Drinan Scholars Program
Visiting Assistant Professor
The Drinan Scholars Program provides research opportunities, faculty mentoring, and career development for promising legal scholars and teachers. It combines law teaching with scholarly research and writing. The Program is designed to support the training of future law professors who will enhance the diversity of the legal academy, and therefore seeks applicants with backgrounds underrepresented on law faculties. The Program additionally seeks to further BC Law’s commitment to studying the causes of and solutions to structural racism.
Contact: Renee Jones
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
The Drinan Scholars Program provides aspiring legal academics with an opportunity to develop their scholarship and teaching, and ultimately seek long-term academic positions. The Program concentrates on aspects of academic life most likely to be helpful in preparing for a faculty career in legal education. Scholars will be expected to be in full-time residence at BC Law during the academic year.
Teaching: The Drinan Scholar will teach law courses, with teaching assignments designed to dovetail with the scholar’s research and teaching interests. The teaching load will allow ample opportunities for research and publication of major works of scholarship.
Mentoring: The Drinan Scholar will be assigned a primary senior faculty and junior faculty mentor to provide advice and support on teaching, scholarship, and preparation for the legal academic teaching market. Drinan Scholars participate fully in the life of BC Law, including but not limited to attendance at faculty workshops, opportunities to workshop papers and present at BC Law’s Junior Faculty Forum, and access to teaching support through Boston College’s Center for Teaching Excellence. The Drinan Scholar Program Faculty Committee will provide advice and support as the Drinan Scholar enters the teaching market, including recommendation letters, phone calls to faculty committees, mock interviews and job talks.
Research Support: Drinan Scholars will be provided with research support including research, travel funds and the opportunity to hire law student research assistants.
The Drinan Scholars Program does not have a specific subject matter focus, but we are especially interested in receiving applications from scholars who seek to conduct research and writing on issues related to race and the law.
Selection criteria include the potential for excellence in legal teaching and scholarship, contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the degree to which the applicant’s research proposal aligns with institutional resources and opportunities.
Drinan Scholar appointments are for two years with support for participating in the law hiring market during the second year. Scholars will be appointed at the rank of Visiting Assistant Professor of Law. The salary for the 2021-22 Academic Year will be competitive with well-regarded law fellowship and VAP programs.
Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. For fullest consideration, submit applications before March 15, 2021.
Educational Qualifications:
- A JD or equivalent (including LLM or JSD), or Ph.D. from a relevant field of study.
Required Qualifications:
- Strong potential for excellence in legal teaching;
- Strong potential for excellence in legal scholarship;
- Demonstrated contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion; and
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Desired Qualifications:
- Alignment between the proposed research plan and law school resources and opportunities.