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Olivas Faculty Recruitment Initiative

The Olivas Faculty Recruitment Initiative (FRI) is an effort by several law faculty leaders from around the country designed to provide resources and support to law students interested in entering the legal academy. The FRI seeks to support all law students interested in teaching regardless of background.

Impactful Mentorship

The FRI provides law students with faculty mentorship from among more than 100 professionals. Mentors “adopt” individual candidates and provide guidance on writing, professional development and candidates’ participation in regional law conferences.

More than a dozen law deans actively support this Initiative. The FRI also provides helpful guidance on LLM programs and other career-building opportunities.

Interested candidates should contact Professor Ediberto Roman at romane@fiu.edu.

External Resources

The Association of American Laws Schools (AALS) provides a host of resources, including holding an annual recruiting conference for aspiring law professors.

Visit the AALS website

Testimonials

I cannot say enough about how much the FRI assisted me in entering the academy. After almost a decade practicing law, I needed guidance from seasoned academics who are familiar with the norms and unwritten rules of law school hiring. Professor Roman was incredibly accessible and matched me with the legendary Michael Olivas as a mentor; I am immensely grateful to have received the wisdom and active support of the FRI's namesake. I look forward to paying it forward as an associate professor.

Jonathan Harris, Loyola Law School at Loyola Marymount University

The FRI was vital in facilitating my transition from full-time lecturer to tenure-track professor. After many years of teaching, I was familiar with the academic world but not with the faculty recruitment process. Professor Roman paired me with an exceptional mentor, Matt Bruckner, who helped me navigate the screening and callback processes and shared strategies that yielded success. Working with Matt helped me to understand my strengths and to anticipate the questions that were sure to come my way. I’m extremely grateful to Professors Roman and Bruckner, and to the FRI for providing this structural support. I look forward to joining the FRI as a mentor next year.

Susan E. Provenzano, Georgia State University College of Law

I cannot thank Ediberto Roman and the Olivas Faculty Recruitment Initiative enough for their support, encouragement, and advice.  Professor Roman's tireless efforts to support professors from all backgrounds within the legal academy is unparalleled, in my opinion.

Andre Smith, Washington College of Law at American University

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the goal of the FRI?

    To assist highly qualified law faculty candidates in their efforts to enter the academy. While we will assist any person interested in a mentor, our emphasis is to assist non-traditional candidates.

  • Who is eligible for the program?

    Any law student or recent law grad interested in entering the legal academy. We will not turn anyone away. Our mentors are honest in their support, however.

    If we believe a candidate will need to improve their application by attaining an advanced degree, such as an LLM, SJD, or Ph.D., we will advise the candidate to pursue such paths. The legal academy is extremely competitive, and thus, only the most qualified candidates are hired. We at FRI aim to improve the chances of the best qualified, especially.

  • How do I become an FRI fellow?

    Interested persons should contact Professor Ediberto Roman at romane@fiu.edu. In your email, please put "FRI" in the subject line. After initial email exchanges, he typically arranges a phone conference with each potential fellow.

    Once that call is made, Professor Roman will seek to match the new FRI fellow with a mentor. The mentor reaches out to the fellow and they work together on gathering information on interests and potential. That effort may include reviewing writing samples, assisting with the faculty recruitment process, conducting mock interviews and reviewing all submissions each mentee submits to law schools.

  • What does the FRI cost?

    There is a finder’s fee every FRI fellow must pay as a commitment to broadening access to our initiative. In addition, the FRI asks that each fellow, once becoming a law professor, agree to assist future fellows and provide testimonials concerning the FRI.

  • Who is the Olivas FRI named after?

    Our program is named after Dr. Michael Olivas, a Latino legal scholar who played a major role in advancing immigration rights and universal access to receiving and providing education.

    Read more about Dr. Olivas