Current Court Cases (2 units) – Lecturer Posting for USC’s Capital Campus

USC Gould School of Law is seeking a part-time lecturer to teach an undergraduate law class in Washington D.C. at USC’s Capital Campus location - Current Court Cases (2 units). The instructor will begin work this fall 2025 to develop the course. The instructor will then teach the course during the spring 2026 semester, from Jan 12 to May 1, 2026 (final exam period May 6-13). The class will be held on USC’s Capital Campus once a week in the evenings from 6:00 to 7:50PM either on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday depending on the candidate’s availability. The schedule is firm so candidates must be able to teach on campus at the scheduled time.

Candidates should have strong legal professional backgrounds, preferably with teaching experience. The course will be taught exclusively to enrolled undergraduate students. A Juris Doctor degree or PhD is required.

Course Description:

This course will expose students to the process by which cases are litigated, including litigation at all levels of the federal system. The bulk of the course will address cases that are being decided in the current year, including cases at the Courts of Appeals and the Supreme Court. Students will review cases on a variety of issues. Students will read decisions and background information to understand the political climate in which the court is making these contemporary decisions. In addition to learning about the basic elements of a legal opinion (procedural history, issue, holding) and the role of concurrences and dissents, students will explore the actual legal issues discussed in each case. The focus will be on understanding the precise issue that the court is addressing and the scope of the court’s ultimate decision. These cases will range across a number of areas to expose the student to the broad impact of litigation on American society.

This class may be postponed to a later semester if there are fewer than 6 students enrolled.

Spring 2026 Academic Calendar

Classes Begin

Mon

January 12

Martin Luther King’s Birthday Holiday

Mon

January 19

President’s Day Holiday

Mon

February 16

Spring Recess

Sun-Sun

March 15-22

Classes End

Fri

May 1

Study Days

Sat-Tue

May 2-5

Exams

Wed-Wed

May 6-13

Final Grading Deadline

Tue

May 19

USC reserves the “Adjunct” appointment for faculty teaching less than full-time at USC, who are employed full-time in a primary profession or career elsewhere. Adjunct faculty typically teach only one course per year but, in exceptional cases, may teach one course per semester, if approved by the dean.

To ensure compliance with federal, state or local regulatory requirements as well as university policy and procedures, Adjunct Lecturers are required to complete specific training requirements as a condition of employment. Adjuncts Lecturers must complete mandated training by a required deadline. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination, in accordance with the Faculty Handbook. Trainings that are required for all faculty and staff include USC’s Harassment Prevention Training at the time of hire and every two years thereafter, USC’s Integrity and Accountability Code Training at the time of hire, Information Security training annually, and Workplace Violence Prevention Plan training annually. A variety of other trainings may be required based on specific job responsibilities.

https://policy.usc.edu/training-requirements-and-opportunities/

https://employees.usc.edu/learn-grow/learning-and-professional-development/required-training/

The base salary range for this position is $2,376 - $5,500 per semester. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the number of units per course, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

The Gould School of Law (Gould) considers candidates that demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC’s Unifying Values (link). Gould holds a unique position in society, and within the university, as every aspect of these principles are influenced by and can be protected through legal rules and institutions.  At Gould, we are proudly committed to maintaining a community in which each person respects the rights of others to live, work, and learn in peace and dignity, to be proud of who and what they are, and to have equal opportunity to realize their full potential as individuals and members of society.