Since 1878, Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Law has enjoyed a world-class reputation thanks to its unique combination of intellectual pluralism and cutting-edge scientific research. Among the Faculty’s priority objectives has been preparing new generations of lawyers to work in constantly evolving legal and social contexts. Guided by top-notch professors and researchers, it has advanced knowledge in numerous areas of law, all while fostering a rich and diverse cultural environment.
The Faculty of Law is already actively engaged in various aspects of the intersection between law and artificial intelligence (AI), including regulation and governance (both national and international), fundamental rights, contract law, personal data and privacy, economic law, and cyberjustice. Through this job opening, the Faculty seeks to strengthen its expertise and recruit an assistant professor who will develop their research and teaching in the field of AI applied to law (e.g., predictive justice, online dispute resolution, automation of legal or regulatory processes, and the transformation of legal practice) by employing computational methods or those based on machine learning. Applications from candidates conducting research based on similar methodologies will also be considered.
The successful candidate will be invited to filling for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs (CRC).
Tier 2 Chairs, tenable for five years and renewable once, are for exceptional emerging researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field. For each Tier 2 Chair, the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) Program allocates to institutions $100,000 annually for five years, with an additional $20,000 annual research stipend for first-term Tier 2 Chairs.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Through your undergraduate and graduate-level teaching, and your research activities, you will contribute to the faculty’s pursuit of excellence. Furthermore, you will promote your discipline and actively participate in the daily activities of a renowned institution. As a professor and holder of a Canada Research Chair, you will:
- Leverage your leadership in the field of law and artificial intelligence, an area with the potential to generate positive social and economic benefits for Canadians;
- Actively foster co-creation of research projects and initiatives with partners from all sectors (academic, public, private, and non-profit) to increase the application of research outcomes in your field, for the benefit of society at large. You will also facilitate the mobilization and application of the Chair’s research results in diverse ways to stimulate economic growth and social innovation;
- Teach at all levels of study;
- Supervise master’s and doctoral students as well as postdoctoral fellows in the completion of theses and dissertations;
- Take an active role in the activities and leadership of the Faculty’s Laboratoire de cyberjustice;
- Have the opportunity to apply for infrastructure funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI);
- Lead major interfaculty projects with national and international reach;
- Contribute actively Faculty life in relation to teaching, research and governance.
Qualifications
- Hold a PhD in law. This requirement is set by the Université de Montréal; not by the Canada Research Chairs program;
- Be eligible for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs Program;
- Be an exceptional emerging researcher who has demonstrated creativity in research and whose first appointment to an independent research-related academic position occurred less than 10 years prior to the date of nomination. Applicants who are more than 10 years from their first independent academic research-related appointment (and have experienced legitimate career interruptions among other circumstances, by maternity or parental leave, an extended medical leave, or for clinical training) may have their eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair assessed through the program’s Tier 2 justification process;
- Demonstrate the potential to develop cutting-edge expertise and achieve international recognition as a leader in the field of law and artificial intelligence over the next five to ten years;
- Be capable of building and leading ambitious, productive research teams;
- Possess the qualities required to conduct original, innovative, and high-quality research that mobilizes and applies knowledge to deliver social and economic benefits for Canada and beyond;
- Demonstrate the ability to provide interdisciplinary teaching;
- Have the ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary context, in complementarity with faculty members;
- Have adequate proficiency of the French language or be committed to learning it once hired, through the Université de Montréal’s French language support program, in accordance with the Université de Montréal language policy.
Additional information about the position
- Competitive salary and a comprehensive range of benefits;
- Expected start date: June 1st, 2027;
- Located at the Montreal Campus.
How to submit your application
The application file presented must include the following documents, to be submitted from October 19, 2026 to November 20, 2026, inclusively, in a single PDF file:
- A cover letter;
- A curriculum vitae;
- Copies of, or links to, three recent publications or research papers;
- A statement outlining your teaching and mentoring experience and approach;
- A research program proposal;
- Three letters of recommendation submitted directly by the referees to the Faculty.
Contact information
Geneviève Saumier, Dean
Faculty of Law
We encourage you to complete the self-identification questionnaire. More information is available in the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion section at the end of this document.
As per UdeM’s appointment procedures, members of the Assembly of Professors may consult all submitted application files. If you wish your application to remain confidential until the shortlist is established, please mention it in your application.
Link to submit your application: https://www.umontreal.ca/carrieres/professeurs/
https://www.umontreal.ca/public/www/documents/offres_emploi_profs/DRT_CRC_10-26_02_ENG.pdf
HEALTH AND FINANCIAL BENEFITS
- Medical, paramedical, dental and travel insurance
- Employee and Family Assistance Program along with an Institutional Health and Wellness Program
- Defined benefit pension plan with indexed pension payments upon retirement (rrum.umontreal.ca)
- Life insurance and disability income insurance
WORK-LIFE BALANCE
- Up to two years of parental leave
- Reduced workload upon return from parental leave, until the child turns two
- Two on-campus childcare centres
- Summer camps and spring break camps at UdeM’s Sports and Fitness Centre
- Compassionate leave
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Research and study leave
- Research start-up funding
- French language training program
- University-level teaching skills development activities
- Professional development and sabbatical leave allowance program
- Tuition waiver program for you, your spouse, and dependent children
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
The Université de Montréal (UdeM) is committed to an Employment Equity Program and to meeting the requirements for employment equity, equity, diversity and inclusion established by Canada’s three federal research funding agencies. Equity, diversity and inclusion are therefore at the core of the University’s mission, and its vision of diversity extends beyond applicable legal requirements.
The University encourages applications from women, Indigenous Peoples, members of visible or ethnic minorities persons with disabilities, and members of the 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Candidates are also invited to complete the self-identification form. This process directly supports employment equity objectives and helps strengthen the representation of members of these groups within our community.
Completing the self-identification questionnaire is strongly encouraged.
This voluntary initiative aims to foster a diverse and equitable environment. The information provided is essential to improving UdeM’s practices and fulfilling its legal obligations. It is collected and used in strict compliance with applicable federal and provincial laws, remains strictly confidential, and will never be disclosed without your consent. It is used to advance employment equity, recognize the expertise of members of designated groups, and enhance their representation within the UdeM community.
During recruitment, selection tools may also be adapted, on a confidential basis, to meet the needs of persons with disabilities. Candidates requiring accommodation are invited to contact, Marie-Lou Lalime at the Bureau du personnel enseignant (Faculty Office) in complete confidentiality by email (marie-lou.lalime@umontreal.ca) or by phone at 514 343-6111 ext. 5472.
In accordance with current Canadian immigration requirements, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
UdeM acknowledges that certain circumstances may cause career interruptions that legitimately affect an applicant’s record of research. We encourage applicants to note in their applications any circumstances, such as those due to maternity or parental leave, sick leave, caregiving responsibilities, or reduced professional activity due to a chronic illness or disability health or family reasons which will be considered in the review of applications.