"Assistant or Associate Professor of Law, Tenure Track, Fall 2026"

Assistant or Associate Professor of Law, Tenure Track, Fall 2026

Chapman University: Faculty Affairs: Fowler School of Law

Location

Orange

Open Date

Jul 29, 2025

Salary Range or Pay Grade

$140,000 - $165,000 a year

Description

The Fowler School of Law at Chapman University invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position, beginning August 2026. The appointment will be made at either the Assistant or Associate Professor rank, commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and experience. 

Chapman University is a nationally ranked, R2 Carnegie Classified, private institution offering traditional undergraduate and graduate programs in the heart of Orange County, one of Southern California’s most diverse and vibrant regions. Chapman’s campuses are home to nearly 10,000 students representing 50 states, three territories, and 78 countries. The 11 schools and colleges of Chapman, including the Fowler School of Law, offer 65 bachelors, 53 master, and six doctoral programs, along with nearly 60 minors and 17 accelerated and bridge programs. Classes are taught by the more than 1,100 dedicated faculty members who are leaders in their fields, including Nobel Prize recipients, MacArthur Fellows, National Medal of Science honorees, former U.S. Supreme Court clerks, and Emmy, Grammy, and Academy Award winners. 

Chapman University's Dale E. Fowler School of Law is an ABA-accredited, private law school located in beautiful Orange County, California, just 35 miles from downtown Los Angeles and a short drive to both the beach and Disneyland.

This California law school's high-caliber faculty includes three former U.S. Supreme Court clerks, a Nobel Prize winner, and a former five-term U.S. congressman. Here, our law students find countless opportunities, diverse academic programs, and a dynamic and personalized legal education. The Fowler School of Law is a place where future lawyers prepare for life as professionals and officers of the court, providing the groundwork for a lifetime of legal service. We are a strong academic community with connections to local, regional, national, and international bars, enviable student bar passage and employment rates, a low student-to-faculty ratio and curricular offerings with breadth and depth across multiple areas of specialty, all within a supportive and collegial environment where viewpoint diversity is respected. Students especially value close connection with their professors, a vibrant and engaged co-curricular environment, and a tremendous facility located in easy walking distance to the rest of campus and to the coffee shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions of Old Towne Orange. 

Responsibilities

• Engage in scholarly research, leading to publications in high-quality journals.
• Teach a range of courses that reflect the specialty interests of the candidate and the needs of the law school.
• Actively contribute as an integral member of the Fowler School of Law faculty by engaging in department and university service as expected of an Assistant or Associate Professor.
• Plan, develop, and deliver high-quality courses.
• Offer regular office hours to provide students with opportunities for one-on-one consultations, academic advising, and clarification of course materials.
• Contribute to the overall mission of the institution by attending program meetings and supporting campus-wide initiatives and events.
• Serve on academic committees or task forces within the institution, contributing to discussions and decisions related to academic policies, curriculum development, and other relevant matters.
• Tenure-track faculty members are expected to develop and maintain an active research and publication agenda for future tenure consideration and are evaluated on their scholarship, teaching, and service.

Qualifications

Qualified candidates in any area of academic specialization will be considered, with particular interest in candidates with research and teaching interests in Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, Property, Criminal Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Artificial Intelligence. Entry-level candidates should demonstrate potential for strong teaching and scholarship.

Candidates must have outstanding academic credentials, including:

• A J.D. from an accredited law school or an equivalent degree (such as a Ph.D. in a related field).
• A record of scholarly achievement, including publication in high-quality academic journals, or demonstrated potential for scholarly achievement.
• Professional and/or teaching experience commensurate with appointment at the Assistant or Associate Professor (tenure-track) level.
• A commitment to excellence in teaching, preferably with demonstrated experience.

Application Instructions

Qualified candidates are invited to electronically submit the following:

• Letter of application/interest
• Curriculum Vitae
• Reprints of publications or other examples of scholarly work (2-3 max)
• Representative sampling of teaching evaluations or statement of teaching philosophy/experience for those without teaching experience
• A list of 3 professional/scholarly references (references will not be contacted until a candidate is a finalist for the position and the candidate is notified in advance)

Inquiries can be directed to the Search Committee Chair, Professor Lan Cao at lcao@chapman.edu. Please use "Tenure-Track Faculty Vacancy" as the email subject line. All inquiries and applications are confidential to the extent by state and federal law.

Application reviews will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Salary is $140,000-$165,000 and will be commensurate with appointment rank, experience, and internal equity. This position is contingent on final budget approval. Successful completion of a background check is required for the final candidate.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Chapman University is an equal opportunity employer that provides equal employment opportunities to all individuals, regardless of their protected characteristics. All qualified applicants and employees are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.