The Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic & Center for Social Justice
Academics. Justice. Service. These are the core tenets on which the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law is built. Nowhere are they more prevalent than in the nationally ranked Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice. This legal clinic gives third-year law students the opportunity to be sworn into practice law and put their classroom knowledge to work in representing those in need under the supervision of clinic faculty. Students gain a wide range of legal skills, practical experience in a number of fields, and learning what it means to use the law to serve others.
Apply for Clinic
The application for clinical legal education is available here. All sections are full at this time. Applicants will be placed on a wait list and contacted as spots become available.
Top Ranked Nationally
The Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice is ranked in the top 50 among more than 200 ABA-ranked law schools by U.S. News and World Report.
PreLaw Magazine ranks Loyola Law in the Top 20 Law Schools for Public Service.
Through the Law Clinic, law students have the chance to represent real clients in eight different fields of practice.
Clinic Faculty Successes
New Director
Professor Davida Finger was appointed director of the law clinic in August 2021. She is a leading national voice in clinical education.
Building the Practice
Professor Hiroko Kusuda was recently elected to serve on the Board of Jesuit Refugee Service (USA).
Honored by the Honduran Consulate
The Honduran Consulate recognized Ramona Fernandez for her work on behalf of members of our Honduran community.
Serving the Community
The Loyola Law Clinic's recent initiatives.
Disaster Lawyering Project
The Law Clinic recently completed its work with the Disaster Lawyering Project, which assisted individuals adversely affected by Hurricane Ida with a focus on FEMA issues.
LAPRI Project
The Law Clinic recently partnered with United Way of Southeast Louisiana and Southeast Louisiana Legal Services to assist with the Louisiana Prisoner Reentry Initiative, which will address legal barriers such as municipal/traffic attachments.
United for Early Care and Education Project
The Law Clinic also recently completed the United for Early Care and Education Project, which allowed the Law Clinic to provide technical and legal support to child care centers, beginning with a focus on the Payroll Protection Program (PPP).
Clinic News
Client Eligibility
The Law Clinic provides legal services for the indigent of New Orleans.