Lecturer in Law

Weekly Working Hours:  37

Fixed Term Contract: End Date: Not Applicable

Welsh Language: Not Applicable

Job Description: 

About the Role

Applications are sought from candidates able to contribute to the growth of The Open University Law School. With teaching and research expertise in the foundations of legal knowledge (England & Wales), you will be able to contribute to teaching on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and short courses.

You will make an active contribution to research through publications, research grant applications, PhD supervision and knowledge exchange activities. You will be expected to be developing a trajectory of 3* (REF standard) publications and working towards attracting external funding. You will also be expected to engage with policymakers and/ or practitioner communities to increase the public impact of your research.

There are two posts available. The start date for both posts will be 1st August 2025. The posts are contractually based at the Milton Keynes campus, but applications will be considered from candidates based in the UK or Republic of Ireland. Regular attendance on campus is required, with both the cost and travel time incurred being the responsibility of the employee and not compensated by the University.

Applications from candidates with expertise in the following areas are particularly encouraged:

• Land Law
• Equity and Trusts
• Commercial Law
• SQE 1 (Functioning Legal Knowledge 1 & 2)
• Family

Please Note: We may close this job advert earlier than the published closing date where a satisfactory number of applications are received. We would therefore encourage early applications.

Key Responsibilities

You will be required to:

• Contribute to the creation of online teaching modules (undergraduate, postgraduate, and short courses)
• Contribute to the presentation of teaching modules (undergraduate, postgraduate and short courses), including setting and overseeing of assessment materials which are clear, accessible and inclusive
• Undertake research and produce publications relevant to University research, scholarship and knowledge exchange strategies
• Contribute to supervision of PhD students
• Contribute to income diversification to support research and teaching
• Participate in external engagement events and promotion opportunities to enhance the Law School’s profile
• Contribute to monitoring of the quality of tuition, assessment and online student support
• Play a full part in the academic life of the Law School
• Serve as requested on Law School, Faculty and University committees

Essential Requirements

• Hold a Doctorate, or be close to completion, in a relevant discipline
• An undergraduate law degree or equivalent
• A postgraduate qualification or equivalent
• Teaching experience in higher education reflecting the ability to teach modules across the OU Law School’s LLB and LLM programmes
• Clear evidence of the ability to structure and write complex law teaching and assessment materials in English for online asynchronous delivery in an accurate, accessible and engaging manner suitable for students with a wide range of prior learning experiences
• Evidence of a developing trajectory of 3* (REF standard) publications
• A commitment to conducting high quality research, evidenced by current and/or planned projects, a pipeline of relevant research outputs and/or evidence of applying for external funding and / or knowledge exchange activity
• An ability to work effectively both with other academics and with academic support staff in module and project teams, forming good working relationships
• The ability to work proactively and independently and to manage own workload to meet tight deadlines
• A commitment to, and understanding of, equal opportunities and accessibility, reflected in approach that makes learning open to all

Please see the full job description here: Job Description

Please click 'Apply’ button above to be redirected to our application page.

To apply for this role please submit a personal statement, up to 1,000 words, demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria for this role, and a CV.

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength.  We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.

Closing Date: Midnight on 3rd February 2025