Law professor (JD/Phd) Forum

[Br3v]

In undergrad. Been set on law school awhile, however I've also had the idea of pursuing a phd in economics with the hope of being a professor. I'm beginning to realize however that I think I like the idea of teaching as a professor, and though I do enjoy economics, I love law (coming from a 0L mind you haha) I think pursuing a career as a law professor would be a perfect fit.

I know to be a professor TLS pretty much wraps it up as saying Harvard or Yale. Is this really the only options? Also would pursuing a joint degree (JD amd eco phd) place me in a better position to pursue a career as a law professor?

[dimreturns]

Chicago for jd/phd in econ = academia dominance.

Of course a phd in econ from chicago, both from the perspectives of admission and completion, is a lot harder than YLS.

I'd focus on the phd in econ if you want to teach. An econ phd can get you a professorship at a law school, a JD cannot get you a professorship in an econ department. Econ phd gives you a lot more options strictly for academia.

[bdubs]

Are you well qualified for both?

You don't absolutely have to have gone to HYSC or even a T14, but it's going to make it more likely that you can wind up in a position you will be happy in.

Most T14 schools have good economics doctorate programs, and obviously have good JD programs. Harvard would be at the top of the heap, but very few people are qualified for both programs there.

[dimreturns]

Are you well qualified for both?

You don't absolutely have to have gone to HYSC or even a T14, but it's going to make it more likely that you can wind up in a position you will be happy in.

Most T14 schools have good economics doctorate programs, and obviously have good JD programs. Harvard would be at the top of the heap, but very few people are qualified for both programs there.

True, but I'd say that there aren't any fewer people that are qualified for both than there are that are qualified for the econ... the econ qualification is the tougher/more limiting factor. Anyone that can get into Harvard, Chicago, etc. for econ has a good enough gpa and is certainly smart enough to crush the LSAT for the respective JD admission. I'd really focus on the phd - tougher nut to crack and more valuable (for your goals).

[Helmholtz]

Talked to a guy a couple weeks ago who did his econ phd at one of the top 5 econ grad programs and is now a prof at a T10 UG. In terms of overall reputation, obviously you're going to be best off with schools like Harvard and Chicago. You'll probably have to write off UVA and GULC since they both have pretty embarrassing econ grad programs (Cornell and Duke to a lesser degree, but still...). Also, I think that people underestimate the skills that go into a JD program versus an econ grad program. There are a hell of a lot of people out there who would be brilliant at one, but not so great with the other. The guy I talked to was honestly kind of shocked that the trendy thing in legal hiring today is to hire JD/Econ phds since they are so completely different. And I'm also sort of waiting for this Law & Econ thing to lose some of its steam at some point. Who knows when.

[soitgoes9]

Northwestern has a combined program that is funded, so that could be an option. but i have no idea about the quality of the econ program.

[SemperLegal]

And I'm also sort of waiting for this Law & Econ thing to lose some of its steam at some point. Who knows when.

A few years after Judge Posner dies.