Adjunct Lecturer in Law - Fundamentals of Entertainment Law

USC Gould School of Law is seeking an adjunct co-instructor to teach an undergraduate law class, LAW 311 Fundamentals of Entertainment Law during the Fall 2026 semester from August 24 to December 4, 2026 (final exam period from Wed-Wed, Dec 9-16). The class is scheduled to be held in person, on campus on Fridays from 10:00AM to 1:40PM.

Candidates must have a JD and strong legal professional backgrounds in the relevant subject matter, preferably with teaching experience. The course will be taught exclusively to enrolled undergraduate students.

Fundamentals of Entertainment Law (4 units)

The course examines the key legal principles that govern the entertainment industry. Students will be able to explore the legal challenges faced by professionals in music, film, sports, gaming, and other areas of entertainment. The course will involve a foundational coverage of the following areas: Entertainment contracts, intellectual property rights, rights of publicity, defamation, and artist representation.

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

Fall Semester 2026 (68 instructional days)

Classes Begin: Mon, August24

Labor Day Holiday: Mon, September7

Fall Recess: Thu-Fri, October 8-9

Veterans Day Holiday: Wed, November 11

Thanksgiving Holiday: Wed-Sun, November 25-29

Classes End: Fri, December4

Study Days: Sat-Tue, December 5-8

Exams: Wed-Wed, December 9-16

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 Gould School of Law (Gould) considers candidates that demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC's Unifying Values. 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.

The base salary range for this position is $2,433.66 - $12,250.00 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.