Loyola University New Orleans College of Law

Introduction

It is a rare combination of wide-ranging programs of study, real-life opportunities, and a commitment to the community that makes Loyola University New Orleans College of Law stand apart. It is an institution that trains lawyers to think critically and be advocates for social justice. The entire Loyola law school community provides an atmosphere for our students to excel, succeed, and become productive members of legal communities across the country. It is a school where students have the opportunity to learn from a prestigious faculty, participate in many activities to hone their practical lawyering skills, and serve the New Orleans community through our many clinical offerings.

Loyola New Orleans is a Catholic institution of higher learning in the Jesuit tradition. The College of Law was established in 1914, approved by the ABA in 1931, and has been a member of the AALS since 1934. The College of Law is committed to excellence in legal education in the tradition of its spiritual heritage, with the goal being wisdom, not mere technical competence. The law school welcomes all persons who strive for the truth and who are prepared to challenge all assumptions in light of this commitment.

Physical Facilities and Library

Loyola University has two campuses, both located approximately five miles from the historic French Quarter. The 20-acre main campus, in the heart of the uptown residential community, faces the nationally recognized Audubon Park and Zoo. The 4.2-acre Broadway campus is the home of the College of Law, including the newly renovated Broadway Building (completed in 2011), which is the new home of our Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice and Career Development and Law Practice Center.

The law library's collection of over 371,000 volumes and microform equivalents supports the curriculum and research needs of the students. The library has extensive computer facilities in place to access information outside its confines. The Online Catalog Library Center service permits the library to access a national bibliographic database of over 10 million publications. The law library houses two computer labs equipped with 59 personal computers on a network with access to the Internet, LexisNexis, Westlaw, e-mail, and other computer resources; remote-controlled viewing/listening rooms; and a computerized legal research room.

Curriculum and Special Programs

The curricula at Loyola New Orleans have been shaped by Louisiana's unique role as the only state in the union that has a legal system based on significant elements of both the civil law and common law traditions. The civil law was imported into Louisiana during the 18th century, when it was first a colony of France, and later, Spain. As a result of Louisiana's unique legal heritage, Loyola New Orleans has developed separate curricula: civil law and common law, both full-time and part-time. It is important to note that the Loyola New Orleans JD degree will allow a graduate to sit for the bar in any of the 50 states, without regard for the curriculum chosen. Loyola offers a Certificate in Common Law Studies and a Certificate in Civil Law Studies for students who wish to acquire a foundation in both disciplines. Full-time students are required to be in residence for a minimum of six full semesters. The normal time frame for part-time students is eight semesters and one summer session. At the graduate level, the law school offers an LLM for International Students for graduates of non-US law schools.

Law Skills and Experiential Learning Program—Loyola has one of the most unique and far-reaching professional lawyering skills programs in the country. Recognizing hands-on, learn-by-doing opportunities that develop the future practitioner's skills to be as important as traditional academic studies, the curriculum incorporates specialized courses and the expertise of attorneys and judges. Currently, over 100 members of the bench and bar teach in the skills curriculum. Skills courses are offered tuition free, and students are required to complete eight skills credits but may complete as many above those required as they choose. Practical experiences will also be incorporated into the traditional law classes starting in the first year.

International Law—Loyola has summer sessions on four continents and in six countries, established ties with a number of important foreign law schools, sent its professors to teach or lecture at law schools in more than a dozen foreign countries, and hosted lectures by a number of professors from non-US law schools. Summer courses are taught in special five-week, summer-abroad sessions in Mexico and Eastern Europe (Russia, Hungary, and Austria). There are two- and three-week sessions offered each summer in Brazil or Costa Rica. Students may obtain a Certificate in International Legal Studies. There are seminar courses that have short trips abroad to Austria, Italy, and Turkey.

Public Interest Law—As part of Loyola's Jesuit commitment to social justice, the law school provides many courses and activities as part of this specialty, including the very active Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice. Most of the public interest focus falls under the umbrella of the Gillis Long Poverty Law Center. A loan forgiveness program is available for graduates working in eligible public interest employment.

Environmental Law—Loyola received a $2 million grant to establish a faculty chair for environmental law. A nationally renowned scholar heads the Loyola Center for Environmental Law and Land Use, which was created to address legal issues relative to economic development, environmental protection, and the public's role in environmental policy issues. A certificate in environmental law is available.

Tax Law—Loyola recently established a certificate program designed to certify students in this area of law and assist those students who may choose to pursue an LLM in Tax upon graduation.

Other Areas of Significant Emphasis—Other areas of significant emphasis include corporate law and maritime law.

Clinical Education—The law clinic is a vital component of the law school. Students chosen to participate in the senior-year program will be assigned cases, both civil and criminal, and will be expected to prepare them for trial prior to actually participating in the trial process. The areas of law practiced in the clinic are criminal (both prosecution and defense), immigration, family law, workplace justice, mediation, and community justice. Upper-division students also have an opportunity to serve as judicial clerks in the federal extern program.

Joint-Degree Programs—Loyola offers three combined degrees: JD/Master of Business Administration, JD/Master of Public Administration, and JD/Master of Urban and Regional Planning.

Scholarly Publications and Student Activities

The Loyola Law Review is published by a student editorial board and includes student work and articles written by specialists from the practicing bar and academic community. Staff membership is based on scholarship and interest in legal writing.

The Loyola University New Orleans Journal of Public Interest Law is devoted to issues faced by the poor, children, the elderly, and all others who are unable to afford legal representation.

The Loyola Intellectual Property and High Technology Law Annual is a scholarly publication focusing on current legal issues in patents, copyrights, trademarks, and technology law.

The Loyola Maritime Law Journal provides an avenue for research and writing in the field of maritime law. Staff membership is based on scholarship.

The Moot Court Board, selected from prior years' competitions, is responsible for the Moot Court Program. Teams are entered each year in competitions. Loyola teams have an impressive winning record in a wide variety of local, regional, national, and international competitions.

There are a number of student organizations, including, but not limited to, three legal fraternities as well as the Intellectual Property Law Society, Sports and Entertainment Law Society, and Health Care Law Society.

Admission

The law school begins processing applications for admission on September 1 each year. The first decision letters are generally released in December. The admission decision is based on an initial evaluation of a combination of the LSAT score and the undergraduate cumulative grade-point average. Additionally, the undergraduate institution attended, the undergraduate major, and any grade trends will be taken into consideration. Also included in the evaluation will be the required personal statement, letters of recommendation, and résumés, all of which may present a more illuminating portrait of the applicant's skills and accomplishments. Competition for acceptance to the law school is high, thus all information provided is used to make the final admission decision.

Career Services

The Career Development and Law Practice Center offers a variety of services to both students and alumni. The office maintains and operates a career-planning center, assists students in preparing résumés, videotapes mock interviews, and conducts seminars on career planning, employment opportunities, and interviewing techniques. The office actively solicits job opportunities for summer and school-term clerkships, as well as employment options for each year's graduating class.

Applicant Profile

Loyola University New Orleans College of Law

This grid includes only applicants who earned 120–180 LSAT scores under standard administrations.

LSAT Score	3.75+	3.50–3.74	3.25–3.49	3.00–3.24	2.75–2.99	2.50–2.74	2.25–2.49	2.00–2.24	Below 2.00
	GPA
LSAT score 175–180	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 170–174	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 165–169	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 160–164	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 155–159	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 150–154	Good	Good	Possible	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 145–149	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 140–144	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 135–139	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 130–134	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 125–129	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 120–124	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely

Good = Good Possibility

Possible = Possible

Unlikely = Unlikely