Information for Practicing Lawyers Who Are Interested in Transitioning to the Teaching of Business Law

The ALSB is the main professional organization for people teaching business law, primarily but not exclusively outside of law schools. Our members teach at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, mostly in business schools. We are a supportive and invaluable resource for anyone considering the transition into teaching business law.

ALSB provides a wide range of resources for attorneys who are interested in teaching law, either as an adjunct or full-time. Many of our members started teaching law after leaving traditional practice and would be happy to help you make the transition. We are an unusually collegial group and help each other with professional, pedagogical, and political issues throughout our careers.

Resources for Aspiring Business Law Professors:

The greatest mistake most lawyers make when applying for teaching jobs is overestimating the value of law practice and underestimating the need to demonstrate (1) teaching skills and, especially for tenure-track professors, (2) the ability to publish in law journals. As you prepare to apply for these jobs, you may find the following article helpful: Robert C. Bird, Advice for the New Legal Studies Professor, 29 J. Legal Stud. Educ. 239 (2012) .Members of the ALSB can also take advantage of are:

  • mentorship program pairing new ALSB members with more experienced ones
  • archived syllabi for a variety of business law courses
  • notification of business law job postings

Annual Meetings:

The ALSB annual meeting is the best way to make personal connections with hiring chairs and experienced business law professors across the United States and Canada, hear about cutting edge business law research, and develop ideas for your own scholarship. It is held in early August, and the location varies each year.

Regional Meetings:

Wherever you are, there is a smaller regional association affiliated with ALSB near you. The regional associations have meetings of their own from September to May, and are a great way to meet other business law professors and potential article co-authors in your area.

ALSB Social Media Updates:

Follow us on Twitter and connect with us on LinkedIn.

Journals:

Most business law professors publish in general and/or specialty business law journals. ALSB publishes the American Business Law Journal, and specialty journals including the Journal of Legal Studies in Education and the Journal of Business Law and Ethics Pedagogy. Other journal resources include the Washington and Lee law journal ranking tool, and ExpressO and Scholastica, which can help streamline your submissions to a wide range of journals.

For more information, please contact:

Jody Blanke, blanke_j@mercer.edu, (678) 547-6313 or Marisa Pagnattaro, panatta@uga.edu, (706) 542-9084

Join the ALSB