Just to give those on the entry level market some more food for thought, it might be helpful for those being interviewed to give some thought to the scenario where they get a visiting offer rather than a tenure track offer from a school in which they have an interest. It may be that some people will get a visiting offer from a school they are very interested in, and a tenure-track offer from a school they are less interested in, and will have to make a choice. I wouldn't be surprised if more schools are offering visits this year because of the economy, although I have no data to back up that assumption. Some visits may come directly out of the meat market process and some may arise during the spring. So here's some things to think about when contemplating a visiting offer:
1/ Is it a "look see" visit or a podium visit? And if it's a "look see" visit, what precisely does that mean to the school who made the offer ie that the job is yours to lose if things don't go well, or rather than they'll give you very serious consideration when they get around to filling the next permanent slot?
2/ As a visitor, will your teaching load be structured such that you'll have enough time to do some scholarship during the year? And will you get any financial support for scholarship (eg faculty budget for research assistants, conference attendance etc). Will there be a summer stipend attached at either end of the visit?
3/ How integrated into the faculty does the school expect its visitors to be? Are they expected to/welcome to attend faculty meetings, other workshops etc? Are they encouraged to present works in progress to faculty? Will faculty be available to read drafts etc?
4/ Will any support be provided to attend the AALS New Law Teachers' conference if you're interested in doing so?
Other thoughts from anyone else?
I am unfamiliar with the details of these positions: Are visiting positions for one year, generally? Or are there any that would allow for two years (i.e., similar to some of the VAP/fellowships out there)?
That's definitely another question you should ask if a visiting offer arises. Most podium visits will be one year, and most traditional "look see" visits will be one year, but some are more like VAPs and have a longer term, usually two years, although I suppose occasionally someone might be offered a longer term. You might also have a school offer you a one year contract with a strong possibility of an extension depending on their needs, the economy etc. So make sure you ask all these questions if a visit is in the offing.