I have an English Law degree - how can I teach law in Europe?

Question

I am an American and have recently graduated with a Law degree from England. I want to spend some time abroad - anywhere in Europe really, and want to teach. Does anyone know of school or universities in Europe that teach Law in English?

Answer 1

Your question is interesting because I am also an American who is going to be graduating with an LLM from a European university and I have spoken to professors and other knowledgeable persons regarding the law profession in continental Europe.  

First, unlike the US, you must have a PhD to teach law in European universities.  Second, outside of the UK, which is a case law jurisdiction, the continental European countries have variants on the civil law model.  Therefore, many of the law schools are not necessarily friendly to individuals with degrees from jurisdictions where the case law model is used.  

Nevertheless, you may want to look at universities with LLM programs in continental Europe, as these programs are usually in English.  See the following universities:

Leiden (Netherlands)

Utrecht (Netherlands)

Lund (Sweden)

CEU (Hungary)

Hautes Etudes (Switzerland)

Please also note that the way that you progress along the professorial ladder is very different than in the US.  In Europe, you must be a lecturer, then senior lecturer before receiving the title of professor.  The pay scales are also very low compared to the United States.

Best of wishes for success in your quest for a job.