Welcome from the Dean
Welcome to Loyola University New Orleans College of Law! As the dean and as a graduate of this law school, I know firsthand both how special this community is and how well it prepares students for the practice of law.
The Law School is well known for its commitment to building practice-ready lawyers. We have one of the oldest clinical programs in the country, now ranked 32nd among over 200 ABA-ranked law schools by U.S. News and World Report. Through the clinic, our students have the opportunity to spend a significant part of their third year representing real clients under the supervision of experienced faculty. In the last several years, we have expanded our experiential offerings to include the Environmental Law & Policy Lab, the Entrepreneurship Project, and the Human Rights Advocacy Project, through which students develop their drafting and advocacy skills while serving the community. Our curriculum is supplemented by an extensive Externship program, which allows students to spend a semester working with local employers in their areas of professional interest. All of our students also participate in our Skills curriculum, to help them practice the competencies they’ll need to start their law careers.
Our law school also has both civil and common law curricula, allowing our students to prepare for practice locally, nationally, and globally. Our curriculum is designed to provide students with a unique comparative perspective from the first semester. We also recognize that every student has a unique learning style, so we provide individualized attention and support, starting with the small sections in the first year Lawyering course, and continuing with our extensive academic support and bar preparation programs.
Loyola’s faculty are nationally and internationally known for their scholarship, but are equally (if not more) committed to their teaching. In keeping with the Jesuit tradition, our faculty are dedicated to educating the whole person, which means knowing each and every one of our students beyond the classroom. Walking the halls daily, I see our professors meeting with students to discuss papers or exams, lunching in our student center, and practicing with members of our nationally-ranked moot court and trial advocacy teams.
At Loyola, we pride ourselves in the diversity and collegiality of our student body. With our full-time, part-time, and evening programs, we make law school accessible to working professionals, parents, and others whose schedules require flexibility. Our student organizations create opportunities for students to pursue their professional interests, network in and serve the New Orleans community, and build relationships with each other. Our alumni network is strong and committed to each other, the law school, and to each generation of Loyola grads.
And of course, we’re located in one of the most amazing cities not only in the United States, but in the world.
I hope that you’ll decide to come see for yourself what makes the Loyola experience so unique. We’d love to have you!
Madeleine Landrieu
Dean and Judge Adrian G. Duplantier Distinguished Professor of Law