The Illinois Academic Fellowship Programhelps new legal academics place into tenure-stream positions at U.S. lawschools.
In recent years, our fellows have obtainedtenure-stream positions at law schools that include the University ofCalifornia-Irvine, Indiana University-Bloomington, University of Arizona,University of Alabama, and the University of Nebraska.
Fellows spend one or two years in residenceat the College of Law researching and writing under the close mentorship ofIllinois faculty, teaching one course per semester, and fully participating inthe College’s famously rich intellectual environment. Fellows are treated liketenure-stream faculty although with a light teaching load and no administrativeresponsibilities. Fellows are provided with the support and counselingnecessary to the development of a serious scholarly portfolio. By the end ofthe program, we expect fellows to be competitive for tenure-track positions atleading law schools.
Fellows are appointed as a visitingassistant professor of law and also carry the title of Ribstein Fellow in honorof the late Professor Larry Ribstein. Inthe coming academic year, we expect to hire one new fellow.
The University of Illinois is an EqualOpportunity, Affirmative Action employer that recruits and hires qualifiedcandidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation,gender identity, age, national origin, disability or veteran status. For moreinformation, visit http://go.illinois.edu/EEO.
Scholarship and Teaching
Fellows will teach one class per semester.Depending on the interests of the fellow, the course may include traditionallaw school courses across the full range of the curriculum and seminars thatfocus on the research interests of the fellow. Each fellow’s teaching packagewill be designed to provide meaningful preparation for the academic job marketand to complement the current writing projects of the fellow, subject to thecurricular needs of the College of Law. The exact courses assigned areultimately in the discretion of the dean of the College of Law.
Most importantly, fellows will receivesubstantial faculty assistance with their research projects; the opportunity topresent works in progress to the faculty in a workshop setting; the opportunityto attend and participate in lectures, colloquia, symposia, roundtables, andfaculty workshops; faculty advice and assistance in preparing for the academicjob market; and, where appropriate, pairing with a faculty mentor. Assistingfellows in preparing a substantial piece of scholarship, with an emphasis onthe “job talk” paper, is a primary goal of the Illinois Academic FellowshipProgram.
The College of Law offers a richintellectual environment with numerous faculty workshops and specializedspeaker programs. Fellows will be full participants in faculty workshops andsimilar programs.
Compensation and Benefits
Illinois Academic Fellows receive a salaryand full benefits, including health insurance. Salaries will be competitivewith those offered by similar programs at major research universities. Fellowsalso receive a regular faculty office and administrative and secretarialsupport. Fellowships are not tenure-stream positions. This is a nine-month,100% time, visiting appointment that is typically renewed for the second yearof the fellowship assuming satisfactory performance of assigned duties. TheUniversity of Illinois College of Law is located in Champaign-Urbana, whichoffers a variety of affordable housing options in a college-town environmentwith rich cultural offerings.
Application
The College of Law is accepting applicationsfor fellowship positions for the 2024-2025 academic year. Applicants shouldsubmit a cover letter, CV, a research agenda, and a list of three references at https://jobs.illinois.edu/.
Applicants arestrongly encouraged to submit their materials by January 1, 2024. We expectinterviews to take place starting in January 2024. No applications will beaccepted after January 31, 2024. For assistance with the application process,please email lehigh@illinois.edu.