Please tell me the requirements to teach law classes.

Question

From 1991 to 2019, I was a practicing attorney.

Answer 1

After 28 years of practicing law, you're in a fantastic position to step into the classroom. The main ticket you need is your Juris Doctor (J.D.). While top law schools often look for a heavy record of scholarly publications for their traditional professorships, your deep real-world experience is precisely what they value for teaching practical skills like legal writing or trial advocacy.

Frankly, you're also a perfect fit for teaching pre-law to undergraduates or in a community college's paralegal program, where your hands-on experience is often the most important qualification. A great way to start is by simply reaching out to a local institution to guest lecture or teach a single class as an adjunct to get your foot in the door.