by Bradford S. Babbitt
Professors. As a young lawyer, you may wonder why join a group that, until recently, bedeviled
all your waking hours. Yet, membership in this esteemed society won't require you to give up
your budding practice or to get another degree. It will offer the chance to use the expertise
you've gained in practice. Have you considered going back to school as an adjunct professor?
Adjunct professors typically teach one course per semester or year in return for a modest stipend.
They are responsible for preparing the curriculum, teaching the course, evaluating the exams or
papers, and issuing grades. In short, adjuncts do everything full-time professors do, but do so in
addition to their practice.
So why become an adjunct faculty member? It will benefit you both personally and
professionally. On a personal level, teaching challenges your assumptions and requires you to go
back to basics in order to teach others. Teaching will also hone your presentation and persuasion
skills-your students are your jury. Plus, teaching is fun.
On a professional level, becoming an adjunct professor increases your visibility as a leader and
expert in the field. Likewise, teaching a course keeps you at the cutting edge of development in
that area.
To become an adjunct faculty member, try co-teaching a course with a mentor at your firm or a
member of the local legal community who is already teaching. Find someone who is teaching a
subject in which you have some expertise and interest, and ask if you can help. Co-teaching will
give you the security of an established curriculum and the guidance of someone who has already
been through the process. Co-teaching is also a good springboard to a solo professorship because
it will introduce you to the appropriate school officials.
Contact your alma mater, if you practice nearby, to see if it has any adjunct positions available.
Your history with the school will help establish your credentials, and there are bound to be
school officials who remember you (hopefully fondly!).
Also seek out nontraditional teaching opportunities, such as community "law schools" organized
by your state or local bar association. These programs, which meet in the evenings or on
weekends, offer the public a guide to legal process and procedures. They cover a wide range of
subjects-from criminal law to bankruptcy and family law. This avenue will provide a good initial
foray into the teaching profession.
So what should you teach? Teach what you know and like. Adjunct professors often teach
practical courses such as trial practice, moot court, and legal skills like introductory writing and
research. Other courses taught by adjunct faculty include advanced legal writing and
practice-specific courses, such as entertainment law or family law.
Don't limit yourself, how-ever, to teaching America's future lawyers. Teach a course in business
law or family law at the local community college. Teach a tutorial in a specific tax law or
alteration of the tax code. This can give you more direct and immediate professional exposure as
an expert in your field. Your students may be the community business leaders of the future.
Bradford S. Babbitt is an associate with Robinson & Cole LLP in Hartford, CT.
