Law Fellow & Visiting Assistant Professor

Law Fellow & Visiting Assistant Professor College of Law

The Illinois Academic Fellowship Program helps new legal academics obtain tenure-stream faculty positions at U.S. law schools. In recent years, our fellows have obtained tenure-stream positions at the University of California‑Irvine, Indiana University‑Bloomington, the University of Arizona, the University of Alabama, McGeorge School of Law, the University of Nebraska, Cardozo School of Law, and other institutions.

Fellows spend one or two years in residence at the College of Law researching and writing under the close mentorship of Illinois faculty, teaching one course per semester, and fully participating in the College's famously rich intellectual environment. Fellows are treated like tenure-stream faculty although with a light teaching load and no administrative responsibilities. Fellows are provided with the support and counseling necessary to the development of a serious scholarly portfolio.

By the end of the program, we expect fellows to be competitive for tenure-track positions at leading law schools.

Applications for the Illinois Academic Fellowship Program are invited from law school graduates as well as Ph.D. recipients or candidates in any field who have a sustained academic interest in the law's interaction with their discipline. Applicants may be in the final stage of a doctoral program, recent graduates, or individuals completing a judicial clerkship or employed in legal practice. Fellows will be chosen on the basis of an assessment of their potential, with appropriate support and mentoring, to obtain a tenure-track position at a leading U.S. law school.

Fellows will teach one class per semester. Depending on the interests of the fellow, the teaching package may include traditional law school courses across the full range of the curriculum and seminars that focus on the fellow's own research areas. Each fellow's teaching package will be designed to provide meaningful preparation for the academic job market and to complement the current writing projects of the fellow, subject to the curricular needs of the College of Law.

The exact courses assigned are ultimately in the discretion of the Dean of the College of Law.

This is a nine-month (paid over twelve months), 100% time, visiting appointment that is typically renewed for the second year of the fellowship assuming satisfactory performance of assigned duties. Salary is commensurate with experience, ranging from $68,500 - $72,000. The expected start date is as soon as possible after 8/16/2027. Fellowships are not tenure-stream positions.

The College of Law is accepting applications for fellowship positions for the  academic year. Applicants should submit a cover letter, a CV, a research agenda, and a list of three references at (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

Applicants should submit their materials by the Final date to receive applications, November 20, 2026. We expect interviews to take place starting in December 2026.

This position is not eligible for any type of sponsorship for work authorization.

Founded in 1867 as Illinois's flagship public university, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign empowers a global community of students, scholars, and alumni to change the world through bold, innovative research and transformative education. With a land‑grant heritage rooted in progress, Illinois faculty drive paradigm‑shifting discoveries, mentor future leaders, and collaborate across 15 colleges and instructional units and more than 20 research institutes.

The university's legacy of excellence includes 24 Nobel Prizes and 29 Pulitzer Prizes awarded to its faculty and alumni, $755 million in sponsored research funding, and 94 academic programs ranked in the top 20 nationally. Illinois offers the resources, recognition, and reach to accelerate your career - along with a highly competitive benefits portfolio. Discover how the Illinois Value Proposition fosters professional longevity, personal fulfillment, and a deep sense of purpose in every role.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a…