Lecturer in Lawyering: Foundations Program

Georgia State University is a national model for innovation and opening opportunities for all, among the top five most innovative by U.S. News & World Report, ranked 1st among public universities in undergraduate teaching, the number 1 nonprofit university to award bachelor's degrees to African American students, 4th in the country for its first-year student experience, and highly ranked for enabling the social and economic mobility of its students. Among the most diverse universities in the nation, Georgia State opens global perspectives as the number 1 U.S. public university sending African American students to study abroad.

A regional gateway to higher education, the five suburban Perimeter College campuses provide more than 30 associate degree pathways. The downtown Atlanta campus offers more than 250 degree programs in 100 fields of study at the undergraduate, graduate and first-professional degree levels.

With five university-wide research centers and numerous centers and institutes at the college and school levels, Georgia State's interdisciplinary, dynamic and productive research enterprises address major health and societal challenges. It is one of only 146 universities with an R1 designation from the Carnegie Foundation, an honor reserved for the nation's most active research institutions. Outgoing research expenditures have doubled in the last decade and topped $1.2 billion over the last six years, an indication of the University's rapid research growth.

Georgia State is vital to the regional economy, with a more than $2.9 billion economic impact, and is also a vital part of Atlanta's vibrant arts and entertainment community, with highly regarded programs in music, art, creative writing and film, the Rialto Center for the Arts, and the Creative Media Industries Institute that contributes to innovation and the workforce for interactive media and media entrepreneurship.

General information on faculty roles and responsibilities can be obtained from the Faculty Handbook https://faculty.gsu.edu/faculty-handbook/ and the Office of Faculty Affairs website https://faculty.gsu.edu/. All faculty at Georgia State are, as part of their essential job duties, expected to: (1) be physically present on-campus as needed to contribute to Georgia State's in-person educational experience, and (2) be able to teach in each of the following instructional modalities - in-person, online, or blended/hybrid - as determined by their Department Chair or Dean.

Located in the heart of Atlanta, the Georgia State University College of Law is a dynamic, urban-centered law school dedicated to producing practice-ready legal professionals. With a student body of approximately 650 full- and part-time law students, the College is recognized for its value and renowned for its excellent bar passage and post-graduate employment rates. The College fosters a commitment to excellence, innovation, and experiential learning.

The College of Law faculty is a collegial and accomplished community of scholars and teachers. Faculty members have a tangible impact on legal education and on law and policy. Faculty members regularly publish in leading law reviews and peer-reviewed journals, author books and book chapters, and appear in national and international news outlets. Scholarship is supported through research assistance, summer stipends, travel support, and awards. The College of Law also features innovative and nationally renowned programs in health law, access to justice, legal analytics, metropolitan and urban growth, and sports and entertainment law.

Georgia State University College of Law currently seeks qualified candidates for two Lecturer positions in its Lawyering: Foundations program to begin employment at the start of the 2026-2027 academic year.

The Lawyering: Foundations program is an innovative and rigorous six-credit, year-long required course for 1Ls that covers the fundamentals of legal writing, research, analysis, problem solving, and oral advocacy. Applications are invited from individuals who have the expertise to contribute fully at the lecturer level in support of this program.

The successful candidate should be prepared to undertake full in-person teaching duties for a class of approximately 24-28 law students, including lecturing, facilitating writing workshop exercises, meeting with students in one-on-one conferences, and providing corrective feedback on weekly homework assignments and major assignments such as memos and briefs. Lawyering: Foundations faculty work collaboratively from a uniform syllabus, but the successful candidate is encouraged and expected to contribute his or her own ideas, exercises, and innovative approaches to the legal writing classroom experience.

This is a non-tenure track appointment with renewable one-year contracts. Lecturers who have served full-time for the entire previous academic year can anticipate being reappointed for the subsequent academic year unless notified in writing to the contrary. Lecturers also have opportunities for promotion to the senior lecturer and principal senior lecturer levels. The appointment period is 10 months, from August to May. Compensation includes a contract salary commensurate with experience, plus a benefits package. This is a full-time teaching appointment with a service requirement equivalent to one committee assignment. Faculty may also pursue scholarly projects, but neither research nor scholarship is required.

Prior teaching experience is valued but not required.

Applicants should have a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school (or foreign equivalent) by August 1, 2026.

A strong candidate will have a specific interest in teaching legal writing and analysis at an institution committed to both day and evening educational opportunities. Candidates with several years of legal practice experience are preferred.

A criminal background check is required.

Law Academic with a 10-month appointment. Standard work hours to support the required workload of 90% Teaching, 0% Research, and 10% Service.

Georgia State Law faculty may be required to work non-standard hours, including day, evening, online, blended/hybrid, and weekends, as determined by the Dean.

For any questions related to this announcement, contact the Committee Chair, Principal Senior Lecturer Trisha Kanan ( tkanan@gsu.edu).

For additional assistance, you may contact the College of Law Office of Academic Affairs

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applicants should submit an official application and upload a resume, cover letter, and writing sample. Cover letters should be directed to Lawyering: Foundations Director Trisha Kanan, Chair of Lawyering: Foundations Faculty Search Committee.

Georgia State University is an equal opportunity employer.

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning, as well the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at
https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.