Alex Erwin (Florida International), So You Want to be an Environmental Law Professor …: An Empirical Analysis of the Environmental Law Hiring Market from 2011 – 2022, 49 Ecology L. Currents __ (2022):
Using data collected by Professor Sarah Lawsky for her annual entry level hiring report, I analyzed trends in the hiring of environmental law professors (“ELPs”) from 2011 – 2022.
Key findings include:
- 2022 was a strong year for ELP hiring – 11 ELPs were hired. This made up 9% of the total market.
- 60% of new ELPs attended a “T-14” school for their initial law degree – this is lower than the percentage of new hires from “T-14” schools across the market as a whole (75%).
- 92% of new ELPs had a fellowship and/or an additional degree.
- Additional degrees were more common among new ELPs (79%) than across the market as a whole (58%).
- Since 2017, 50% of new ELPs possessed a doctorate degree.
- Clerkships were less common among ELPs (43%) than across the market as a whole (57%).
- 66% of new ELPs practiced law in some capacity before entering academia.
- Women made up 60% of ELP hires, while they made up only 46% of hires across the market as a whole
With this analysis, I provide insight into the hiring market for environmental law professors. I hope this analysis is useful and edifying for both aspiring environmental law professors and those in positions of hiring authority within the academy.
