2023-2024 academic year that begins in August 2023 and ends in May 2024. The 1L LRW program is a six-credit, two-semester, graded course sequence (three credits each semester), including Legal Research & Writing in the fall and Advocacy & Research in the spring. We seek a candidate who is passionate and reflective about teaching, is dedicated to student learning, and will work collaboratively with other LRW faculty.

The University of Missouri School of Law is a full-time J.D. and LL.M.-granting institution located in Columbia, Missouri. For more information, please see http://law.missouri.edu/. The School of Law strives to foster a diverse faculty committed to effective teaching and to attract a student body with diverse experiences and views. Columbia, Missouri is regularly ranked as one of the most livable cities in the United States.

Course Details:

Legal Research & Writing is a 3-credit course that focuses on legal research, writing, logic, and analysis skills and is taught in the fall of the 1L year. Emphasis is placed on communicating/predicting legal analysis using legal logic. The course meets for two 75-minute sessions per week.

Advocacy & Research is a 3-credit course that focuses on persuasive writing, legal analysis, oral advocacy, and research techniques and is taught in the spring of the 1L year. Emphasis is placed on using multiple sources of law to analyze, evaluate, and apply the law. Students create persuasive written and oral arguments. The course meets for two 75-minute sessions per week.

Position Details: The individual hired will teach two sections of Legal Research & Writing and two sections of Advocacy & Research for the 2023-2024 academic year (two courses per semester).  The individual will be expected to participate in 1L orientation (during August 2023), attend weekly team meetings, be available to students, give detailed feedback, and submit grades. There is a strong possibility that we will post a permanent position to start in the 2024-2025 academic year. The individual will be eligible to apply for the permanent position.

Qualifications: Applicants must have a J.D. from an accredited law school, and preference will be given to candidates with a strong academic record, excellent legal research and writing skills, and experience in the practice of law. The ideal candidate will also have experience teaching legal research and writing. Appellate practice or other law practice in Missouri is valued.

Application Procedure: Review of resumes will begin immediately. To apply, please submit a cover letter, a resume, and three references via the University’s online job portal, available at https://hr.missouri.edu/job-openings (job id 46314).  Please direct any questions to Ben Trachtenberg, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, at trachtenbergb@missouri.edu, or call at (573) 882-7293. You may also contact Anne Alexander, Director of Legal Research & Writing, at alexanderam@missouri.edu or (573)-882-5186. If you have prior teaching experience, please provide a recent set of course evaluations. Materials will be reviewed on an ongoing basis with a start date in August 2023.

The University of Missouri is fully committed to achieving the goal of a diverse and inclusive academic community of faculty, staff, and students. We seek individuals who are committed to this goal and our core campus values of respect, responsibility, discovery, and excellence. The University of Missouri is an equal opportunity/ADA institution and encourages applications from women, candidates of color and other under-represented communities in the legal academy. To request ADA accommodations, please call the Disability Inclusion and ADA Compliance Manager at 573-884-7278.

Benefit Eligibility: This position is eligible for University benefits. The University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, and educational fee discounts. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at http://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits