Lois Schwartz practiced education law before she returned to academia. She has taught substantive courses and skills courses at a number of law schools in the Bay Area for many years, including Santa Clara, Boalt, Hastings, University of San Francisco, Golden Gate and several California Bar-accredited law schools. During the academic year 2001-2002 she took a break from teaching to serve as the law clerk for the Honorable D. Lowell Jensen at the U.S District Court for the Northern District of California. Following that, she served as a research attorney for the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Since 2005, she has been a full-time member of the faculty at Hastings College of the Law.