Visiting Scholar 2027-2028

American Bar Foundation•Chicago, IL

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The American Bar Foundation (ABF) invites scholars to join its intellectual community on a temporary visiting basis for the 2027-2028 academic year. This opportunity is ideal for national and international scholars on leave or sabbatical who wish to engage with a diverse sociolegal research environment and utilize excellent facilities. ABF Visiting Scholars are provided with an office or workspace, opportunities for collegial interaction, and library access. While no stipend is offered, visitors are expected to actively participate in the intellectual life of the ABF community, including attending the weekly Wednesday speaker series. The ABF prefers visitors who can commit to full-time residence for all or part of the academic year, though summer visits are also possible. Preference will be given to scholars whose research aligns with the ABF's mission to advance justice through innovative, interdisciplinary, and rigorous empirical research on law, legal processes, and legal institutions. The program is open to scholars across all social science disciplines, law, and social science-adjacent humanities, irrespective of their institutional appointment. The ABF particularly encourages applications from individuals belonging to historically underrepresented groups in sociolegal research, who can contribute to the community through their scholarship, mentorship, and/or service.

Requirements

Scholars on leave or sabbatical.
Ability to be on-site at the ABF (preferred full-time residence for all or part of the academic year, summer visits possible).
Scholarship aligns with the ABF's mission to expand knowledge and advance justice through innovative, interdisciplinary, and rigorous empirical research on law, legal processes, and legal institutions.
Scholars in all social science disciplines, law, and the social science adjacent humanities.
Submission of a single PDF containing: a letter of application (including preferred dates and on-site limitations), a curriculum vitae, a brief (no more than 2-page) description of current research and the proposed topic, and a list of three references.
Applicants from historically underrepresented groups and backgrounds in sociolegal research are encouraged.

Nice To Haves

Full-time residence at the ABF for all or part of the academic year.

Responsibilities

Participate in the intellectual life of the ABF community.
Attend the ABF’s weekly Wednesday speaker series.
Conduct research aligned with the ABF's mission.
Contribute to the ABF community through scholarship, mentorship, and/or service.