Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center

Introduction

The Louisiana State University (LSU) Law Center was originally established as the Louisiana State University Law School in 1906, pursuant to an authorization contained in the university charter. In 1979, the Law Center was renamed the Paul M. Hebert Law Center of Louisiana State University. The Law Center holds membership in the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) and is on the approved list of the American Bar Association (ABA).

Library and Physical Facilities

The Law Center, constructed in 1936 and dedicated in 1938, has added extensive facilities since its original construction. Both buildings were vastly renovated over several years at a cost in excess of $17 million and were completed in 2004. The renovated complex provides classroom areas, seminar and discussion rooms, meeting areas, and a courtroom and Law Clinic. The Law Clinic is a self-contained legal services office located in the Law Center where students are certified to practice law pursuant to Louisiana Supreme Court Rule XX. Separate offices for student research and student activities, such as the Louisiana Law Review, Moot Court Board, and Student Bar Association, are included in the facility. In addition to the standard Anglo-American legal materials, the library has substantial collections of foreign, international, and comparative law. It is also a selective depository for US government documents and Louisiana documents. Library resources include reading and discussion rooms, study carrels, an electronic classroom for research training, and wireless access throughout the building. Students also have access to other campus facilities, including the LSU Student Health Center, residential housing, and the Student Recreation Complex. The Law Center is located on the main campus of LSU in close proximity to the undergraduate campus and other units with which the Law Center has joint-degree or cocurricular programs.

Curriculum

LSU Law students are trained rigorously in the same common law and federal law subjects that are taught at other leading American law schools, leading to the award of the Juris Doctor degree. The curriculum also reflects the Law Center’s role as a curator of the civil law. Students interested in pursuing advanced study of the civil law may elect to pursue an optional Graduate Diploma in Comparative Law (DCL) by taking courses that offer an extensive comparison of the law under the two legal systems.

Study-Abroad Programs

As part of its mission of training its student body in both the American common law and the civil law that governs the majority of jurisdictions in the global community, the Paul M. Hebert Law Center develops and promotes study-abroad opportunities. These can take the form of summer programs, a semester abroad at a foreign institution, or international externships. These programs aim at enhancing participating students’ comparative legal skills and understanding of international law, promoting through life experience the understanding of foreign legal systems and cultures, and favoring contact and interaction with legal actors in different parts of the world. Studying abroad provides the students with a broader perspective from which to approach their legal education and future careers.

Currently, the Law Center has partnered with the following universities:

Europe

• University of Essex *
• Université Jean Moulin—Lyon III, France *
• Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
• Università degli Studi dell’Insubria, Como, Italy
• Tilburg University, Netherlands *

South America

• Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
• Universidad Austral, Buenos Aires, Argentina *
• Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru
• Pontifical Catholic University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil *

* Indicates that the university offers classes in English.

Special Programs

A wide variety of courses afford each student the opportunity to participate in the preparation and trial of mock cases, both civil and criminal, and also to develop skills in legal negotiation and counseling. LSU Law sponsors and encourages student participation in national trial and appellate competitions throughout the school year.

In cooperation with the Center for Continuing Professional Development, the Law Center presents seminars, institutes, and conferences for practicing lawyers.

The LSU Law Center admits candidates for the Master of Laws (LLM) degree. This program is highly selective and admits students with exceptional ability.

Admission

The Admissions Committee considers many factors in reaching admission decisions. While the quantitative predictors of success in law school (performance on the LSAT and the undergraduate GPA of applicants) are heavily weighed factors in the admission decision, the Admissions Committee considers many other factors, such as the ability to analyze and write well, as demonstrated by the personal statement and the written portion of the LSAT; two letters of recommendation from teachers or others who can express an opinion on the applicant’s aptitude for the study of law; the rigor of the undergraduate program of study and grade trends; extracurricular activities; work experience or military service; social and economic background; and other evidence of an applicant’s aptitude for the study of law and likely contribution to academic and community life. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university is required for admission.

Applicants are advised to take the LSAT in June, and no later than December, prior to the year in which they seek admission to the Law Center. The LSU Law Center admits students only in the fall and only for full-time study. There are no night courses offered. Transfer applications are considered.

Louisiana State University assures equal opportunity for all qualified persons without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or veteran’s status in the admission to, participation in, or employment in the programs and activities that the university operates.

Joint Programs

In addition to earning a JD/DCL, LSU Law students may also earn a Master of Mass Communication (MMC) degree through the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication, or a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Public Administration (MPA), or MS in Finance, through the LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business. The combined-degree programs are typically completed in four years. Applicants must apply to each institution separately.

Student Activities

The Louisiana Law Review was established to encourage high quality legal scholarship in the student body, to contribute to the development of the law through scholarly criticism and analysis, and to serve the bar of Louisiana through comments and discussion of current cases and legal programs. It is edited by a board of student editors with faculty cooperation.

The Journal of Energy Law and Resources (JELR) is a student-edited academic journal focusing broadly on energy and its relationship to other areas of law. The JELR was created to promote the study of energy law and the effects of technological innovation on a local, national, and international level. Student editors are selected annually by considering participation in an annual write-on competition and academic performance, and all students interested in energy law are encouraged to participate in the competition.

The Louisiana Chapter of the Order of the Coif, a national honorary law fraternity, was established at the Law Center in 1942. Election to the Order of the Coif is recognized as the highest honor a law student may receive.

Because a large number of graduates of the Law Center go directly into practice, the LSU Law Center has an extensive Trial Advocacy Program in which moot court training is offered both for trial work and in appellate argument.

Students have an opportunity to be a part of more than 30 student organizations representing a variety of interests, including, but not limited to, the Public Interest Law Society (PILS), the International Law Society, the Federalist Society, the Black Law Students Association, the American Constitution Society, the Environmental Law Society, and the Tax Club.

All students at the Law Center are members of the Student Bar Association. This association promotes and coordinates student activities within the Law Center and serves as an instructional medium for postgraduate bar association activities.

Expenses and Financial Aid

The Admissions and Scholarship Committee automatically considers all admitted students for scholarship support. Scholarships range from $2,000 to full-tuition awards. Awards are offered to applicants whom the committee believes will best contribute to the academic and community life of the Law Center.

Student loans are available to help qualified students who need financial assistance to continue their education. Detailed information on all loan funds may be secured by contacting

LSU Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Student Aid
1146 Pleasant Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 70803

Career Services

The Career Services Office is dedicated to enhancing the personal growth and professional opportunities for law students and alumni through individual counseling, workshops, and events. Employers from across the United States, including private law firms, governmental agencies, state and federal judges, nonprofit organizations, and corporations recruit students yearly from the LSU Law Center through visits to the campus, consortiums, and job fairs. More than 150 legal employers visit the school each year to recruit LSU Law Center students.