Loyola University New Orleans - College of Law

The University

Loyola University New Orleans is a Jesuit university founded in 1912 by the Society of Jesus.

Loyola is a medium-sized, comprehensive university with a total enrollment of 5,900 students comprised of 3,800 undergraduate students, 850 law students, and 2,000 graduate students and students in other classifications. The faculty numbers 300 full-time and 200 part-time. Loyola’s student body is geographically diverse. Students represent all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 62 foreign countries, representing a wide range of ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds.

The Law School

The Loyola University New Orleans College of Law has a unique emphasis on comparative and international law due to its location in the state of Louisiana, the only state of the United States to have a private law system based on the civil law. Also contributing to the global focus of the College of Law is its Jesuit heritage and its location in the international port city of New Orleans with its diverse cultural heritage.

Because of its location in a mixed jurisdiction, the College of Law offers two J.D. programs, a civil law curriculum (for students who intend to practice in Louisiana and other civil law jurisdictions) and a common law curriculum (for students who intend to practice in one of the other states.) For a number of years, we have offered optional certificate programs in civil law (for common law majors) and common law (for civil law majors), as well as a Certificate in International Legal Studies.

The Program

Because of the richness and diversity of the College of Law’s international programs, we are uniquely situated to initiate a new LL.M. program in United States Law designed for foreign students.

Attaining an LL.M. from Loyola will open new career options for you in the growing global economy. The LL.M. program we offer is designed to be flexible enough to meet a wide variety of specialties and interests. The LL.M. program is fully integrated with the existing J.D. program, allowing you to choose from a large number of courses.

A total of 24 credit hours are required for this degree. It is anticipated that the degree will be completed in one academic year (two semesters), but students may take longer if they wish with the permission of the director. For example, it may be possible to finish the few remaining hours in the summer following the academic year by taking summer courses either in New Orleans or one of several study-abroad programs.

The only specific required courses for this degree are a three-credit course, Introduction to United States Law, and a two-credit course in Legal Research and Writing for Foreign Lawyers. The remaining credits of the 24 credit hours may be taken from among other courses in the College of Law’s course catalog.

The Faculty

The law faculty consists of 35 full time members and over 80 adjunct faculty composed of judges, practicing lawyers and foreign faculty members in our study abroad programs. Our faculty frequently teach courses and give lectures at foreign law schools and publish in comparative and international law journals. We also offer courses by visiting faculty from a number of foreign law schools.

Entry Requirements

To qualify for admission to the LL.M. program applicants must have earned a first degree in law (LL.B. or equivalent) outside of the United States. The LL.M. Application Form can be downloaded from our website at http://law.loyno.edu/fsp/llm/. Please see our website for a complete list of items that must be submitted with your application. Applications are currently being accepted on a rolling basis; however, we recommend that you submit your materials as soon as possible since your application will be considered upon a space available basis. Applicants who need to have a visa should submit their application by May 1 at the latest.

Financial Aid

Applicants requesting financial aid should make every effort to obtain assistance from their governments or other outside sources. Loyola does offer some financial assistance to foreign LL.M. students. Qualified applicants who need financial aid should submit a letter requesting scholarship consideration when applying to the LL.M. program.

Location

Loyola has two campuses located in a residential area of New Orleans known as the university section. Fronting on tree-lined St. Charles Avenue where streetcars are the mode of public transportation, Loyola’s main campus faces Audubon Park across the avenue. The 20-acre campus is a collection of Tudor-Gothic buildings and modern architecture. Five blocks farther up St. Charles Avenue is the four-acre Broadway campus, the home of the College of Law. The city of New Orleans, particularly the Uptown area where Loyola University is located, offers a number of excellent restaurants and cultural and entertainment opportunities. New Orleans is the home of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the Louisiana Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and a number of other local courts. A number of large law firms are headquartered in the city’s Central Business District.

Accommodation

The College of Law is located in a residential area of Uptown New Orleans where a number of graduate students and undergraduates live. Single and shared apartments and houses are available within walking distance of the College of Law. Average monthly rent ranges from $750 and up. The Office of Admissions provides housing information and assistance for all LL.M. applicants, including maintaining a roomate list.

There is one Loyola University dormitory, Cabra Hall, directly adjacent to the College of Law. This dormitory is comprised of suites which house eight students in double rooms. Four rooms share a bathroom, multipurpose area and a living room. Each bedroom is furnished with two single beds, two desks, two closets, basic cable service and a local telephone service. The living room is furnished with a loveseat, chairs, sofa and coffee table. The hall is centrally heated and air-conditioned. Study room, laundry facilities, study lounges, a computer room, a community kitchen and a sun deck are also located within this residence hall. However, LL.M. students do have priority over J.D. students. There are three other dormitories on the main campus. A shuttle bus service provides transportation between the two campuses.

While Cabra Hall is available to law students including LL.M. students, we cannot guarantee that rooms will be available since priority is given to undergraduate students for space in the residence halls.

There are no accommodations for married students on campus. The University does operate an active apartment listing through its Center for Commuter Services in the Danna Center.

Student Life

Loyola University’s LL.M. program is fully integrated socially in the College of Law. LL.M. students attend most of their classes with J.D. students as well as with other LL.M. students. There are a number of co-curricular and extracurricular student organizations in which you may interact with your fellow students outside the classroom. In addition, there are Friday afternoon social hours sponsored by the Student Bar Association and other student organizations which are open to all law students.

Summer Program

LL.M. students may also enroll in summer school classes either on-campus or in the College of Law's international programs in Austria, Brazil, Costa Rica, Hungary, Mexico or Russia.

Students who have earned a joint degree in law from a common law country other than the U.S. may elect to take a limited concentration in Civil law courses offered at Loyola and receive a Certificate in Civil Law Studies