Almost all candidates go on the job market by participating in the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) application process. Applicants initiate this process by registering for the AALS’s Faculty Appointments Register (also known as “the FAR” or “the AALS database”), a searchable database of law teaching candidates. Candidates register for the database by submitting a form that reiterates much of the information contained in their CVs. Although there are several deadlines for registering for the FAR, it is advantageous to register before the first deadline (usually the first week of August).
Beginning in mid-August, appointments committee members can search the AALS database by candidates’ teaching interests, education, work experience and a number of other factors. Some schools conduct narrowly-targeted searches, while others may review every candidate listed in the database. Most schools use these searches as a starting point for the list of candidates they may interview.
Candidates can also apply directly to schools in which they are especially interested by sending their materials to the chairs of the hiring committees. In mid-August, the Law Teaching Committee provides YLS candidates with contact information for hiring committees at a variety of schools. Candidates can also ask their recommenders to contact colleagues at a small number of schools.