Boston University School of Law is seeking a part-time Lecturer to teach in its Two-Year LLM Program during the fall semester of the 2024-25 academic year. Appointments are for a four-month‑ period, from September to December. The Lecturer in the Two-Year LLM program will teach Advanced Oral Advocacy Skills, a one semester, one-credit, graded course to our international LLM and Legal English Certificate students. The Lecturer is responsible for holding weekly student office hours and for grading and commenting on student work. This course draws on skills acquired in Persuasive Advocacy to further develop students’ understanding of what makes an effective oral argument. Using a hypothetical based on a current U.S. Supreme Court case, students will learn how to identify and prioritize issues, use precedent effectively, and create a roadmap for an argument. The first half of the course will focus on drafting a persuasive outline, followed by training on the methods and techniques that lawyers use to convince a judge or jury through oral advocacy. Students will engage in numerous practice oral arguments that will be critiqued by the instructor and their peers. The culminating activity will be participation in the LLM Internal Moot Court Competition where students will be judged by an independent panel.

Lecturers must commit themselves to devote approximately ten to fifteen hours each week, including monthly Two-Year LLM faculty meetings, held once a month to fulfill their teaching responsibilities. While the expenditure of time in the Program is compatible with the requirements of law practice, there are peak periods of commitment in the semester for which the lecturer must be prepared. Before applying, a practicing attorney should assess carefully whether he or she can make such a time-consuming commitment.

The curriculum for this program is designed by the Faculty Director and focuses on the strategies essential for success in an English-language moot court. The Director also provides the majority of the teaching materials. Lecturers are encouraged to develop some of their own materials, which allows them not only to enhance their students' immediate learning experience but also to contribute to the overall improvement of the program. Accepting an appointment to this position signifies a substantial commitment to the School of Law and demonstrates the faculty’s confidence in the candidate's potential to be a successful legal educator.

Required Skills

Applicants for the position must possess a J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school and at least two years' practice experience. In addition, experience working with foreign-trained lawyers and/or ESL teaching experience is strongly preferred.

Applicants must submit a resume and cover letter no later than July 31, 2024 to: rlpendle@bu.edu. No phone inquiries please.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor .

Required Experience