<p>could a law prof both litigate and teach/research? i've always thought that it's either one or the other at any time, but never both. however i saw Prof Kathleen Sullivan's wikipedia entry:</p>
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Kathleen Marie Sullivan (born August 20, 1955), one of America's leading scholars in constitutional law, is a professor at the Stanford Law School **and **currently practices appellate litigation at Quinn Emanuel Urquart Oliver & Hedges, LLP, a law firm in California.
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<p>that confuses me. does that mean she is employed by two different organisations on a full-time basis? her Stanford bio says she's a full professor; her law firm website lists her as a Partner. what gives?</p>
<p>Law professors often teach only one class at a time--this gives them time to pursue research and/or other interests. A lot of professors work on the occasional case, consult with government agencies, help with political campaigns, etc. The professor you mention probably doesn't have a caseload as high as other partners at her firm, but she may bring other things to the firm--good connections or a boost to their reputation.</p>
<p>There are many attorneys in private practice who teach a course or two at law school--usually referred to as adjunct professors--just because they love to teach. I was lucky enough to have as my torts professor one of the premier litigators in the big city in which I attended law school--and he was fabulous. I also took a corporate tax course from a practicing lawyer--and was so captivated by his teaching that I actually considered (for about 3 seconds until I came to my senses)the idea of getting a masters in tax law.</p>
<p>Also note that "appellate litigation" is not trial work. Appeals consist of preparing briefs and and having a fairly short oral argument before an appellate court, and the work is something that can be done by a law professor even if she has a full teaching schedule.</p>
<p>Alan Dershowitz (sp??) is one of the most famous law professors in the country - Harvard, of course - and still tries cases from time to time, most (in)famously the Claus Von Bulow murder trial in I think the late 80's or early 90's. I think the best analogy is that of a popular writer who holds a position teaching in a college's creative writing program; it wouldn't behoove the college to demand the professor teach more courses at the expense of his writing.</p>