LL.M. Program for International Students

Origins of the Program

The Loyola University New Orleans College of Law has a unique emphasis on comparative and international law owing to its location in the State of Louisiana, the only one of the United States to have a private law system based on the civil law.  The civil law was imported into Louisiana during the eighteenth century when it was first a colony of France and later of Spain.  After the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, Louisiana in 1808 was the first jurisdiction in the Western Hemisphere to adopt a Civil Code, based on the Code Napoleon.  Louisiana then began to adopt a number of common law institutions and concepts so that it can now properly be considered a “mixed jurisdiction.”  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.

International Reach

Loyola offers an attractive atmosphere for students from other countries for a number of reasons.  One of these is our association with prestigious foreign law schools.  We have cooperation agreements involving exchange of faculty and students with the law faculties at the following schools:  University of Vienna, Moscow State University, Eötvös Loránd University of Budapest, the University of Belgrade, the University of Vytatus Magnus in Kaunas, Lithuania; the Yeditepe University in Istanbul, Turkey, the University of Costa Rica in San Jose, and the State University of Rio de Janeiro. 

The College of Law is also one of the top four law schools in the U.S. in the number of foreign summer programs for American law students.  These programs are located in Vienna, Austria; Budapest, Hungary and Moscow, Russia.   In addition, Loyola has the largest number of summer programs in Latin America of any American law school, with programs in Cuernavaca, Mexico, Rio de Janeiro Brazil and San Jose Costa Rica.  The school also previously operated study abroad programs in Kyoto, Japan and Capetown, South Africa.  The school annually conducts a seminar in Europe that tours the leading institutions of the European Union, has an annual Seminar on Exploring the Roots of Civil Law in Rome and Istanbul, fields a team in the International Arbitration Moot in Vienna, Austria and regularly sends and receives visiting faculty to and from many foreign institutions.  This burgeoning activity produces many opportunities for the study of international and comparative law, including frequent scholarly events such as public addresses and faculty colloquia, and much publication in comparative and international law journals.

Richness and Diversity

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 United 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.

Because of this richness and diversity of the College of Law’s international programs, we are uniquely situated to offer an LL.M. in United States Law.

Attaining an LL.M. from Loyola will open new career options for you in the growing global economy.  Because United States corporations and law firms occupy a dominant role in this economy, an LL.M. degree from a U.S. law school will be a valuable credential whether you intend to work in the United States or return to your home country.  The LL.M. program the Loyola University New Orleans' College of Law offers 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.

Contact the Law Admissions Office at (504) 861-5575.