School of Law

Loyola University New Orleans, School of Law History

Loyola University of New Orleans School of Law was established in 1914 and is a private institution. The 4.2-acre campus is in an urban area of New Orleans. The primary mission of the law school is to educate future members of the bar to be skilled advocates and sensitive counselors-at-law committed to ethical standards in pursuit of human dignity for all. Students have access to federal, state, county, city, and local agencies, courts, correctional facilities, law firms, and legal aid organizations in the New Orleans area. Facilities of special interest to law students include the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the Supreme Court of the State of Louisiana, the U.S. Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and the Louisiana Legislature. Housing for students is available in a residence hall located directly across the street from the law school building; there is no married student housing on campus. All law school facilities are accessible to the physically disabled.

Loyola University New Orleans, School of Law Academics

In addition to the J.D., the law school offers the LL.M. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration), J.D./M.P.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Administration), and J.D./M.U.R.P. (Juris Doctor/Master of Urban and Regional Planning).

The School of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, entertainment law, environmental law, family law, international law, litigation, maritime law, tax law, civil law, and public interest law. In addition, there are several clinics for third-year students who may earn a total of 9 credit hours for 3 semesters (including the summer semester). At the Public Law Center, students participate in legislative and administrative advocacy, and at the Loyola Law Clinic, students participate in a clinical setting, working on both civil and criminal cases, as well as mediative. Seminars are offered as part of the regular curriculum. Credit is usually 2 hours. Second- and third-year law students in the upper third of their class may participate in externship programs. Students devote at least 12 hours a week to various assignments for a total of 4 credits earned over 2 semesters. Independent research projects may be undertaken under the supervision of a professor for 1 or 2 credit hours, depending on the project. A Street Law course is available. Loyola offers several lecture series that promote the legal profession. No credit is given and attendance is voluntary. There are study-abroad programs in Cuernavaca, Mexico; Brazil or Costa Rica; Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia; Budapest, Hungary; and Vienna, Austria. All programs are open to second- and third-year students who may earn a total of 6 to 8 credits. Second- and third-year students may serve as Teacher Assistants (T.A.) in the Legal Research and Writing and Moot Court programs. The Academic Success Program is maintained for first-year students who need assistance with organizing and preparing for classes and exams. Minority grants based on merit are available. The most widely taken electives are Mediation, Family Law, and Negotiable Instruments.

To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 90 total credits, of which 53 are for required courses. They must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the required courses. The following first-year courses are required of all students: Civil Law Property I or Common Law Property I, Civil Law Property II or Common Law Property II, Civil Procedure I and II, Common Law Contracts for Civil Law Students or Contracts I, Conventional Obligations or Contracts II, Criminal Law, Legal Profession, Legal Research and Writing, Moot Court, and Torts I and II. Required upper-level courses consist of Administration of Criminal Justice I, Business Organizations I, Constitutional Law I, Donations or Civil Law of Persons or Security Rights or Community Property (choose 2), Evidence, Law and Poverty, Sales and Leases (Civil Law Division only), and Successions or Trusts and Estates. Loyola has a mandatory skills curriculum; courses that students must take for 8 skills points are drawn from the following categories: office practice, trial practice, appellate practice, and pro bono practice. The required orientation program for first-year students is held for 8 days prior to the beginning of classes. Students attend a 15-hour Legal Methods course designed to provide the fundamentals of briefing cases, classroom interaction, outlining for exams and other essentials needed to begin law school confidently. Students also complete requirements for registration, receive welcoming remarks from university officials, meet professors, and meet with upper-level students.

In order to graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 2.0, have completed the upper-division writing requirement, and have fulfilled the Perspective requirement 1 of 3 possible courses that give a philosophical and historical perspective on law.

Loyola University New Orleans, School of Law Unique Programs

Library

The law library contains 371,675 hard-copy volumes and 159,168 microform volume equivalents, and subscribes to 3549 serial publications. Such on-line databases and networks as CALI, CIS Universe, DIALOG, Infotrac, Legal-Trac, LEXIS, NEXIS, OCLC First Search, WESTLAW, and Wilsonline Indexes are available to law students for research. Special library collections include French, Quebec, and Scottish law; U.S. government documents and Louisiana state documents; and GATT depository. Recently, the library added 2 new computer laboratories with more than 59 computers and on-line catalog, and wireless Internet access. All new furniture has also been purchased. The ratio of library volumes to faculty is 8849 to 1 and to students is 428 to 1. The ratio of seats in the library to students is 1 to 2.

Special Consideration

The law school recruits minority and disadvantaged students through alumni involvement, recruitment at institutions with traditionally minority-dominated enrollment, the use of CLEO, and the purchase of names and addresses of minority prospects from LSAC. Requirements are not different for out-of-state students. Transfer students must have one year of credit, have attended an ABA-approved law school, and have entering LSAT and undergraduate GPA eligible for acceptance at Loyola and above average law school GPA.

Loyola University New Orleans, School of Law Admissions

In the fall 2007 first-year class, 1333 applied, 893 were accepted, and 320 enrolled. The median LSAT percentile of the most recent first-year class was 48; the median GPA was 3.27 on a scale of 4.0. The lowest LSAT percentile accepted was 23; the highest was 96.

Applicants must take the LSAT. Minimum acceptable GPA is 2.0 on a scale of 4.0. The most important admission factors include LSAT results, GPA, and academic achievement. No specific undergraduate courses are required. Candidates are not interviewed.

The priority application deadline for fall entry is March 1. Applicants should submit an application form, LSAT results, transcripts, a personal statement, a nonrefundable application fee of $40, and 3 letters of recommendation, recommended, but not required. Notification of the admissions decision is 4 to 6 weeks after the file is complete. The latest acceptable LSAT test date for fall entry is generally December for full-time students. The law school uses the LSDAS.

Loyola University New Orleans, School of Law Financial Aid

About 82% of current law students receive some form of aid. The average annual amount of aid from all sources combined, including scholarships, loans, and work contracts, is approximately $35,000; maximum, $50,892. Awards are based on need and merit. Required financial statement is the FAFSA. The aid application deadline for fall entry is June 1. Special funds for minority or disadvantaged students consist of grants based on merit alone. First-year students are notified about their financial aid application at time of acceptance. Scholarship/grant notification is sent with the acceptance letter. Loan notification begins in March and is sent as acceptance is made and complete FAFSA is received.

Loyola University New Orleans, School of Law Students

About 52% of the student body are women; 25%, minorities; 11%, African American; 5%, Asian American; 8%, Hispanic; and 1%, Native American. The majority of students come from Louisiana (57%). The average age of entering students is 25; age range is 21 to 56. About 3% drop out after the first year for academic or personal reasons; 99% remain to receive a law degree.

Students edit the Loyola Law Review, Loyola Journal of Public Interest Law, Maritime Law Journal, Loyola Intellectual Property and High Technology Law Annual, and the newspaper, The Code. Moot court competitions include the National Moot Court Competition, Stetson International Environment Moot Court Competition, and National Mardi Gras Invitational Competition. Other competitions include the William C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Competition, Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition (participation by the Black Law Students Association), the Thomas Tang Competition (participation by the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association), Pepperdine Entertainment Law Competition, Jerome Prince Memorial Evidence Competition, First Amendment Competition, and St. John’ s Duberstein Bankruptcy Competition. Law student organizations, local chapters of national associations, and campus organizations include the Student Bar Association, Black Law Students Association, Hispanic-American Law Students Association, Delta Theta Phi, Phi Delta Phi, National Lawyers Guild, Communications Law Society, JD/MBA Society, and Loyola Environmental Law Society.

The law school operates on a traditional semester basis. For full-time students required courses are offered day only; electives, day and evening and must be completed within 5 years. For part-time students, required courses are offered evening only; electives, day and evening, and must be completed within 5 years. New full- and part-time students are admitted in the fall. There is an 8-week summer session. Transferable summer courses are offered.